The book of Psalms begins with
several verses that are very similar to the first verse in Psalm 112. “
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in
the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is
in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be
like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its
season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.” (Psalm
1:1-3). Matter of fact it also ends almost the same way this psalm does. You
quickly get the idea that the whole book of Psalms is about the contrast
between the blessed man who walks uprightly, is honored and endures forever,
and the wicked person whose life is meaningless and will one day perish.
Not only is a person who fears
the LORD blessed, their family is blessed and people around them are blessed
(vv. 1-2). But also under the old covenant, material wealth was one of the
evidences of the Lord's blessing on His people as they moved into the Promised
Land (Deut. 7:12ff; 28:1-14). This explains why the apostles were shocked when
Jesus said that it was difficult for rich people to enter God's kingdom (Matt.
19:16-30). If rich people could not be saved, then who could? To Job's three
friends, the fact that Job had lost everything was proof that God was punishing
him for his sins. It was faulty logic, but they held to it tenaciously. The
person described in this psalm was righteous before the Lord (vv. 3, 4, 6, 9)
and did not acquire his wealth in some unlawful manner. He was generous in his
use of the wealth the Lord gave him, sharing it with the poor and lending it
freely without interest (Deut. 23:19-20). He was certainly not miserly or
covetous, and he was obedient to the Lord's admonition to care for the poor and
needy (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:35-38; Deut. 15:7, 11).
When the Apostle Paul quoted
verse 9 in 2 Corinthians 9:9, he used this person as an example for believers
today to follow. (See also Prov. 11:24.) The word "horn" in verse 9
is an image of power and dignity (75:5; 132:17; Luke 1:69). Because of this
man's generosity, the Lord allowed him to be lifted up, or exalted with honor in
the eyes of his peers. As you see this man's faith in the Lord and love for
those in need, you cannot help but think of the promise in Matthew 6:33.
In verses 6-8, the psalmist
goes on to point out that a believing heart is a steadfast heart, one that is
not easily shaken by bad news or difficult circumstances. The person described
was confident that the Lord could handle any problem that might come to him. A
double-minded person has no stability (Psalms 119:113; James 1:8; 4:8) and
therefore, no ability to face the demands of life. (See Psalms 57:7; 108:1; and
Isa. 26:3.) Believers with a confident heart and a clear conscience have
nothing to fear when they receive bad news because they know the Lord is in
control. If there is darkness around them, they wait for the Lord to send the
light (v. 4). This is what encouraged Joseph during thirteen years of waiting
and suffering in Egypt. "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He
shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord" (Psalm 27:14).
In verses 9-10, we are
reminded that God rewards the “delight” of the righteous (v. 1) but
ignores the “desires” of the wicked (v. 10). Those who walk with the
Lord and live godly lives are opposed and hated by the wicked, because the good
works of the godly are like a “light in the darkness” that reveal the
evil in the world (Matt. 5:14-16; Eph. 5:1-14).
The fact that the wicked
oppose the godly is a good sign that the godly are living as they should.
Actually, in Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus said we should “rejoice and be
exceedingly glad” when this happens to us.
God bless!
