Psalm 34:15 says “The eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.” Isn’t this a promise we all want to get in on, the Lord seeing and hearing us especially when we cry out in need? But there’s a pressing question: who is “righteous”? Or, to put it another way, what makes someone righteous”?
We naturally think that to be righteous is to be good, to do right. So God will turn his face toward those who live up to his moral standard. This would mean that God’s kindness and help are earned. But that can’t be true based on everything else the Bible says about our need for God’s grace. So again, what does it mean to be righteous?
It means to believe, to have faith. Romans 4 tells us this: Abraham believed God and it “was credited to him as righteousness.” The righteous are those who place our hope in God through Jesus. The righteous are those who depend on God in all things. The righteous are those who know we aren’t good enough to please God, but that Christ’s righteousness is ours through faith.
So if you believe in Jesus and depend on him, this promise is yours. You don’t need to earn it, you can fall into it in all your need and pain and fear. God’s face is turned toward all who believe in His Son.
I originally wrote this post for my church, Immanuel Nashville, in our Daily Pulse email. If you want encouragement from God’s word delivered Monday thru Friday to your inbox, I encourage you to subscribe.
