Day 670: Psalm 112- A Firm Heart

Praise the Lord!
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.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
    his righteousness endures forever;
    his horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
    he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
    the desire of the wicked will perish!
 
Meditation
The good news of the gospel offers true security through trust in Jesus, stable enough to share God’s blessings as the world appears to sink around us. Today’s Psalm of praise begins with, “Hallelujah!” as it shapes us to show God’s character, life, and love, marked with generosity, in a world of trouble and turbulence.
 
Blessing is found for the person who fears the Lord, who delights in His design by obeying His law (1). The promised blessings include future offspring and generational blessing (2), present prosperity in your home (3), and light during dark and difficult days (4). Fearing the Lord gives fertile soil for a fruitful life.
 
Godliness grows when we fear the Lord. God’s character shines when we walk in God’s ways. Grace and mercy are shown in our demeanor as justice and righteousness are displayed in our labor and life (4-6). Grace secures us. Godliness marks us. Generosity flows from us.
 
We must celebrate the security God’s steadfast love offers, a firm heart that is steady within God’s faithfulness (7-8). Those who fear the Lord need not fear bad news (6), focusing on self-preservation. Rather than close our hands for protection we are able to open our hearts to “distribute freely… to give to the poor” (9). We do not exploit troubled times for personal gain. Rather, we explore how we can share and show the faithfulness we know through God’s grace. God wins in the end (10) and our life is a celebration of His victory until He comes again.
 
Richly Dwelling
-Is your life in our troubled times marked with godly character and generosity? What does this reveal about where your heart is established?
 
-Fearing the Lord more than fearing our world will yield blessings in your life. Do you fear the Lord by delighting in His ways? Why or why not?
 
-How does the generosity of the Lord, His grace through the person and work of Jesus, free us to celebrate with secure hearts by sharing His blessings with others?
 
Key Verse
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…