PSALM 112
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
– Psalm 112:1-8
PSALM 112 A FIRM HEART FROM TRUSTING GOD
A poem by ILMA inspired by these verses
When you have the fear of the Lord, you will delight in his laws
You love God and don’t look at his commandments as rules to follow
Because you love him, you have a desire to always please him
You allow the Spirit to transform your heart and begin to hate sin
As you trust in the Lord your God, you receive a heart that is firm
It doesn’t compromise and follow cultures; it sees sin for what it is
The righteous will not be moved; they triumph over the wicked
They don’t take part in evil, instead, they expose them.
A firm heart is not something a human being can manufacture. It is the result of believing, loving and trusting the Lord. Those who do not know the Lord are easily tempted to sin because they have no loyalty and allegiance to God. They are unstable and changeable which is exactly the opposite of God’s character. They lack the discipline to follow through with what is hard and easily gives up when things are not comfortable and convenient. On the other hand, a true believer is stirred by the Holy Spirit to choose what is right and what is pleasing to God.
In this psalm, the anonymous author alludes to the benefit of trusting God. Those who rely and anchor their lives on God live in uprightness and constant fear of the Lord. This psalm is almost a reiteration of David’s Psalm 1 where he describes the differences between the blessed and the wicked. As Psalm 1 describes the righteous as delighted in the word of God, this psalm also says the same thing. But the author enumerates more benefits in this Psalm. He points out that the offsprings of the righteous and those who trust in God are poured out riches and prosperity. They see the light and do not stay in the old life which is covered in darkness. Most striking of these benefits is having a firm heart when we trust the Lord our God. Trusting God is one of the ways we can truly show our allegiance and love for our Maker. Without trust, our relationship with God won’t grow deep.
REFLECTION
- Give examples how a firm heart is manifested in a believer’s life.
