I just wanted to share a couple of paragraphs from Richard P. Belcher Jr.’s essay, “The King, the Law, and Righteousness in the Psalms” from The Law is Not of Faith: Essays on Works and Grace in the Mosaic Covenant, along with my own thoughts:
“The relationship of the king to the torah is important. The king meditates on the torah and desires to keep the torah. The king declares that his life is a reflection of the righteousness of the torah in that he is blameless. Thus the king is able to ask God to judge him according to his righteousness because his life is a reflection of the righteousness of the torah.” (p168)
An unthinking cursory reader of Psalms 7, 18, and 26 might not recognize the apparent problem with these Psalms in that the author (the king) considers himself to be righteous in the sight of the law. But how does this square with Psalm 143:2, in which the Psalmist specifically asks God not to enter into judgment with him, because “in Your sight no one living is righteous?” What are the options for interpreting these Psalms? As I see it, there are three. Continue Reading
The Sovereign Logos 