A PSALM OF BLESSING
PSALM 112:1, 7-8 NKJV
1 Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.
7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is established;
He will not be afraid,
Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.
This is a great Psalm. It's short, sweet, and full of blessings.
In summarizing the blessings found in this Psalm, we are looking at a great list.
Children who are mighty on the earth. A strong family heritage.
Wealth and riches in his house. Keep in mind this was written long before anyone coined the phrase prosperity gospel.
But wait, there's more. Guidance and light when things are dark.
Never shaken, but rather, strong and stable.
Not afraid of bad news or afraid of enemies. Strong and established spiritually speaking.
Honor in the face of enemies. The desire of our enemies never coming to pass.
I told you this is a Psalm of blessings.
But there are some things that cannot be overlooked. There are conditions to these blessings. The very first verse spells out the most important condition. The blessed person is the one who has a fear of the Lord and delights greatly in His commandments.
So, in other words, the list of blessings belongs to a certain group of people. Those who have a sincere heart of reverence for God and love His word. Not simply hearing God's word but putting it into practice.
Also, in this Psalm of blessing are uncovered other qualities of the blessed.
They are upright in their actions. Gracious, full of compassion, and intent upon doing the right things. They are gracious to help others out, and their dealings are done with discretion. They are givers, including giving to the poor.
The picture is coming into clearer focus. The blessings are for those living a life that God can bless.
I am not saying we have to be perfect to receive God's best. We are all in various stages of growth. But we want to have a heart for God and His word and ways. We want to be moving in that direction. And as we do, we will be able to say, Lord, You have truly blessed my life. What an honor to live for You.