Nepaug Bible Church - http://www.nepaugchurch.org - Pastor's Adult Sunday School Notes - http://www.nepaugchurch.org/bb/bb19980524.htm

PSALMS: DIARIES OF GODLY OLD TESTAMENT SAINTS
Psalm One Hundred And Twelve - God's Comprehensive SECURITY Blessings For One's Being Upright
(Psalm 112:1-10)
  1. Introduction
    1. The world experiences little if any security, and its preoccupation with getting insurance for almost everything of value under the sun reveals the pain of humanity's great sense of insecurity.
    2. There are numerous reasons why it is to one's advantage to be righteous in God's eyes, and one of those reasons is the degree of security the upright find in every area of life as Psalm 112 details for us:
  2. God's Comprehensive SECURITY Blessings For One's Being Upright, Psalm 112:1-10.
    1. Psalm 112 contrasts the security of the upright man (v. 1-9) with the insecurity of the wicked, v. 10, and that in connection to the degree each heeds the stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant, Deut. 27:1-28:68.
    2. Accordingly, the application of this psalm to the Church era believer is somewhat indirect, for he is no longer under the stipulations of the Mosaic Covenant of the dispensation of Law. As such, we can only make generalizations that have exceptions as in the case of 2 Cor. 4:8-11. However, we still can make such generalizations due to the way Paul uses Psalm 112:9 in reference to God's reimbursement blessing for making financial contributions according to 2 Corinthians 9:9.
    3. Thus, here are blessings noted in Psalm 112:1-9 for the one who reveres and delights to heed God's Word:
      1. God blesses the offspring of the upright one as follows:
        1. The upright man's offspring will be mighty in the land, or influential, Ps. 112:2a.
        2. The upright man's offspring will be blessed by God from generation to generation, affecting the grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well, Ps. 112:2b.
      2. God blesses the upright man with material blessings as follows:
        1. The upright man will be supplied with material blessings so he will have all his needs met, Ps. 112:3a.
        2. The upright man will gain in his wealth, Ps. 112:3b.
        3. The upright man will have riches in his house, Ps. 112:3c.
      3. God blesses the upright man with personal blessings as follows:
        1. The upright man will have a perpetual reputation as being an upright man, Ps. 112:3c, 6b.
        2. The upright man will have the light of relief supplied to him even in dark times of deep distress, Ps. 112:4 (J. A. Alexander, Psalms, p. 464, 400 who compares this expression with that in Ps. 97:11).
        3. The upright man will enjoy good will for his sharing his material goods with the poor, Ps. 112:5.
        4. The upright man will never be shaken with personal feelings of insecurity, Ps. 112:6a.
        5. The upright man will not fear when news of a calamity, or an impending or potential calamity comes up, for his complete reliance (batuk = "to lie fully extended upon in total reliance") on Jahweh will sustain his outlook and peace of mind, Ps. 112:7a,b. [compare Isaiah 26:3 that also uses batuk!]
        6. The upright man's inner man will be sustained in bad times without his being afraid, Ps. 112:8a.
        7. The upright man will experience triumph in the presence of his opponents, Ps. 112:8b.
        8. The upright man will be supplied with honor and longevity for his liberality to the needy, v. 9a,b.
    4. In contrast to these blessings, the wicked will see just the opposite experiences in life:
      1. Those who do not revere God so as not to delight to heed God's Word (contrast with Ps. 112:1b,c) are classified as wicked in Ps. 112:10a.
      2. Such fold will be frustrated to anger by the upright man's being blessed, Ps. 112:10b.
      3. However, he will himself conversely waste away as his longings for such manifold blessings that come to the upright will go unmet, Ps. 112:10!
Lesson: (1) If we RESPECT God so as to DELIGHT in His Word and thus HEED it in life, God will GENERALLY (in the Church era) give us SECURITIES affecting the welfare of our children and their offspring, and supply bountiful material and personal ble ssings to cover all areas of our lives. (2) Conversely, failing to RESPECT God so as NOT to delight in so that we heed His Word will cost us such comprehensive securities that we see the upright receive, and we will be FRUSTRATED as we conversely WASTE AWA Y with unmet needs. (3) Thus, it is SO important that we RESPECT God so as to DELIGHT in and thus HEED His Word as this so FULLY affects EVERY area of our welfare!