A Simple Guide to Psalm 89:14
When we talk about God, words like “righteousness” and “justice” can sound complicated or even intimidating. But these are actually simple ideas at the heart of who God is—and they matter for everyone, not just religious experts.
Psalm 89:14 says, “Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.” What does this mean in everyday language?
Righteousness and Justice: The Basics
Righteousness simply means “doing what’s right.” It’s about being fair and honest, always choosing the good, and never cheating or taking advantage of others. When the Bible says God is righteous, it’s saying that God never does anything wrong—He always acts with integrity and goodness.
Justice means “doing what is fair for everyone.” It’s about making sure that people are treated right and wrongs are set right. If someone is hurt, justice acts to help, heal, and restore. When the Bible says God’s throne is built on justice, it means that God’s rule is never corrupt or unfair. He cares about fairness more than anyone else.
Love and Faithfulness: The Guiding Lights
The verse also says that love and faithfulness “go before” God. This is a poetic way of saying that whenever God interacts with the world, He does so with deep, unfailing love and with honesty you can trust. God’s actions are not just right and fair, but also kind and reliable.
Love here refers to a steady, never-ending kindness—a commitment to care for people no matter what.
Faithfulness means being trustworthy. God always keeps His promises and never lets anyone down.
Why Does This Matter?
This verse gives us a window into God’s heart. It tells us that at the core, God’s authority isn’t about power for power’s sake, but about being right, fair, loving, and true. If we want to understand who God is, we should look for these things: fairness, kindness, honesty, and reliability.
It also means that God’s power isn’t like human power, which can sometimes be abused or used for selfish reasons. Instead, everything God does—every decision and every action—is rooted in what’s right and fair.
What Can We Learn?
This isn’t just a description of God—it’s an example for us. If God’s way of ruling the world is with righteousness and justice, paired with love and faithfulness, then our lives should reflect these values, too. We’re encouraged to be fair in our actions, kind in our relationships, honest in our words, and reliable in our commitments.
A Simple Takeaway
Imagine a leader who always does the right thing, never tells a lie, treats everyone fairly, and cares deeply about people—this is what Psalm 89:14 says about God. No matter what we’re facing, we can trust that God is always just, always loving, and always true.
In short: God’s “throne”—His rule and His character—stands on doing what’s right and fair, and is always accompanied by love and truth. And that’s something we can all try to live by, too.
afrancinegreen.com 