Our Righteousness – Psalm 7:8
The Lord judges the peoples; vindicate me, O Lord, according to my righteousness and my integrity that is in me.
As we pray, Psalm 7:8 might give us pause. Asking the Lord to deal with us according to our own righteousness seems tantamount to suggesting He throw us into the abyss, stoking the fires as we enter the flames. With the conviction of our sinfulness ever before our eyes and our attempts at living according to His holy statues falling so far short of God’s glory, we seemingly have nothing to offer the Lord as justification for the expectation He will work on our behalf.[1]
Clothed only in the filthy rags of our own iniquity, our position would indeed be woeful before the Lord had not God’s infinite grace lifted us out of our low estate to crown us with the golden diadem of Christ’s righteousness when we received Him as our Lord and Savior.[2] Blessedly, when we first placed our trust in Jesus and committed our lives to Him, the Lord imputed His righteousness to us. He made us eternally right with His Father,[3] washing away our transgressions, granting us a full pardon from the penalty of sin. He declares us pure, holy, and upright in heart, wrapped in the purity and virtue of Jesus Christ.
Therefore, as those made righteous in Christ, we can go before the Righteous Judge without shame for the ugliness of our sin, for He does not see it. Rather He sees our upright hearts since the heart of Jesus is within us, and He finds us innocent, acquitted on all counts.[4] We can boast in our high position in Christ Jesus, for He took our sin upon Himself that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.[5] We can enter the throne room without fear and ask the Lord to grant us His favor because of our royal position in Christ.
The King delights in His people, and as we lift our hands, which the Lord has cleansed and purified, to heaven in worship, we will grow stronger and stronger in Christ.[6] As we travel the path He has laid before us, the light of the sun will shine brighter and brighter within us.[7]
Live your days wrapped in the cloak of Christ’s righteousness, and as you do, you will find favor with the Lord, for He loves those who walk according to His ways, and they will behold His face.[8]
Trembling, I turned the knob
Leading to the Inner Room
Where the Lord bade me, “Come”
But I could not presume
To know how one in filthy rags
Was fit to see the King
I had no talent, gift, or song
To make an offering
But as I passed the threshold
Saying, “Jesus, I receive
Your fullness, love, and glory
And by grace, through faith, believe”
With this one step, my wretched garb
Was instantly transformed
To golden threads with silver trim
I stood brilliantly adorned
Wrapped in a robe of righteousness
All uncleanness washed away
Sparkling, holy, pure, and clean
I entered life that day
[1] Isaiah 64:6
[2] 1 Corinthians 1:30
[3] Romans 10:4
[4] Psalm 7:10-11
[5] Jeremiah 9:24, 2 Corinthians 5:21
[6] Job 17:9
[7] Proverbs 4:18
[8] Psalm 11:7
