Posts Tagged: treating God

“Lives as Well as Lips”

On February 5, 2025 by Dteb With 0 Comments - down to earth believer

“Praise the LORD!

             Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

                        for his steadfast love endures forever!

Who can utter the mighty deeds of the LORD,

                        or declare all his praise?

            Blessed are they who observe justice,

                        who do righteousness at all times!” (Psalm 106:1-3, English Standard Version)

“He talks a good game,” is a common saying that suggests a person is all talk and no work or skill. I wonder these days about those of us who claim the name of Christ. In particular, I wonder about the author of this blog post. Consistency has never been my middle name.

The psalmist asks a question about who can talk about the mighty deeds of the LORD and sound forth his praise. He immediately answers his own question. The ones who can trumpet God’s mighty deeds and praise him are those who consistently practice justice and righteousness.

The biblical Hebrew words translated “justice” and “righteousness” sometimes have a judicial connotation. They suggest “deciding what is right on a case-by-case basis. But often, the words suggest treating people fairly.

Do I do that? Sometimes, yes. But the psalm demands more of me than a wimpy little “sometimes”. Praising God requires a fulltime commitment to and practice of treating God and people fairly. Does my life itself praise God consistently? Afraid not.

Derek Kidner comments that, “ ‘. . . to show forth all his praise’ (2) will take lives as well as lips; and while even our sins throw his grace into relief, as the psalm will show, our obligation to righteousness is total and uninterrupted.”[1]

As I have noted before in these posts, my twelve-step sponsor never tires of reminding me to JKDTNRT. These letters stand for “Just keep doing the next right thing.” He knows what I need to hear and what I need to do.

The rest of Psalm 106 goes on to highlight the fact that Israel’s history does not suggest consistency in how the nation lived its life. Quite the contrary. They messed up again and again and again and . . . . Well, you get the picture.

And so do we all. But consistent living should be our aim. Treating God, other people, the world, ad even ourselves fairly is what we are called to do. May we, may I, do so today!

[1]Derek Kidner, Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 16 of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. IVP/Accordance electronic ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1975), 412.

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