In Psalm 31, we have what seems to be a rather obvious idea: “The righteous rejoice with the Lord; it is fitting for the upright to praise God.” Of course! Who else but the righteous would be joining in God’s praises? Those of us who are motivated to be religious respond to God’s presence with singing and praising and all kinds of prayer.
The idea can go further, however, and the ancient Rabbis add a commentary to our worship service: “By the mouths of the upright are You acclaimed. By the words of the righteous are You praised. By the tongue of the faithful are You exalted. In the midst of the holy are You made holy.” If there are no upright and righteous people, they seem to suggest, then God cannot be properly praised. Despite the praise from the angels in heaven, human praise from righteous people is more important. We who aspire to be pious have a special responsibility to be righteous as well.
The issue here is God’s reputation—an idea expressed in the Aramaic term, Sh’may d’Kud’sha. The literal meaning is “God’s Holy Name,” but it also speaks of the way God is presented and perceived in the world. It some ways, it reflects a particular Divine vulnerability. God’s power and reputation are dependent on the behavior of God’s people. It is nice to declare our faith in God or to have a religious experience, but neither is complete unless we actually behave in godly ways. Praising God is fine, but praise from the righteous is what really counts. Sanctifying God is lovely, but only one who behaves in a holy manner can show the world that God’s ways are worth adopting. We who aspire to be pious have a special responsibility to be righteous as well.
This is not merely a Jewish conversation. For almost two thousand years, Christians have debated whether Faith or Deeds is more important. There are proof texts on both sides of the argument, but the resolution is the same as what the Rabbis teach. One who truly believes in God will behave in a godly manner. Or, as it was explained to me by Episcopalian Bishop Charles Duvall, “True Christian faith will be manifested in Christ-like behavior.”
This conversation is also integral to Islam. In the Koran, one of the most common phrases (more than forty times) is that the righteous should both “have faith and do good works.” As the late Iman Sohaib N. Sultan writes, “The two seem quite inseparable. Good works are a natural manifestation of belief, and good works are what support and sustain faith.” In the Islamic version of The Golden Rule, the Prophet Muhammad says: “None of you believe until you love for your brother what you love for yourself.”
Faith and righteousness should not be seen as a dichotomy. They go hand in hand—and are prized by the Most High.
As the world begins the New Year of 5783, may we all work on our godliness, being both faithful and righteous. Thus can we write for ourselves a Good Year in the Book of Life.