Thanking the Lord for His Righteousness

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness.

   Psalm 7:17

When I first read that I owe the Lord thanks because he is righteous, I wondered why righteousness specifically was mentioned as the reason to give thanks. God's righteousness has awed me and sometimes even frightened me. He, totally right and just in everything he does. Me, a sinner, not worthy of his love or a place in heaven. His righteousness would demand my separation from him. How could I give thanks for this?

So I decided to make a list of the benefits his righteousness brings me. My list included things like bringing justice to the earth, treating me fairly, making sure that I personally would receive justice for all the wrongs done to me.

Then we were in church singing "Jesus, thy blood and righteousness, my beauty are, my glorious dress" and it hit me. This was the greatest reason to thank God for his righteousness. Christ came and lived a totally righteous life. He offers his righteousness to me if I repent of me sins and turn to him in faith. I now have his righteousness instead of my sinful rags. All the joys I have now and the eternal joys that will be mine are because of his righteousness.

Thank you, God, for your righteousness.