Much Trust, Little Fear
His heart is firm, trusting the Lord. (Psalm 112:7)
Ps. 112; Ps. 56:4; II Kgs. 22:2, 6:16-17; Job 23:11; Pr. 29:25; Isa. 26:3-4; Acts 4:10
What Is God Saying?
The psalms are the Yosemite of the Scriptures-inspiring, uplifting, awesome, beautiful. Jesus quoted from them many times. Of the 283 New Testament quotations drawn from the Old Testament, 116 are found in the Psalms. We are blessed to turn to our Psalm of today. Psalms 111 and 112 are close cousins. They are identical in form, each consisting of twenty-two phrases that begin with successive letters in the Hebrew alphabet. They are both songs of praise. The former exalts the majesty of the eternal God. The second points to the blessed life of the person who fears, or better, the one who respects and acknowledges God's holiness, power, and mercy.
One of the great, recurring themes of the Psalms is trust in God. As notes are woven into the fabric of a symphony, appearing and reappearing in various sections of the orchestra, so this Psalm awakens and enforces the truth that trust in God is the basis of blessedness in man. ‘Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord. Blessed is the one who delights in his word’ (Ps. 112:1). If we fear God, we will be fearless before everything else. If we find delight in His Word, we will nurture a firm and steady heart. Note the other verses of this Psalm, ‘Light rises in the darkness for the upright’ (4), ‘The righteous will never be moved’ (6), and ‘His heart will be steady and he will not be afraid’ (8).
How Does This Apply To Us?
When we fear God (that means we put Him first and live as if He were first), we will live without fear in a world that loves darkness rather than light. We need to hear Elisha's voice saying, ‘Fear not, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.’ Trusting in God we will have a steady heart.
Pray With Me
Bring me, Lord, to a deeper trust, to a firmer heart. When my spirit falters lead me to trust in You. Temptation is overcome and worry is dispelled as I trust in You. So I pray that You will give me a heart that does not waver. My feet are set upon the Rock that cannot move.
Give me a heart that will not retreat because I am following Him who set His face steadfastly toward Jerusalem. Give me a heart that will not desert because it is joined to Him who, having loved His own who were in the world, loved them unto the end. Give me a heart that is firm with hope because it trusts in the promises Jesus made about His future and mine.
I look to You, O God. Your love never falters. The riches of Your grace are never exhausted. The perfection of Your goodness is unmarred. Underneath are the everlasting arms, so I will come into possession of a firmer heart. I can do what I must for You.
For the glory of Him whose heart is firm in its love for me. Amen.
Moving On In The Life of Prayer
This Psalm opens as, indeed, every prayer should, with ‘Praise the Lord.’ When we kneel in reverence, when we delight in the Lord's Word, and when we praise Him for His everlasting mercy, we are on the threshold of prayer. Prayer continues as, in trust, we lay all our needs and problems at the golden altar. In love, we bring others by name before the Throne of Grace. In confidence, we listen for the still, small voice. Then, as we close our prayer, we go out with buoyant joy and fearless love for we now have a firm heart, trusting the Lord all the way.
