What Does Upright Mean

Scriptures

King James Version (Psalm 112)

1  Praise ye the LORD.

Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD,

That delighteth greatly in his commandments.

2  His seed shall be mighty upon earth:

The generation of the upright shall be blessed.

3  Wealth and riches shall be in his house:

And his righteousness endureth for ever.

4  Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness:

He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

5  A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth:

He will guide his affairs with discretion.

6  Surely he shall not be moved for ever:

The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

7  He shall not be afraid of evil tidings:

His heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

King James Version Psalm 97

10  Ye that love the LORD, hate evil:

He preserveth the souls of his saints;

He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

11  Light is sown for the righteous,

And gladness for the upright in heart.

12  Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous;

And give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Upright

The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Revised (Upright)

UPRIGHT [Heb. yāšār (2 Ch. 29:34; Job 1:1, 8; 2:3; etc.), yōšer (Ps. 119:7), tōm (Ps. 78:72; Prov. 10:29), tām (Prov. 13:6), tôḇ—‘good’ (2 Ch. 19:11), ṣaddîq—‘righteous’ (Hos. 14:9 [MT 10]); Gk. díkaios—‘righteous’ (Acts 10:22; Tit. 1:8), dikaíōs (Tit. 2:12)]; UPRIGHTLY [Heb. yāšār (Ps. 37:14; Mic. 2:7), yōšer (Eccl. 12:10), tām (Ps. 84:11 [MT 12]), mêšārîm ‹ yāšar (Ps. 58:1 [MT 2]; Isa. 33:15)]; UPRIGHTNESS [Heb. yōšer (Dt. 9:5; Job 33:3; Ps. 25:21; Prov. 2:13; 4:11; 14:2), yāšar (1 K. 3:6; 1 Ch. 29:17b; Ps. 111:8), mêšārîm (1 Ch. 29:17a), mîšôr (Mal. 2:6), nāḵō (a)ḥ (Isa. 26:10; 57:2; fem., 59:14), ṣeḏāqâ—‘righteousness’ (Jer. 4:2)]; AV also GOOD, INTEGRITY, JUST, etc.; NEB also SCRUPULOUS, SINCERITY, SINGLENESS, etc. In Ps. 73:1 the RSV and NEB emend MT yiśrāʾēl, “Israel,” to yāšar ʾēl (see comms, BHS);, though this change improves the parallelism, no textual evidence supports it.

This article deals with “upright” in (what is usually considered) the moral sense, not in the physical, positional sense of vertical (e.g., “stand upright”). Like the term “righteous” (usually Heb. ṣḏeq), “upright” has developed ethical connotations that are not always present in the Hebrew terms so translated. An examination of these terms in their contexts will clarify their meanings by revealing their association with other terms (the semantic field).

By far the most common Hebrew term for “upright” in the RSV OT is yāšār, from the root yšr, which basically seems to mean “straight” (see STRAIGHT). No one English word translates yāšār suitably or accurately in all contexts (cf. RSV’s various translations: honest, straight, level, right, upright, pleasing, etc.), but in general it seems to mean straightforward, genuine, spontaneous, free, open-minded (see McKane, p. 284; cf. RTWB, s.v.; cf. modern American idioms such as “be straight [with me],” i.e., be honest in the sense of straightforward, or “level [with me],” “on the level,” “level-headed”).

Several texts make wordplays on the literal sense of yāšār, “straight, level, easy.” In Prov. 4:11 the teacher claims to have taught his pupil the way of wisdom and led him in the paths of uprightness, which are accessible enough that one can walk unhampered and run without stumbling (v 12; see also 15:19; 28:10).

Many of the references to “upright” occur in the Psalms, which describe both God and human beings as yāšār. Several texts describe the effects of God’s being yāšār. Ps. 25:8 states that because the Lord is “good” (Heb. ṭôḇ) and “upright” He “instructs sinners in the way.” Here the conjunction of ṭôḇ and yāšār describes the Lord’s character, which motivates Him to teach sinners (see also 84:11 [MT 12]; Mic. 2:7). Another indication that the Lord is yāšār is that the righteous flourish, bringing “forth fruit in old age” (Ps. 92:12–15 [MT 13–16]). According to A. A Anderson (II, 664f), that the Lord is “upright” means that “he is perfect in his relationship with his creatures. The word yāšār describes a person as straight in his dealings with others, and it may also suggest the idea of loyalty” (see also 33:4f.).

Human beings are sometimes described as “upright (in, of) heart,” which is simply another way of saying “upright person,” for Heb. lēḇ (āḇ), “heart,” refers to “the centre of the consciously living man” (H. Wolff, Anthropology of the OT [Eng. tr. 1974], p. 55; cf. H.-J. Kraus, Theology of the Psalms [Eng. tr. 1986], pp. 145f). God saves the upright in heart (Ps. 7:10 [MT 11]; note the close connection with “righteous” in vv 9, 11 [MT 10, 12]; see also 36:10 [MT 11]; 94:15; 2 Ch. 19:11). Learning the Lord’s righteous ordinances (mišpeṭê ṣeḏeq) will give one an upright heart to praise Him (Ps. 119:7). A psalmist prays that the Lord will do good (yṭb) to those who are good (ṭôḇ) and to those who are upright in their hearts (125:4; for similar connections between ṭôḇ and yšr see 25:8; cf. Mic. 7:4; see also ILC, I–II, 341).

A few texts describe kings as “upright.” According to Solomon, God showed steadfast love (ḥeseḏ) to David because he walked before God in faithfulness (ʾĕmeṯ), in righteousness (ṣeḏāqâ), and in uprightness of heart (1 K. 3:6); cf. 9:4; 1 Ch. 29:17; Ps. 78:72). In Ps. 58:1 (MT 2) the psalmist asks rhetorically if the rulers (so NEB; cf. RSV) speak or decree rightly (ṣeḏeq) and judge men uprightly (̣mêšārîm). On the use of ṣdq and yšr with reference to royalty, cf. H. Cazelles, “De l’idéologic royale,” in D. Marcus, ed., Gaster Festschrift (Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society of Columbia University, 5; 1973), pp. 59–73.

In 2 Ch. 29:34 the Levites helped the priests complete the sacrifices and offerings because “the Levites were more upright in heart than the priests in sanctifying themselves.” Here “upright in heart” seems to mean “conscientious” (see J. Myers, II Chronicles [AB, 1965], p. 172).

Several psalms connect praise of God with the “upright.” The cultic setting of some of these texts suggests that “upright” is probably another term for the congregation, as 111:1 clearly states (see also 32:11; 64:10; 97:11; 119:7). In some texts “upright” parallels “righteous” (33:1; 64:10; cf. 140:12f [MT 13f]), and in other texts “upright” parallels “poor” or “needy” (37:14; cf. 107:39–42). All these terms are applicable to God’s people, the worshiping congregation (see S. Mowinckel, Psalms in Israel’s Worship [Eng. tr. 1962], I, 8, 207–216; II, 86, 91, etc.).

Some texts relate being “upright” with being in God’s presence. The upright will behold God’s face (11:7), apparently because they do righteous deeds (ṣeḏāqôṯ), which He loves because He is righteous (ṣaddîq). In 140:12f (MT 13f) the Lord’s justice (mišpāṭ for the needy is connected with the righteous (ṣaddîqîm) giving thanks and the upright dwelling in God’s presence; though many commentators take this as a reference to worshiping in the Jerusalem temple, according to M. Dahood this is a promise of “eternal union with God in the afterlife” (Psalms, III [AB, 1970], 306f). Here again the “upright” seem to be equated with the righteous and the needy. See also 25:21; 112:1–4; Prov. 2:7; Isa. 33:15; Mic. 7:2 (note that Ps. 25:21 and Prov. 2:7 link tōm, “integrity,” with yāšār).

Some texts connect “upright” with the “fear of the Lord” (see FEAR). Job was a “blameless [Heb. tām] and upright man,” a description that is linked with fearing God and turning away from evil (Job 1:1, 8; 2:3; see also Ps. 37:37f.; Mal. 2:6). In Ps. 112:1–4 the “upright” seems to be identified with one who fears the Lord and delights in His commandments; such a one will be blessed and “his righteousness [ṣeḏāqâ]” will endure for ever (see comms on the difficulties of v 4; see also 14:2; 111:7f.).

In several texts in Job “upright” seems to have the connotation of straightforward, genuine. In 4:7 and 17:8 “upright” parallels “innocent” (Heb. nāqî). Bildad links being upright with being “pure” (Heb. zaḵ), seeking God and making supplication to Him; such people cause God to rouse Himself and reward them (8:5–7). In a clearly forensic context Job wishes he could confront God; in court “an upright man could reason” with God and be acquitted (23:1–7). In the difficult text of Job 33:3 Elihu seems to be saying that his words come straight from his heart (or reflect the uprightness of his heart) and his lips declare knowledge purely or sincerely (see NASB, NAB; cf. comms, esp N. Habel [OTL, 1985], pp. 455, 457, 464).

Many texts contrast the WICKED and the “upright.” in Prov. 3:32 the PERVERSE, who are an abomination to the Lord, are contrasted with the upright, who are in His confidence. In 15:8 the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight (see also 1 Ch. 29:17). The end of the righteous is contrasted with the end of the wicked in Prov. 2:20–22; the upright will inhabit the land but the wicked will be cut off from it (cf. Dt. 9:5; Mt. 5:5).

Among these texts that contrast the wicked and the upright are several that connect the upright with deliverance (Prov. 11:5; 12:6; 16:17). The difficult text of 21:18 seems to say that the wicked and the faithless pay the price for or ransom (kōp̱er) the righteous (ṣaddîq) and the upright (see comms; on kōp̱er cf. 13:8; Ex. 21:30; Ps. 49:7 [MT 8]; Isa. 43:3f.).

According to Eccl. 7:29 “God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.” Since Ecclesiastes is widely recognized as a reflection on Genesis (see, e.g., J. Ellul, La Raison d’être [1987], pp. 190–94), the first part of this verse no doubt refers to the creation of mankind. The original nature of mankind as “upright,” Heb. yāšār, is here contrasted with mankind’s seeking “many devices.” Since “devices” (Heb. ḥiššeḇōnôṯ) derives from ḥšb, “think, calculate,” yāšār here probably means uncalculating, i.e., simple, genuine, straightforward (see W. Vischer, Valeur de l’ AT [1958], p. 114), in contrast to the human perversity that later developed (see Gen. 6:5, which has the related noun maḥšeḇôṯ, “thoughts”). See R. Gordis, Koheleth—The Man and His World (3rd ed., repr 1973), p. 285.

In Hab. 2:4 one whose soul is not “upright” shall fail, but the righteous (ṣaddîq) shall live by his faith (see Rom. 1:17 and Gal. 3:11, which quote the latter half of the verse; He. 10:38 quotes vv 3f, inverting the two parts of v 4 and giving it a messianic application; see W. Vischer, Le Prophète Habaquq [1959], pp. 35–38).

The other Hebrew terms translated “upright” have nuances slightly different from yšr, though most of these terms occur in contexts with yšr (as noted above; see ILC, I–II, 341). The term closest in meaning to yšr is nāḵō (a)ḥ, which also basically seems to mean “straight”; thus it describes how one walks (Isa. 57:2) and is contrasted with perverseness (26:10). See ILC, I–II, 337, 529; see also STRAIGHT.

As Snaith (pp. 68–74) pointed out, the terms derived from the root ṣdq mean more than righteousness or the establishment of justice: ṣdq “signifies that standard which God maintains in the world. It is the norm by which all must be judged … . it meant more than ethical conduct, and shows a consistent tendency to topple over into benevolence, and easily to have a special reference to those who stand in dire need of a Helper” (p. 77). The close relationship between ṣdq and yšr is evident in Hos. 14:9 (MT 10), which states that the ways of the Lord are “right” (yešārîm) and the “upright” (ṣaddiqîm) walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them; here the RSV has inexplicably switched its usual translation of these terms (cf. AV, NEB, JB, etc.).

The Hebrew noun tōm and the adjective tām (both from the root tmm, which basically means “complete”) sometimes seem to have the connotation of “peaceful” (e.g., Ps. 84:11 [MT 12]; Prov. 10:29; 13:6; see CHAL, p. 391). In several texts it is linked with yāšār and translated “blameless” (e.g., Job 1:1, 8) or “integrity” (e.g., Ps. 25:21; Prov. 2:7).

The NT uses “upright” in much the same way. Acts 10:22 describes Cornelius as “an upright [Gk. díkaios] and God-fearing man,” thus continuing the OT tradition of linking uprightness with fear of God (though díkaios is usually translated “righteous,” it frequently translates yāšār in the LXX). In Tit. 1:8 one of the qualifications of a bishop is that he be “upright”; 2:12 extends that description to all men, who should live “sober, upright, and godly lives.”