Psalm 112

Righteousness Endures Forever

Often times in the psalms, we're told that we need to devote all of our energy to God.  This psalm asks this as well, but goes into detail about what a righteous life looks like, and what the benefits of this life would be.  We're immediately told in verse 1 that a person who praises God finds"delight in his commands", which tells us that serving God is not a burden or an obligation, but rather a joyous expression of thanks.  We are not to serve God because we're worried about what will happen if we don't but because serving the Lord is a reward in itself.

What are these rewards?  Well, according to this psalm, the benefit of righteousness is that it lasts forever.  In fact, this short psalm mentions this fact three separate times!  Why is it so important that our righteousness should live forever?  It is because God is righteous, and God is eternal.  All good men live forever with God, because the light always overcomes the dark, and God always triumphs over the wicked.  God never forgets our righteousness; It stays with Him forever.  As for the wicked?  We hear that they just waste away?  Whatever they have accomplished in life will be forever forgotten.  All of their wickedness will come to nothing.  Evil dies with the wicked man.  Righteousness lives forever with God.

How do we live this righteous life with God?  This psalm twice gives us the example of giving generously to others, particularly the poor.  I find is fascinating that generosity towards others is the prime example of righteousness in this psalm, particularly since such a Christian concept makes an anachronistic appearance in the Old Testament, particularly the psalms, where obeying God's laws  is often the barometer of righteousness.  The writer of this psalm, however, paints a picture of a generous God, who shares his grace freely and enthusiastically with His believers.  Naturally, then, God's demand for His generosity would be for us to be generous as well.  God's generosity knows no bounds, and if we are to live like Him, then we should be boundlessly generous as well.

1 Praise the Lord.

Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
    who find great delight in his commands.

2 Their children will be mighty in the land;
    the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses,
    and their righteousness endures forever.
4 Even in darkness light dawns for the upright,
    for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.
5 Good will come to those who are generous and lend freely,
    who conduct their affairs with justice.

6 Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
    they will be remembered forever.
7 They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear;
    in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor,
    their righteousness endures forever;
    their horn will be lifted high in honor.

10 The wicked will see and be vexed,
    they will gnash their teeth and waste away;
    the longings of the wicked will come to nothing.