I love the day I arrive to Psalm 112 in my daily Bible reading of the psalms. On this morning, I consider the promises offered to the person who fears the Lord and delights in His commands. I decided to read this Psalm in The Message version for the first time. It reads like this:
Blessed man, blessed woman, who fear God,
Who cherish and relish his commandments,
Their children robust on the earth,
And the homes of the upright—how blessed!
Their houses brim with wealth
And a generosity that never runs dry.
Sunrise breaks through the darkness for good people—
God’s grace and mercy and justice!
The good person is generous and lends lavishly;
No shuffling or stumbling around for this one,
But a sterling and solid and lasting reputation.
Unfazed by rumor and gossip,
Heart ready, trusting in God,
Spirit firm, unperturbed,
Ever blessed, relaxed among enemies,
They lavish gifts on the poor—
A generosity that goes on, and on, and on.
An honored life! A beautiful life!
Someone wicked takes one look and rages,
Blusters away but ends up speechless.
There’s nothing to the dreams of the wicked. Nothing.
I write in my journal 5 beautiful promises: Mighty children; prosperity; joy in hard times; opportunities for generosity; and a legacy of honor. My favorite lines in the ESV include verses 7-8: “He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. His heart is steady; he will not be afraid. . . “ I ask God to make me the type of person who lives without fear of bad news. I ask for a firm, steady heart.