(5) Righteousness

Solomon is best known for his wisdom. With this divine quality his father connected righteousness. When charging his son respecting certain offenders who had hitherto been spared, David said, “Thou art a wise man, and knowest what thou oughtest to do.... Do therefore according to thy wisdom” (1 Kings 2:6-9). Righteousness was to be exercised with divine wisdom; thus there would be no mistakes.
Long after Solomon’s day Isaiah wrote, “Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness” (ch. 32:1). That King is Christ. Isaiah’s prediction follows several dreary chapters exposing the unrighteousness both of Israel’s King and people. He goes on to say, “the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever.” Surely our hearts cry, “Lord Jesus, come!” This poor distracted world needs the righteousness and peace that He alone can establish. Jeremiah gives us a similarly delightful word concerning Him: “Behold, the days come, saith Jehovah, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as King and do wisely, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth” (Jer. 23:5―R.V). The Gospel of Matthew presents to us our Lord as the King; and, remarkably, His first utterance recorded therein contains the word “righteousness.”
At Jordan, when John was disposed to refuse Him baptism, He said, “Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). Thus He would Himself practice what in the day of His power He will administer to the world. In David’s great Psalm of the King, we read, “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness” (Psa. 45:7).
In the matter of righteousness David signally failed. Joab was allowed to murder both Abner and Amasa, and pass unpunished. David’s own sons Ammon and Absalom were guilty of grievous sins, and they also passed unpunished. With reference to Joab, David said, “these men the sons of Zeruiah are too hard for me,” and he even said, “I am this day weak, though anointed king” (2 Sam. 3:39). Pitiful language from one who had frequently experienced the sustaining power and grace of God! But Joab was a capable military commander, and thus useful to the State! This is by no means the only occasion on which the sins of public men have been condoned. But it is not righteousness!
There is yet another explanation which covers all these sad cases. David’s own sins in the matter of Uriah and Bathsheba had weakened his hands. It has been truly said that “a maimed hand cannot wield a heavy sword.” Besides, had he not used Joab as his tool for the murder of Uriah? When he lay dying, he charged Solomon to deal with Joab and others whom he had spared; but the whole story is humiliating nevertheless (1 Kings 2:1-9).
Psalm 101 must here be transcribed: