Psalms 85:13

Righteousness shall go before him,.... The incarnate Saviour, the increase of our land, and fruit of the virgin's womb; and righteousness may be put for a righteous person, as Aben Ezra interprets

Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us in the way of his steps.

Go before him, as his harbinger or attendant. He shall work and fulfil all righteousness, he shall glorify and satisfy the righteousness of God, and shall advance the practice of righteousness and holiness among men. Shall set us in the way of his steps, i.e. shall cause us to walk in those righteous ways wherein he walketh, and which he hath prescribed to us. But this us is not in the Hebrew, and may seem too liberal a supplement. And the words may be, and are by almost all other interpreters, rendered otherwise, he (i.e. God) shall set (which may note his stability and constancy in so doing) it (to wit, righteousness last mentioned) in the way of his steps, i.e. in the way wherein he walketh. So the sense of this last clause is the same for substance with the former, as is very usual in this book; righteousness in that clause goes before him, and in this it goes along with him.

Psalms 85:13 Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set [us] in the way of his steps.Ver. 13. Righteousness shall go before him] Men shall walk before God in holiness and righteousness all the days of their lives, Luke 1:75; they shall not rest in outward blessings, Psalms 85:12, or be satisfied with such low things, but be led up thereby to the care of higher. And shall set us in the way of his steps] So that we shall go an upper (and therefore a better) way, Proverbs 15:24, having our feet where other men’ s heads are; and so departing from hell beneath, which even gapeth for the unrighteous.

(13) Righteousness shall . . .—Better, Righteousness shall walk in front of Him, and follow in His steps.Nothing is more instructive than the blending in Psalms 85:12-13 of material and moral blessings. They do go together, as experience, especially national testifies. In the same spirit is Wordsworth’s well-known Ode to Duty:“Stern Law-giver! Yet thou dost wear The Godhead’s most benignant grace, Nor know we anything so fair As is the smile upon thy face. Flowers laugh before thee on their beds, And fragrance in thy footing treads: Thou dost preserve the stars from wrong, And the most ancient heavens through Thee are fresh and strong.”

Verse 13. Righteousness shall go before him] Perhaps this verse may receive its best solution from Romans 3:25: "Whom God hath set for a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his RIGHTEOUSNESS for the remission of sins that are past." This term the apostle uses to point out God's method of justifying or saving mankind. And this, in the preaching of the pure Gospel, is ever going before to point out the Lord Jesus, and the redemption that is in his blood. And thus going before him, the sinner, who feels his need of salvation, is Set - in the way of his steps; as Bartimeus sat by the way-side begging, by which way Jesus walked; and when he came where he was, heard his prayer, and restored him his sight. Or, righteousness - the pure and holy law of God, must be proclaimed as broken by sinners, and calling aloud for vengeance, before they can see and feel their need of Christ crucified. By the preaching of the law they are prepared to receive the grace of the Gospel. ANALYSIS OF THE EIGHTY-FIFTH PSALM Mystically, this Psalm may be considered as treating of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ. It has the three following parts: - I. An acknowledgment of God's former mercies, Psalms 85:1-3. II. A petition on that ground that he would repeat them, Psalms 85:4-7. III. A profession of obedience, and an advice to continue in it, Psalms 85:8. That men may be partakers of the promises, both spiritual, Psalms 85:9-11; and temporal, Psalms 85:12, which shall be fulfilled to those who keep in the ways of God, Psalms 85:13. I. In the three first verses, the psalmist commemorates God's mercies to his people; of which his good will or favour is the Fountain. These mercies are, 1. Temporal: "Thou hast been favourable unto thy land," c., Psalms 85:1. 2. Spiritual: 1. "Thou hast forgiven the iniquities of thy people:" Justification. 2. "Thou hast taken away all thy wrath:" Reconciliation. II. Upon this he founds a prayer: "Turn us, O God." 1. Thou hast turned away the captivity. Restore and convert us. 2. Thou hast brought us back. Revive our hearts, that they may rejoice in thee. 3. Thou hast been reconciled to our fathers. Be reconciled to us. 4. Thou hast forgiven the iniquity of thy people. Save us. III. He promises obedience: "I will hear what God will speak" and I shall hear nothing from him but what is for his own glory, and his people's good. 1. "He will speak peace:" He will turn all their sufferings to their advantage. 2. But they must hear, and be steady. They must "not turn again to folly;" let them remember this. 3. To such his promise is sure: "His salvation is nigh them." 4. And it comes, that "glory may dwell in our land;" that it may be crowned with peace and plenty. In this prosperity of theirs, there shall be a combination of mercy, truth, justice, and peace. 1.

13. Jehovah Himself appears to lead His people forward. Before Him as a herald goes the righteousness which moves Him to the salvation of His people; and (it) shall make his footsteps a way (to walk in); so that His people may follow without let or hindrance; an allusion possibly to the ‘way’ so often spoken of in the later chapters of Isaiah (Isaiah 35:8; Isaiah 42:16; Isaiah 48:17; Isaiah 49:11; Isaiah 51:10; Isaiah 57:14; Isaiah 62:10). The words are obscure, but this rendering, adopted by R.V., is the best. Other renderings are; (1) and shall set its footsteps in the way of his footsteps, i.e. follow Him closely, cp. Isaiah 58:8; Isaiah 52:12; or, (2) which gives a similar sense, shall give heed to the way of his footsteps; or (3) and shall set its footsteps in the way, march forward freely and unrestrainedly, in contrast to the gloomy picture of Isa 49:14; or (4) shall set his footsteps in the way, move God to march forth in saving might.

Righteousness shall go before him - Shall anticipate his coming, and prepare his way.

13. Righteousness shall go before him—That is, shall, as a herald, go before God. Psalms 89:14.