I know, O LORD, that
YOUR judgments are right!
YOUR judgments are right!
(Francis Bourdillon)
"I know, O LORD, that YOUR
judgments are right, and that
in faithfulness YOU have afflicted
me." Psalm 119:75
judgments are right."
GOD orders all things!
HIS "judgments" here mean HIS
general orderings, decisions, dealings--
not afflictions only, though including them.
And when the Psalmist says,
he means especially GOD'S judgments
towards him, GOD'S dealings with him,
and thus all that had happened to him or
would happen to him. For in the Psalmist's
creed, there was no such thing as chance.
GOD ordered all that befell him, and he
delighted to think so. HE expresses a
sure and happy confidence in all that
GOD did and would do, with regard to him.
HE trusted fully in GOD'S wisdom,
GOD'S power, and GOD'S love.
judgments are right"--
quite right, right in every way,
perfectly wise and good--
without one single point that might
have been better. David shows
the firmest persuasion of this.
"I know," he says; not merely "I think."
But these very words, "I know," clearly
show that this was a matter of faith,
not of sight. For he does not say,
"I can see that your judgments are right"--
but "I know."
The meaning plainly is,
"Though I cannot see all--
though there are some things
in YOUR dealings which
I cannot fully understand--
yet, I believe, I am persuaded,
and thus I know, O LORD, that
YOUR judgments are right."
"Your judgments." Not some of them--
but ALL. He takes into view all GOD'S
dealings with him and says of them
without exception,
judgments are right."
When the things that happen
to us are plainly for our comfort
and good, as many of them are--
then we thankfully receive what
GOD thus sends to us, and own
HIM as the GIVER of all, and
bless HIM for HIS gracious
dealing; and this is right.
But all the faith required for this,
is to own GOD as dealing with us,
instead of thanklessly receiving
the gifts with no thought of the GIVER.
It is a far higher degree of faith,
that says of ALL GOD'S dealings,
even when seemingly not for our
happiness,
"I know that YOUR judgments
are right!"
Yet this is the meaning here, or
certainly the chief meaning. For
though the word "judgments"
does mean GOD'S dealings
of every kind--
yet here the words which
follow, make it apply especially
to GOD'S afflictive dealings--
that is, to those dealings
of HIS that do not seem
to be for our happiness,
judgments are right, and that YOU
in faithfulness have afflicted me."
The judgments which the Psalmist
chiefly had in view, and which he
felt so sure were right, were not joys--
but sorrows; not things bestowed--
but things taken away; those
blessings in disguise; those
veiled mercies; those gifts
clad in the garb of mourning--
which GOD so often sends
to HIS children.
The Psalmist knew, and
knew against all appearance
to the contrary, that these
judgments were "right."
Whatever they might be--
losses, bereavements,
disappointments, pain, sickness--
they were right, perfectly right;
so right that they could
not have been better;
just what were best--
and all because they
were GOD'S judgments.
That one thing satisfied
the Psalmist's mind, and
set every doubt at rest.
The dealings in themselves,
he might have doubted--
but not HIM whose
dealings they were.
"Your judgments."
That settled all.
YOU have afflicted me."
This means that, in appointing
trouble as his lot, GOD had
dealt with him in faithfulness
to HIS word, in faithfulness
to HIS purposes of mercy,
and in faithful love.
GOD had sent him just what
was most for his good, though not
always what was most pleasing;
and in this HE had shown HIMSELF
faithful. Gently and lovingly does
the LORD deal with HIS children.
HE gives no unnecessary pain;
but that which is needful,
HE will not withhold.
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