But He’s Such a Good Guy
One who walks with integrity, practices righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart. Psalm 15:2 NASB
Practices righteousness – What does the poet mean by the phrase “practices righteousness”? If we think in modern terms, we might conclude that this expression describes someone who does what is right, whose cause is ethical and justified, like, for example, marching with Martin Luther King, Jr. in a protest against racism. Heschel did that, declaring, “I’m praying with my feet.” Today we might claim that protesting against Putin’s aggression is practicing righteousness. Or perhaps supporting the Freedom Convoy in Canada. While such acts are undoubtedly ethically justifiable, I don’t think the poet would include them in the ancient idea behind this phrase. He has something quite specific in mind, as his choice of Hebrew terms demonstrates.
pōʿêl’ ṣedeq (“to do righteousness, to do justice”) is the opposite of another phrase found most often in the Psalms. That opposite phrase is pōʿălê ʾāwen, “the workers of iniquity.” Whatever “practices righteousness” means, it must be viewed in opposition to the workers of iniquity. The verb pāʿal describes what a man actually does as moral acts, usually in the negative. But this means that these actions are measured by some standard. They are not merely what conscience dictates. That standard is determined by the second term, ṣedeq. “This root basically connotes conformity to an ethical or moral standard.”[1] The word becomes a measuring rule, a standard, for upright action, a shorthand way of speaking about the nature and will of God. In other words, ṣedeq is not whatever I believe to be ethical or moral. It is specifically whatever God says is ethical and moral. It is the Law, the Torah, God’s declaration of what He considers upright acts of men. So, it might be correct to march with King or to support the truckers’ protest, but that doesn’t make those actions ṣaddîq. The measuring rod is not societies’ rule. It is the rule of the Most High God. If it doesn’t fall within the scope of Torah, it isn’t ṣaddîq.
Of course, the opposite is just as true. Actions that do not follow Torah are, by definition, not ṣaddîq. They may be perfectly acceptable in the society. They may even be “ethical,” but if they are not within the scope of Torah, they don’t qualify as righteous from a biblical point of view. You can be a good guy and still not be righteous. You can go to church, love your family, follow the laws of the nation, be charitable, treat your neighbor with respect, and still not be ṣaddîq. Why? Because the Torah sets the standard, and if you do all these things but don’t live in Torah obedience, then you are basically following your own moral rules and ignoring God’s instructions. There might be a good deal of overlap, as the list here demonstrates, but that’s not the same as “practices righteousness.” What the poet has in mind is a continual and comprehensive behavior. pōʿêl’ ṣedeq isn’t some of what you do. It’s all of what you do.
Let’s remember the poet’s objective. He’s not condemning those who do most of what is right. He’s pointing out that pōʿêl’ ṣedeq is the entry condition to dwelling with God. The world might be full of ethically motivated moral people, but that isn’t the same as dwelling with God. To dwell in the presence of the God of Israel requires more than a mostly moral life.
Topical Index: pōʿêl’ ṣedeq, practicing righteousness, Psalm 15:2
[1] Stigers, H. G. (1999). 1879 צָדֵק. R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 752). Chicago: Moody Press.
