Being a part of some groups or organizations often comes with certain benefits or rewards. Some people will often try to join those groups just so that they can reap these rewards. When someone accepts the Lord Jesus as their Savior, they become a child of God, a part of God’s family. If they obey His Word the Bible, following closely in the footsteps of Jesus, there are also many blessings, rewards, and benefits that He will provide. Psalm 112, our psalm for this week, highlights some of these blessings.
Psalm 112 is one of the “orphan psalms”, psalms whose author is unknown. In the first verse, the author tells us of the promise that God makes to bless those who fear Him, and who obey His commandments and His Word. The remainder of the psalm describes some of these blessings and rewards that God will give us if we do as He has said. This is a portrait of a righteous believer, one who is closely following the Savior, showing the blessings of godly living, and the impact it can have on the generations that follow.
Our psalm begins by stating that these blessings come to those who fear the Lord and obey His commands in His Word (vs. 1). We read in multiple places in the Bible of how important it is to have a godly fear of the Lord. This is not the same type of fear that we might have of some criminal lurking in a dark corner of the street at night, or of some bully. This is having a reverent awe and a godly respect and honor due to God. We don’t have a flippant or casual attitude towards Him, but give Him the honor and respect that He is due. Having a proper fear of the Lord will lead us to being obedient to His Word with joyful submission, not reluctant duty.
Those who are not only believers, but are ones who fear the Lord and obey His Word are much more likely to also train and instruct their children and grandchildren in His ways, and thus their families are more likely to follow the Lord in their own life (vs. 2). Our walk with God impacts our children and grandchildren. God honors generational faithfulness, which we see in His promise given by Moses in Deuteronomy 7:9. Righteous living leaves a legacy.
As we continue, we read about wealth and riches (vs. 3). Material riches are not a guarantee for every believer. However, God has promised us that He will provide for all of our needs (Philippians 4:19), and we do not need to fear when bad economic times hit. God will not leave His children who are faithfully obedient to Him lying in the dust (Psalm 37:25). True wealth is not just financial, it is enduring righteousness and spiritual fruit that outlasts earthly riches.
The Lord also provides a guiding light for the believer (vs 4). When we are closely following the Bible, we find that He will direct our paths throughout life. Not only that, when we are blessed by the Lord, we will reflect God to others in our life. Our life becomes a beacon to others. Another mark of a person whose life is blessed by the Lord is that he is generous and is a good steward of all that He has blessed him with (vs. 5). We see in verse 6 that the Lord will uphold the righteous, and they shall not be moved. When things around us in society and the world are falling apart, the Lord will hold us secure. We can stand firm and secure, as God remembers our faithfulness.
Are there things happening in the world, whether political, natural disasters, or wars, that bring fear to you? There are some people who nearly collapse in fear when disturbances such as these happen. However, as Christians who are walking with the Lord in our life, we do not need to be afraid (vs. 7-8). If we, as believers, crumble in fear when bad news comes, we are acting no different than the unsaved. They do not have Jesus to run to, but we do! If we have a heart that is fixed or anchored in God’s promises we do not need to panic when bad news comes. Our faith should dispel any fear. We have His faithfulness, we have a living hope. Take courage and rely on the faithfulness of God.
As we close this psalm we see that we can trust in the Lord to fight our battles (vs. 8-10). We don’t need to seek revenge on the wicked who come against us, as God will vindicate us. Let Him bring a resolution in His time. Instead, be generous, as God honors those who care for the poor and who live uprightly. God never grows too tired or weary to carry our burden. He is always available for us when we surrender and cry out for help. God’s justice will prevail. We don’t need to envy the wicked, as their path ends in frustration and ruin, while ours will lead to eternal reward.
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