◄ Psalm 106:3 ►
Blessed are those who uphold justice, who practice righteousness at all times.
Study Bible
Blessed are those
The word "blessed" in Hebrew is "אַשְׁרֵי" (ashrei), which conveys a sense of happiness, fortune, and divine favor. In the biblical context, being blessed is not merely about material wealth or comfort but about experiencing the fullness of life that comes from living in alignment with God's will. This phrase sets the tone for the verse, indicating that those who follow the subsequent actions are recipients of God's favor. The idea of being blessed is deeply rooted in the covenant relationship between God and His people, where obedience and faithfulness lead to divine blessings.

who uphold justice
The Hebrew word for "justice" is "מִשְׁפָּט" (mishpat), which refers to the act of making fair and right decisions, often in a legal or communal context. Upholding justice is a central theme in the Old Testament, reflecting God's character as a just and righteous judge. In ancient Israel, justice was not only a legal requirement but a moral and spiritual obligation. Those who uphold justice are seen as aligning themselves with God's own nature, as He is described throughout Scripture as a God of justice. This phrase calls believers to actively engage in promoting fairness and equity in their communities.

who practice righteousness
"Righteousness" in Hebrew is "צְדָקָה" (tsedaqah), which encompasses both ethical conduct and a right relationship with God. Practicing righteousness involves living according to God's standards and commands, which are revealed in the Scriptures. It is a holistic concept that includes personal integrity, social responsibility, and spiritual devotion. In the biblical narrative, righteousness is often associated with the covenant faithfulness of God's people, who are called to reflect His holiness in their lives. This phrase emphasizes the active and continuous nature of living righteously, suggesting that it is a daily commitment rather than a one-time act.

at all times
The phrase "at all times" underscores the constancy and perseverance required in the pursuit of justice and righteousness. It implies that these virtues are not situational or conditional but are to be maintained consistently, regardless of circumstances. This reflects the biblical call to steadfastness and faithfulness, as seen in the lives of the patriarchs, prophets, and apostles who remained committed to God's ways despite challenges and opposition. The phrase serves as a reminder that the Christian life is a continuous journey of growth and obedience, requiring diligence and perseverance in all aspects of life.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Psalmist
The author of Psalm 106, traditionally attributed to King David, who reflects on Israel's history and God's enduring mercy.

2. Israel
The nation of Israel, whose history of disobedience and God's faithfulness is recounted in this psalm.

3. God
The central figure in the psalm, whose justice and righteousness are the standards for His people.

4. The Righteous
Those who are blessed for upholding justice and practicing righteousness, as described in this verse.

5. The Exodus
An event alluded to in the broader context of Psalm 106, highlighting God's deliverance and the people's subsequent rebellion.
Teaching Points
The Blessing of Justice and Righteousness
Upholding justice and practicing righteousness are not just moral duties but pathways to receiving God's blessing.

Consistency in Righteous Living
The phrase "at all times" underscores the importance of consistency in our walk with God, not just in favorable circumstances.

The Role of Justice in Christian Life
Justice is a reflection of God's character, and as His followers, we are called to mirror this attribute in our interactions with others.

Righteousness as a Lifestyle
Practicing righteousness is not a one-time act but a continuous lifestyle that aligns with God's will and commands.

The Interconnection of Justice and Righteousness
Justice and righteousness are intertwined; one cannot truly exist without the other in the life of a believer.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the concept of justice in Psalm 106:3 relate to the broader biblical account of God's character?

2. In what ways can we practice righteousness "at all times" in our daily lives, and what challenges might we face?

3. How does the promise of blessing for those who uphold justice encourage you in your personal walk with God?

4. Reflect on a time when you witnessed or participated in an act of justice. How did it align with the teachings of Psalm 106:3?

5. How can the teachings of Micah 6:8 and Psalm 106:3 be integrated into your community or church's mission and outreach efforts?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Micah 6:8
This verse emphasizes the requirement to act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God, paralleling the call to uphold justice and practice righteousness.

Matthew 5:6
Jesus speaks of those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, promising they will be filled, echoing the blessing for those who practice righteousness.

James 1:22-25
Encourages believers to be doers of the word, not just hearers, aligning with the call to practice righteousness at all times.

Isaiah 1:17
Calls for learning to do good, seeking justice, and correcting oppression, reinforcing the theme of upholding justice.

1 John 3:7
Speaks of practicing righteousness as evidence of being born of God, connecting to the blessing mentioned in Psalm 106:3.
Sermons
The Blessedness of the Holy LifeS. Conway Psalm 106:3
The True in Praise, Religion, and PrayerHomilistPsalm 106:1-5
The Nevertheless of God's MercyS. Conway Psalm 106:1-48
People
Aaron, Abiram, Baalpeor, Dathan, Ham, Phinehas, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Blessed, Constantly, Decisions, Happiness, Happy, Judgment, Justice, Keeping, Maintain, O, Observe, Practice, Righteousness, Upright
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 106:3

     5361   justice, human
     5362   justice, believers' lives
     8158   righteousness, of believers
     8315   orthodoxy, in OT

Library
June the Twelfth Waiting for the Spectacular
"The waves covered their enemies.... Then believed they His words." --PSALM cvi. 1-12. Their faith was born in a great emergency. A spectacular deliverance was needed to implant their trust in the Lord. They found no witness in the quiet daily providence; the unobtrusive miracle of daily mercy did not awake their song. They dwelt upon the "special" blessing, when all the time the really special blessing was to be found in the sleepless care which watched over them in their ordinary and commonplace …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

Israel at the Red Sea
"A few more rolling years at most, Will land me on fair Canaan's coast.' And then I shall have no more warfare, no more fighting, no more disturbance; but I shall be at peace." "Not quite as thou desirest," says God. "Oh! thou little one; I have more to teach thee ere thou art prepared for my palace." Then he commences to lead us about, and bring us into straits and perils. The sins which we thought had utterly left us are hunting us behind, while impassible floods block up the way. Even trembling …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 2: 1856

Why are Men Saved?
"The hand that made us is Divine." If we listen to the rippling of the freshet at the mountain side, to the tumbling of the avalanche, to the lowing of the cattle, to the singing of the birds, to every voice and sound of nature, we shall hear this answer to the question, "God is our maker; he hath made us, and not we ourselves." The next question, as to design--Why were these things made?--is not so easy to answer, apart from Scripture; but when we look at Scripture we discover this fact--that as …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857

Sin: Its Spring-Head, Stream, and Sea
It may help us to escape out of the meshes of our natural depravity, if we look back and see the causes of our fathers' sins. To confess our personal sin will tend to keep us humble; and in view of the Lord's mercy, which has spared and pardoned us, a sense of our guilt will make us grateful. The less we think of ourselves the more we shall think of him whose "mercy endureth for ever"; and if we see where our fathers' sins began, and how they grew, and what they came to, we may hope that the Spirit …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 37: 1891

The Waters of Meribah
'Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there. 2. And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron. 3. And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord! 4. And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Fourteenth Day. The Holy one of God.
Therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.'--Luke i. 35. 'We have believed and know that Thou art the Holy One of God.'--John vi. 69. 'The holy one of the Lord'--only once (Ps. cvi. 16) the expression is found in the Old Testament. It is spoken of Aaron, in whom holiness, as far as it could then be revealed, had found its most complete embodiment. The title waited for its fulfilment in Him who alone, in His own person, could perfectly show forth …
Andrew Murray—Holy in Christ

Man's Misery by the Fall
Q-19: WHAT IS THE MISERY OF THAT ESTATE WHEREINTO MAN FELL? A: All mankind by their fall lost communion with God, are under his wrath and curse, and so made liable to all the miseries in this life, to death itself, and to the pains of hell for ever. 'And were by nature children of wrath.' Eph 2:2. Adam left an unhappy portion to his posterity, Sin and Misery. Having considered the first of these, original sin, we shall now advert to the misery of that state. In the first, we have seen mankind offending; …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Our Status.
"And he believed in the Lord: and he counted it to him for righteousness." --Gen. xv. 6. The right touches a man's status. So long as the law has not proven him guilty, has not convicted and sentenced him, his legal status is that of a free and law-abiding citizen. But as soon as his guilt is proven in court and the jury has convicted him, he passes from that into the status of the bound and law-breaking citizen. The same applies to our relation to God. Our status before God is that either of the …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Twenty Second Sunday after Trinity Paul's Thanks and Prayers for Churches.
Text: Philippians 1, 3-11. 3 I thank my God upon all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every supplication of mine on behalf of you all making my supplication with joy, 5 for your fellowship in furtherance of the gospel from the first day until now; 6 being confident of this very thing, that he who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ: 7 even as it is right for me to be thus minded on behalf of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as, both in my bonds …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. III

Elucidations.
I. (Deadly Sins, cap. ix., p. 356.) To maintain a modern and wholly uncatholic system of Penitence, the schoolmen invented a technical scheme of sins mortal and sins venial, which must not be read into the Fathers, who had no such technicalities in mind. By "deadly sins" they meant all such as St. John recognizes (1 John v. 16-17) and none other; that is to say sins of surprise and infirmity, sins having in them no malice or wilful disobedience, such as an impatient word, or a momentary neglect of …
Tertullian—The Five Books Against Marcion

Rest for the Weary
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. W hich shall we admire most -- the majesty, or the grace, conspicuous in this invitation? How soon would the greatest earthly monarch be impoverished, and his treasures utterly exhausted, if all, that are poor and miserable, had encouragement to apply freely to him, with a promise of relief, fully answerable to their wants and wishes! But the riches of Christ are unsearchable and inexhaustible. If millions and millions …
John Newton—Messiah Vol. 1

The Second Commandment
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am o jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of then that hate me; and shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.' Exod 20: 4-6. I. Thou shalt not …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners:
A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN; WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HIS SIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HE DESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRIST DID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work of the ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath met with …
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Obedience
Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the Lord thy God. Thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the Lord thy God, and do his commandments.' Deut 27: 9, 10. What is the duty which God requireth of man? Obedience to his revealed will. It is not enough to hear God's voice, but we must obey. Obedience is a part of the honour we owe to God. If then I be a Father, where is my honour?' Mal 1: 6. Obedience carries in it the life-blood of religion. Obey the voice of the Lord …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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