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The One who Fears the Lord
Psalms 112:1-6
To fear the Lord is to honor him as holy and righteous. It is to bow before him in humility and in submission to him as Lord (owner-master). And it is to show him respect, reverence, obedience, and worship. And acceptable worship of God is to give our lives to him as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is our acceptable worship of him (Rom 12:1-2).
If we walk in the fear of the Lord, which all believers in Jesus are commanded to do, we will want to obey him and to do what he says. We won’t be looking for loopholes to get out of obeying him, and we won’t be accepting a diluted gospel which teaches we don’t have to obey the Lord. Our desire will be for our Lord to do his will (Php 2:12-13; Acts 10:34-35).
Thus, the offspring of those who fear the Lord are not necessarily physical offspring, just like not all who are physically descended from Abraham are true Israel, but only those who have trusted Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives. We alone are the chosen of God and heirs of the promise God gave to Abraham and to his seed, namely Jesus Christ.
[Gal 3:16, 26-29; Rom 9:4-8; Gal 4:22-31; Eph 2:14-18; 1 Jn 2:22]
So, I see in this context that this is speaking mainly of spiritual offspring, for it speaks of the “generation of the upright,” not of physical descendants. These are the people with whom we have shared the love of Christ, both in our actions and in our words, who have thus turned from their sins and have turned to follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his ways.
Also, although this speaks of wealth and riches, the rest of Scripture does not support the idea that if we are spiritually righteous that we will also be physically wealthy. In fact, it often warns of the dangers of having too much wealth and of the pitfalls that may bring about. So, I take from this that this is speaking of spiritual wealth and riches.
And the rest of this context bears that out for it is speaking of the one who fears the Lord and of his righteousness enduring forever, which has nothing to do with physical wealth and riches. And it speaks of light (truth, righteousness) dawning in the darkness (wickedness, evil) for the upright, and that he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
His Heart is Firm
Psalms 112:7-9
When we live righteously, and we do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and especially if we are sharing the truth of the gospel as Jesus and his New Testament apostles taught it, we are going to be opposed. We are going to be attacked, mocked, ridiculed, falsely accused, called crazy, and perhaps even threatened with some kind of repercussions if we continue.
But we are not to fear their threats, for although they are able to kill the body, if God permits, they cannot kill our souls. They cannot thwart God’s purposes no matter how hard they try, for God can bring good out of evil done to us. And since God is absolutely sovereign over our lives, they can’t touch us unless God allows it.
But the wicked, those who do evil, who oppose God and Jesus Christ (God the Son), and who oppose the gospel of Jesus Christ as he taught it, who oppose righteousness, holiness, godliness, purity, morality, and honesty, and who resist all correction, but who continue to go their own sinful way, will fear bad news if that bad news threatens their security.
They may not show any signs of fear as long as they are getting away with their evil deeds, but if the truth comes out into the open, and they are discovered for the evil they are committing, and if their future is being threatened in any way, they may fear bad news, for it may mean that they will now have to pay for the evil that they have done.
But if our consciences are clear, not that we are perfect, but if we are certain that we are not in any way living in disobedience to our Lord, and that we are being honest, and that we are walking (in conduct) according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh, then we have no reason to fear anything or anyone, for our God is with us.
The Wicked Ones See
Psalms 112:10
When you are living righteously, and you are living for the Lord Jesus, and you are not controlled by fear, even when you are attacked and opposed and even threatened, the wicked who are trying to unsettle you, in order to accuse you, are going to be angry, because their evil plan against you did not work. You did not cave to the pressure.
They will be angry if they see you going through hardship after hardship, and persecution after persecution, and yet you remain strong in the Lord and in his mighty power, and so you keep on sharing the gospel even though you have faced strong opposition and threats against you, even from pastors, elders, church people, and/or family and friends, too.
And this is because they oppose the full gospel message, and many have adopted a cheap grace gospel in its place which makes no demands for repentance, obedience, or submission to Christ as Lord. So, if you are sharing (teaching or preaching) repentance, obedience, and submission to Christ as Lord, they aren’t going to be happy with you.
The cheap grace allows them to continue living in sin, living for themselves, living in mediocrity, making no room for the Holy Spirit, living ineffectual lives with regard to Christ and salvation and eternity. Thus, they are not committed to Christ and to his salvation, but they are holding on to their sinful flesh, and thus they have adopted a lie which permits them to do so.
But, unless they repent (turn from their sins to follow Jesus in obedience), they will perish. The desires of their hearts will perish with them. They will get their due reward for the evil that they have done and for opposing Christ and his gospel and his gospel’s messengers who are bringing them the Good News. So, if this is where you are, I pray you will repent of your sins today.
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: we’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
Psalms 112:1-6
“Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.”
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered forever.”
To fear the Lord is to honor him as holy and righteous. It is to bow before him in humility and in submission to him as Lord (owner-master). And it is to show him respect, reverence, obedience, and worship. And acceptable worship of God is to give our lives to him as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is our acceptable worship of him (Rom 12:1-2).
If we walk in the fear of the Lord, which all believers in Jesus are commanded to do, we will want to obey him and to do what he says. We won’t be looking for loopholes to get out of obeying him, and we won’t be accepting a diluted gospel which teaches we don’t have to obey the Lord. Our desire will be for our Lord to do his will (Php 2:12-13; Acts 10:34-35).
Thus, the offspring of those who fear the Lord are not necessarily physical offspring, just like not all who are physically descended from Abraham are true Israel, but only those who have trusted Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of their lives. We alone are the chosen of God and heirs of the promise God gave to Abraham and to his seed, namely Jesus Christ.
[Gal 3:16, 26-29; Rom 9:4-8; Gal 4:22-31; Eph 2:14-18; 1 Jn 2:22]
So, I see in this context that this is speaking mainly of spiritual offspring, for it speaks of the “generation of the upright,” not of physical descendants. These are the people with whom we have shared the love of Christ, both in our actions and in our words, who have thus turned from their sins and have turned to follow Jesus Christ in obedience to his ways.
Also, although this speaks of wealth and riches, the rest of Scripture does not support the idea that if we are spiritually righteous that we will also be physically wealthy. In fact, it often warns of the dangers of having too much wealth and of the pitfalls that may bring about. So, I take from this that this is speaking of spiritual wealth and riches.
And the rest of this context bears that out for it is speaking of the one who fears the Lord and of his righteousness enduring forever, which has nothing to do with physical wealth and riches. And it speaks of light (truth, righteousness) dawning in the darkness (wickedness, evil) for the upright, and that he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
His Heart is Firm
Psalms 112:7-9
“He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.”
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever;
his horn is exalted in honor.”
When we live righteously, and we do what is right in the eyes of the Lord, and especially if we are sharing the truth of the gospel as Jesus and his New Testament apostles taught it, we are going to be opposed. We are going to be attacked, mocked, ridiculed, falsely accused, called crazy, and perhaps even threatened with some kind of repercussions if we continue.
But we are not to fear their threats, for although they are able to kill the body, if God permits, they cannot kill our souls. They cannot thwart God’s purposes no matter how hard they try, for God can bring good out of evil done to us. And since God is absolutely sovereign over our lives, they can’t touch us unless God allows it.
But the wicked, those who do evil, who oppose God and Jesus Christ (God the Son), and who oppose the gospel of Jesus Christ as he taught it, who oppose righteousness, holiness, godliness, purity, morality, and honesty, and who resist all correction, but who continue to go their own sinful way, will fear bad news if that bad news threatens their security.
They may not show any signs of fear as long as they are getting away with their evil deeds, but if the truth comes out into the open, and they are discovered for the evil they are committing, and if their future is being threatened in any way, they may fear bad news, for it may mean that they will now have to pay for the evil that they have done.
But if our consciences are clear, not that we are perfect, but if we are certain that we are not in any way living in disobedience to our Lord, and that we are being honest, and that we are walking (in conduct) according to the Spirit, and not according to the flesh, then we have no reason to fear anything or anyone, for our God is with us.
The Wicked Ones See
Psalms 112:10
“The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!”
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!”
When you are living righteously, and you are living for the Lord Jesus, and you are not controlled by fear, even when you are attacked and opposed and even threatened, the wicked who are trying to unsettle you, in order to accuse you, are going to be angry, because their evil plan against you did not work. You did not cave to the pressure.
They will be angry if they see you going through hardship after hardship, and persecution after persecution, and yet you remain strong in the Lord and in his mighty power, and so you keep on sharing the gospel even though you have faced strong opposition and threats against you, even from pastors, elders, church people, and/or family and friends, too.
And this is because they oppose the full gospel message, and many have adopted a cheap grace gospel in its place which makes no demands for repentance, obedience, or submission to Christ as Lord. So, if you are sharing (teaching or preaching) repentance, obedience, and submission to Christ as Lord, they aren’t going to be happy with you.
The cheap grace allows them to continue living in sin, living for themselves, living in mediocrity, making no room for the Holy Spirit, living ineffectual lives with regard to Christ and salvation and eternity. Thus, they are not committed to Christ and to his salvation, but they are holding on to their sinful flesh, and thus they have adopted a lie which permits them to do so.
But, unless they repent (turn from their sins to follow Jesus in obedience), they will perish. The desires of their hearts will perish with them. They will get their due reward for the evil that they have done and for opposing Christ and his gospel and his gospel’s messengers who are bringing them the Good News. So, if this is where you are, I pray you will repent of your sins today.
For Our Nation
An Original Work / September 11, 2012
Bombs are bursting. Night is falling.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Trust Him with your life today.
Make Him your Lord and your Savior.
Turn from your sin. Follow Jesus.
He will forgive you of your sin;
Cleanse your heart, made new within.
Men betraying: Our trust fraying.
On our knees to God we’re praying,
Seeking God to give us answers
That are only found in Him.
God is sovereign over all things.
Nothing from His mind escaping.
He has all things under His command,
And will work all for good.
Jesus Christ is gently calling
You to follow Him in all ways.
Men deceiving: we’re believing
In our Lord, and interceding
For our nation and its people
To obey their God today.
He is our hope for our future.
For our wounds He offers suture.
He is all we need for this life.
Trust Him with your life today.
