God has guaranteed there will be shaking: he has stated categorically, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens." (Heb 12:26). The world has been shaken to its core by the devastating war in Ukraine. Our hearts go out to the millions of people who have lost everything and have had to flee as refugees to foreign countries. They need our prayers. One wonders how they will survive the ordeal they are going through. I ask myself, “Would I manage to survive such trauma?”
Does the Word of God give us some answers on how to survive this kind of shaking? Indeed, it does! I’ve found it offers us much sound counsel. For example, I have found much help in Psalm 112 which tells us that a key to surviving shaking is to have a steadfast heart, a secure heart, an established heart, a heart that trusts in the LORD.
Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely, who conduct their affairs with justice. Surely the righteous will never be shaken; they will be remembered forever. They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord. Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor, their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honour. The wicked will see and be vexed, they will gnash their teeth and waste away; the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.
Psalms 112:1-10 NIV
This Psalm has some amazing promises for the one who trusts in the LORD…
Some Amazing Promises
V1 Blessed are those…
Such a person is happy, fortunate and to be envied. It’s great to be labelled “blessed”!
V2 Their children will be mighty in the land…
We need to pass the baton on to the next generation, we need to leave a legacy. We want our children to succeed – to do better than we did and here we have a wonderful promise that they will.
V3 Wealth and riches are in their houses…
Jews have no problem with material prosperity; it’s part of the Abrahamic blessing. However, Greek thought, which tends to pervade much of Western thinking, believes poverty and godliness go together. No! We have a rich Heavenly Father who delights in the success and prosperity of His children.
V4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright…
Darkness speaks of hard times – times when many lose hope. Those who trust in the Lord will have hope even when all around them are hopeless.
V5 Good will come to those…
The godly are ‘geared for the goodness of God’. The lifestyle such a person leads sets them up to enjoy God’s blessings and goodness.
V6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken…
V7 They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD
V8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear…
Such a person is secure in the perfect love of God which casts out all fear and has God given stability and coping skills. He has T.R.U.S.T. – total rest under stormy trial. His house is built on the rock of obedience to God’s Word.
V9 Their righteousness endures forever; their horn will be lifted high in honour…
We all ask, “does my life count?”, “Will it have any lasting significance?” This verse says a godly life will have a ripple effect going on into eternity.
There are indeed some amazing promises is this Psalm, but can we claim them as our own?
Some Important Conditions
There are many phrases which describe the person who qualifies for these blessings…
V1 “...fears the LORD…”
This is reverential respect rather than quaking fear. Proverbs 8:13 says that, “To fear the LORD is to hate evil...” whilst Proverbs 9:10 teaches that, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom…”
V1 “…who find great delight in His commands…”
Job was able to say, “I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.” (Job 23:12), whilst Jesus rebuffed Satan with this verse, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matt 4:4)
Do you delight in God’s commands? When last did you feed on His Word?
V4 Describes this person as “…gracious and compassionate…”
A gracious person considers others, is not easily offended, is willing to forgive. What about compassion? Many of us have become de-sensitized to this world’s needs. There is so much need out there we’ve become hardened.
V5 Says such a person is “…generous and lends freely…”
V9 “…they have scattered abroad their gifts to the poor…”
When times get tough it’s a natural reaction to close our hands; to hold onto what we’ve got. However, God’s economy works opposite to the world’s. In times of lack we should keep on giving. Sow in famine. “Lk 6:38 Give and it will be given unto you…”
One word seems to encapsulate the person described here. He/she is called, “righteous” and reference is made to their “righteousness”.
To be righteous is to have right standing with God; to be able to stand in the presence of a holy God. Righteousness refers to the righteous acts that flow from the life of a just person.
Do you have the nerve to consider yourself righteous? You may want to disqualify yourself, but don’t be too hasty… The good news is that there is one who qualifies you – Jesus, the righteous one! He will give you…
A Steadfast Heart
When we in repentance and faith ask Jesus to forgive us and come into our lives, we are born again and are given a new heart – a steadfast heart. We are made righteous by God himself, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe…” (Rom 3:22)
A divine exchange took place at the cross:
”God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then in exchange, He poured God’s goodness into us…” (2 Co 5:21 LB)
Just now as we considered the conditions, you might have disqualified yourself thinking that you don’t meet the standard, but the good news is Christ has qualified you and you are declared righteous by God Himself. Righteousness has been credited to you. Theologians call this imputed righteousness. However, you are required to live out that righteousness. The righteousness imputed to you also has to be imparted to you by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. What is legally yours has to become yours in your daily experience.
The person repeatedly referred to in this Psalm lived a righteous life and had complete trust in the LORD. So too must we if we wish to lay claim to the many wonderful promises in these verses. The world would be a better place if more believers followed through and lived upright and godly lives!
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