This is not the place to examine the moral ideal of the Psalmists in detail (see ETHICS) ; it is in all important features the common property of post- exilic Judaism, and it has its centre in the indi- vidual life. Only one point needs to be adverted to, in order to guard against a possible misconcep- tion. It is found that in connexion with the idea of righteousness considerable emphasis is laid on the humane virtues. In 112* ' righteous ' and ' mer- ciful ' occur together in the description of the God- fearing man ; in v.'' of the same Psalm charity to the poor is mentioned as a condition of righteous- ness ; in 37^' 112^-" the righteous is characterized bj' willingness to lend and to give.* Now, it is a well-known fact that in later times righteousness acquired the special sense of mercy or even alms- giving (see below), and it might he supposed that in the passages just cited we have the first indica- tion of that important change of meaning. It ia very doubtful if this view be correct. In reality, the phenomenon in question is little different from a feature we have already remarked in the pro- phetic conception of righteousness. To say that the righteous man is merciful, etc., is not the same thing as to identify righteousness and mercy ; all that is meant is that mercifulness is one feature of the ideal righteous character ; and any stress laid on such virtues in particular passages is amply explained by the prominence assigned to them in the moral code of Judaism.
Some additional illustrations of the various kinds of human righteousness may here be given from the later writings of l.»T. — In Mai 3W the two parties in the restored community are dis- tinguished as the ' righteous' and the ' nicked' respectively (aa in Psalms). — In 320 righteousness means jwitiJu:aH<yn througli a return of prosperity ; as also Jl 2'^ : ' the early rain m Uiktn oS )u«(t/i<:atio7i'(.iB'i5i^,— less probably, in )u»l mea«4«) ; Dn 92* ('everlasting righteousness'). —In Is24i6'2t)2p^s is a predicate of the nation of Israel ; in 26', perhaps of the theocratic parly.— In 20^ the idea seems to be that when J" rouses Himself to the exercise of Ilis judicial functions, the inhabitants of the xvorld will learn what true piety is.— Is (145, Dn 9'i* exi>ress a sense of the worthlessness of the works of right€0usne88(nlp-y) performed by the people ; the consciousness of being in the right (oft*n so powerful in the Psalms) cannot maintain itself in the face of pro- longed national misfortune. Dn 8'* (?■];.■:) is a peculiar case : the cleansingof the sanctuary is considered asa^'^wtfiTicafio", a vindi- cation of its rights against the heathen who had profaned iU
3. TUB RlGnTEOUSXESS OF GOV.— In the OT righteousness is never predicated of any other deity than J", the God of Israel, t It appears to be regarded
• The same combination is met with in Proverbs (cf. 12'0 21«' 29'), and perhaps in Job (■291'').
t In Ps &S. 82 many commentators And the unfamiliar idea expressed th.at the government of the world has been delegated bv J" to inferior, semi-divine beings, the gods of the heathen. To the unrighteous judgment of tliesc subordinate deities is ascribed the perversion of right which prevails on earth. II this view were correct (which is doubtful), it would certainly show that righteousness was expected of a 1 beings to whom Divine honours were paid ; but such a re| ceseutatioo hardly contlicts with the statement made above.
KIGHTEOUSXESS IN OT
RIGHTEOUSNESS IX OT
279
not as a natural attribute inseparable from the very notion of Godhead, but as one wliioh J " alone has proved Himself to possess in the positive reve- lation of Himself throujj'h the history of Israel (see Is'lS""-). The idea has its roots in the fundamental institutions of the Hebrew religion. From the time of Moses, J" was regarded as the fountain of right in Israel, the King and Judge of His people, dispensing justice continuously through His ac- credited representatives (Dt 1").* The develop- ment of the idea is due chiefly to influences ema- nating from the prophets. It belongs to their view of J "as an ethical I'erson haWng an independent character of His own, in contrast with the gods of the heathen, who were conceived even by their worshippers as arbitrary and capricious "bein>'s, subject to incalculable "humours and swaj'ed by self-interest. The righteousness of J" is the stead- fastness of His character, to be seen, first of all, in His inllexible determination to puni.sh Israel for its .sins (Is 28" etc.). It comes to light in the moral order of the universe, which is just J" Himself operating in histor5' in a way that answers to the sense of right which He has implanted in human nature. In Zeph 3' His moral rule is described as having the constanej- and uniformity of the natural law that brings in tlie dawn : ' J" is righteous in the midst of her; he doeth no iniquity; mornin"; by morning he bringeth his judgment to light, Dothinj; is missing' (cf. IIos 6° 'my judgment goeth torth as the light '). In a similar and nearly contemporary passage we read : ' The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment; a (.Tod of faithfulness and without iniquity ; righteous and upright is he' (Dt 32').