Psalm 89:16

Psalm 89:16 ¹⁶ In Your name they rejoice all day long, And in Your righteousness they are exalted.

And in Your righteousness they are exalted. What a wonderful thought! To understand what the Psalmist is referring to let’s look first at a definition:

ex•alt•ed [ig záwltəd] adj (formal)

1. elevated: high in rank, position, or esteem
2. noble: grand or noble in character
3. high-spirited: in very high spirits
Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

Because of God’s righteousness we are exalted. Paul explains that it is because of our faith that we receive this “applied” righteousness – it is not ours by merit or right. Think for a moment on what it means to be exalted by God’s righteousness. Look at the first definition of exalted “high in rank, position, or esteem”. We are in a high position in the kingdom because of this imputed righteousness. Look at Romans 8:16-17:

“¹⁶ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,¹⁷ and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.”(NKJV, emphasis mine)

We are heirs of God! We are princes and princesses in the kingdom of heaven. If all of creation esteems the Father it would seem to track that it would also esteem His children. True, we live in a world that hates us at the present time because of our association with the Son, but that will not always be the case. Jesus is coming back for His family.

Look at the second definition “grand or noble in character”. As a Christian we have the indwelling Holy Spirit with us every moment of our lives. He guides our every move and walks with us as we live this life. Ephesians 5:8 says “⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light”. As we walk with the Lord we become more like Him; His will becomes ours, His love for others becomes our love for others. How much more noble of a character does one have to aspire towards if His character is that of God?

The third definition says “in very high spirits”, that one ties in nicely with the beginning of our verse today doesn’t it? “In Your name they rejoice all day long” – it is my prayer that this truth becomes a reality in my own life as well as yours. Let us all be lifted up because we serve a God who is so much greater than us! Let us rejoice in the fact that our sins are forgiven by the Holy One of Israel! Let us not become bogged down in the muck and mire that is our own sin, let us instead repent and turn toward Jesus! Let us not lose hope because we live in a world that is decaying and dying because of its love of sin – we serve a RISEN Savior who will overcome everything with but a word!

God’s righteousness is so much better than our own. He is completely holy and He is perfect. Rejoice and be lifted up by the fact that there is never going to be anything that will remove us from His love.