RIGHTEOUSNESS BROUGHT TO THE LIGHT

“He shall bring forth YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS as the LIGHT, and your justice as the noonday” – Psalm 37:6

David’s testimony reveals the reality of RIGHTEOUSNESS BROUGHT to the LIGHT: “He shall bring forth YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS as the LIGHT, and your justice as the noonday” (Psa.37:6). The New International Version says, “He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday.” By God’s inspiration, David wrote this Psalm in his old age as he reflected back over the course of his life: “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Psa.37:25). He brought to bear the wealth of his firsthand experience, including God’s faithfulness while Saul persecuted him.

David encourages us to COMMIT our way to the Lord and TRUST in Him, and He shall bring it to pass (v.5). Then, He’ll validate our life in the clear light of day by His stamp of divine approval. The double emphasis – Commit and Trust – should stir us to see the importance of placing our whole faith in the Lord and in His ways. It means we can roll our burden unto Him and not respond to evil with reciprocal evil. Trusting Him in this way, we won’t act out of self-righteousness but humbly place our life in the Hands of the Faithful Judge of all the earth. We commit to and trust in Him, totally depend on Him for our right standing, knowing that on our own merit, we fall short of righteousness.

When we commit to and trust in the Lord, He’ll bring forth our righteousness and justice into the blazing light, making these manifest, based not on our own merit or actions, but on the person and work of Jesus Christ. These were reflected in the story of King Saul and David. God delivered Saul into David's hand, but rather than kill Saul, David exercised faith and patience. He had a promise of the kingdom, but no command to slay the king; hence, reasoned with himself and with his men, against doing Saul any hurt (1Sam.24:1-7).

David rendered good for evil, to him from whom he received evil for good, an example to all, not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome evil with good (Rom.12:21). Though, falsely charged with seeking Saul’s hurt, he showed how God’s providence had given him opportunity to do it, yet he resolved never to avenge himself (1Sam.24:8-15). He committed his way to God, and the Lord brought his righteousness into the Light, and vindicated him like the noonday sun. Saul responded: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil” (1Sam.3:17b). Beloved, if men wrong us, God will ultimately right us, even if it’ll be eternity!

As we commit to our way to the Lord and trust in Him, He’ll validate our lives radiantly like the dawn and stamp us with divine approval.