111 and 12. I know you guys have already done 111, but these two psalms kind of go together, so we're going to read both of them.
They kind of go together visually, because they both have 10 verses, and they're both also acrostic poems.
That is, in the Hebrew language, the first word of each phrase would have started with a letter of the alphabet in succession.
So we don't really see that artistic-ness come out, but it's there.
So there's that similarity, but I think that's there just to catch our attention to what's really connecting these two chapters together.
So as you guys read through chapter 111 last time, you saw that that celebrates the works of the Lord.
And then as we look at chapter 112, we see how that focuses on benefits and characteristics of a person who follows the Lord.
Come on over.
Let me just get my place, because I can't turn.
and talk at the same time.
So again, chapter 111, talking about the works of the Lord, and then we're going to spend a few minutes talking about Psalm 112,
focusing on the characteristics and the benefits of someone who is following the Lord.
111 verse 1.
Praise the Lord.
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart in the company of the upright in the congregation.
Greater the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered.
The Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him.
He remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works, and giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just.
All his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established forever and ever to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people.
He has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever.
In chapter 112.
Praise the Lord.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments.
His offspring will be mighty in the land.
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
Light dawns in the darkness of the upright.
He is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
It is well with the man who deals generously and lends, who conducts his affairs with justice.
For the righteous will never be moved.
He will be remembered forever.
He is not afraid of bad news.
His heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
His heart is steady.
He will not be afraid until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
He has distributed freely.
He has given to the poor.
His righteousness endures forever.
His horn is exalted in honor.
The wicked man sees it and is angry.
He gnashes his teeth and melts away.
The desire of the wicked will perish.
The first thing we see between these two chapters is that they start with praise the Lord or hallelujah.
And while that can be a phrase that we just easily overlook, it's kind of a phrase that if we don't think about it can just be kind of Christianese.
You know, that language we use because we're comfortable with church and praise the Lord.
And we can just kind of say it as a phrase and not think much of it.
But it's really fundamental for how we praise and direct our praise to God, right?
Who we're supposed to praise.
It's God that we're supposed to praise.
It's not anyone else.
Who should praise the Lord?
Everybody should.
But we as Christians are called to praise the Lord.
Why should we do that?
Because he's God.
He's our God.
He's our creator.
And so we praise him.
This psalm talks about it, but we know we read it all through the Bible.
That's the God, the only God, and he's the one we should praise.
And how should we praise him?
We do that by a life that pleases him.
So praise the Lord.
That's how both of these psalms start out.
That's a connection there.
The next connection as we move past that is the fear of the Lord.
So if we're going to see how these two chapters are connected, we're going to look first at verse 10, the end of chapter 111.
That says,
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
All those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever.
And then we looked at the next verse.
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who greatly delights in his commandments.
So we see we move from praising the Lord to this fear.
Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
And blessed is the man who fears the Lord.
Fear is always, when you read it in a verse in the Bible, it's always difficult.
Because we have a different definition in our mind for fear than what we read about the Lord.
Fear, if you look it up, it's to be afraid of something that is dangerous or painful or threatening.
I think of a wasp.
I'm fearful of a wasp.
Because it hurts.
Some people are fearful of a father who wasn't very loving to them.
Some people are fearful of cancer.
Because they can't see it.
They can't control it.
And they know it may mean death.
So those are the fear definitions that we typically have.
But the fear here is a fear of awe and reverence.
For something that is far beyond anything that we can totally relate to.
We can relate to it to some degree.
But it's hard to totally describe this fear.
I think of a massive Category 5 hurricane.
To be able to see it but not be affected by it.
If you could just observe it and be in all of its power.
Raw power of lightning.
The grandeur of the Grand Canyon.
The delicateness of a beautiful flower.
The strength of a large animal.
A grizzly bear.
A large whale.
Or the immense space.
If you go out into space.
Just the immense size of space.
Those are all just small little examples.
Of all.
Of something so much bigger than ourselves.
But all those things were created by God.
So when we talk about fear.
We're talking about something that is just so much larger.
So much bigger.
So much more awesome.
So much more in every aspect.
If we talk about love and graciousness.
And compassion.
And imagination.
And power.
Fear.
All these are aspects of God.
And they all play into.
Or come.
Or factored into.
This fear aspect.
Realizing who God is.
And just being in awe.
Of what that means.
So.
Really.
We're going to spend the rest of our lives.
Learning.
What that fear.
Of the Lord truly is.
We start to get it.
And I think God just develops it.
As we follow him.
It's just one of those things.
We don't get.
And we won't fully get.
Until we get to heaven.
So that's the fear that we're talking about.
Not the cowering in a corner.
I'm afraid somebody's going to beat me fear.
But the fear of an awesome God.
And with that.
There can be a fear.
That is.
A scary fear.
If you're on the wrong side.
Of the judgment of God.
And I.
I trust.
That no one in our church.
Ever comes to that point.
We want to be on.
The right side.
Of the fear of the Lord.
So.
We see that the fear.
Of the Lord.
Is the beginning of wisdom.
And.
Here in this verse.
That blessed is the man.
Who.
Fears the Lord.
Who realizes.
And works towards that fear.
So.
As we.
As we start off with that.
We have praise.
For the Lord.
And we have fearing the Lord.
And then we're going to talk about.
Just for a couple minutes.
The verses in chapter 112.
Because they just build on.
That.
That praise.
And that fear.
Verses 2 and 3.
In chapter 112.
His offspring.
Will be mighty in the land.
The generation of the upright.
Will be blessed.
Wealth and riches.
Are in his house.
And his righteousness.
Endures forever.
In this time.
God's people.
The Israelites.
Were blessed.
With wealth.
They were blessed.
With physical blessings.
They were blessed.
With children.
These were signs.
That they were in God's will.
Well.
The time that we're in now.
Under the new covenant.
Being blessed with money.
Being blessed with things.
Of this world.
Being blessed with health.
They aren't signs.
That someone.
Is.
A follower of God.
It's not.
Necessarily a sign.
That someone.
Is righteous.
And a God fear.
The blessings.
That we can count on.
Are those of God's grace.
Towards us.
As peace.
As security.
Power we have in Christ.
Power we have through prayer.
God's promises.
His provision.
So while we.
There are times.
Where we do get.
Special blessings.
Of strength.
And health.
And riches.
Those aren't the typical things.
That we can look forward to.
Those wouldn't be the reasons.
That we follow God.
Although we know.
That God takes care.
And provides for.
Whatever we need.
So it's helpful.
As we read through these.
Because that.
We.
I'm sure we've talked about it before.
As we've gone through them.
In Psalms.
There's a lot of these.
You'll be blessed.
You'll be rich.
For us.
They're talking more about.
Spiritual blessings.
Spiritual richness.
If we move down.
To verse four.
It says that light dawns.
In the darkness.
For the upright.
Is gracious.
Merciful.
And righteous.
Here we see.
That this light dawns.
In the darkness.
For the upright.
This is guidance.
That God is giving.
For the person.
Who is.
In darkness.
Or in uncertainty.
So.
We see that.
Good times.
Aren't promised.
Obviously.
Because.
The light.
Wouldn't have a reason.
For dawning.
If there wasn't darkness.
That was already there.
So.
We are going to have times of darkness.
We are going to have times of trial.
But we are promised.
That God.
Will take us.
Through those.
He'll protect us.
He'll give us that.
Guidance.
When we need it.
As we follow him.
We also see.
That there's a few verses.
I'm going to skip over verse five.
We have a few verses.
That speak about.
Security.
And stability.
The strength.
That we have in God.
And that is.
If we trust in him.
And we.
We are not putting our trust.
In ourselves.
Which.
Is easy for us to do.
Verse six says.
For the righteous.
Will never be moved.
He will be remembered forever.
Verse seven.
He will not be afraid.
Of bad news.
His heart is firm.
Trusting in the Lord.
Notice again.
It doesn't promise.
That bad news.
Never comes.
It doesn't say.
That a righteous.
Never gets bad news.
Bad things.
Hard times.
Come.
As we know.
But the righteous.
Is not afraid.
Of those things.
He's already put.
His fear.
In the Lord.
He doesn't have to fear.
The bad things.
Because his awe.
His fear.
His righteous fear.
That's in the Lord.
Has control over.
All those things.
Verse eight.
His heart is steady.
He will not be afraid.
Until he looks.
In triumph.
On his adversaries.
He's not afraid.
That is.
He's not swayed.
By difficult times.
Until.
He will not be afraid.
Until he looks.
In triumph.
Over his adversaries.
Doesn't mean that.
Once that triumph comes.
Then.
Then he'll be afraid.
It just means that.
He won't fear.
Through those times.
He may not know the details.
He may not know.
What tomorrow.
Is bringing.
But he's steady.
And he's not afraid.
Because he knows.
The one.
Who holds tomorrow.
He knows the one.
Who controls.
What's going to happen.
Tomorrow.
So his heart is steady.
And he is not moved.
This psalm also has.
A couple of verses.
That are talking about.
The blessings.
That we get to bless.
Others with.
Because.
We've been blessed.
So if we jump back.
And look at verse five.
It says.
It is well with the man.
Who deals.
Generously.
And lends.
Who conducts his affairs.
With justice.
Jesus.
Is the one that said.
It's better to give.
Than receive.
Luke 6.
30 says.
Give to everyone.
Who begs from you.
And from one.
Who takes away.
Your goods.
Do not demand them back.
So we see here.
That.
Because we're blessed.
Then.
This.
Righteous man.
This.
This man.
Who fears the Lord.
And praise the Lord.
Is also a man.
Who blesses others.
With what he has.
Because he's not fearful.
That he's not going to have enough for tomorrow.
He's not fearful.
It's going to be taken away.
Because he knows.
It was given to him by God.
In the first place.
And in verse nine.
It says.
He is distributed freely.
He is given to the poor.
His righteousness endures forever.
His horn is exalted in honor.
He is given to the poor.
And he is given to the poor.
So with what.
We are blessed with.
We bless others.
Matthew 5.
16.
In the same way.
Let your light shine before others.
So that they may see your good works.
And give glory.
To your father.
Who is in heaven.
So not only do we get to bless others.
But we give.
It gives glory to God.
The gospel.
Is also.
Also goes out to others.
As they see.
That there is a person.
Who cares more.
About helping someone else.
Than about getting more ahead.
In this world.
There is something different.
About that.
There is something odd.
About that person.
Who cares more about that.
Than about.
Just obtaining.
Riches for themselves.
And that is because.
We see a greater richness.
That comes from.
From God.
A greater richness.
That we have from eternity.
And not from.
This life that we live.
So we see from.
Those.
From verses two to.
Nine.
This character.
These benefits.
Of those who.
Praise and fear the Lord.
And then if we look at the last verse.
We see that.
This is about the wicked man.
Those who.
Don't put their.
Trust in God.
Those who want to be God themselves.
Those who desire.
Things of this world.
Verse ten.
Says the wicked man.
Sees it and is angry.
It.
That he's talking about.
Is the.
Righteous person.
And how they were.
Will endure forever.
And how they are.
Exalted in honor.
That's the.
The it.
So the wicked man.
Sees that.
And he's angry.
He gnashes his teeth.
And melts away.
The desire of the wicked.
Will perish.
So.
Their desire.
For what they want.
It yields no fruit.
The things that they desire.
All that they long for.
All that they work for.
All that they.
Covet.
Want to have.
Put their time into.
Those things in the end.
Perish.
Um.
But those who fear the Lord.
Are wise.
And will.
Endure forever.
Um.
So.
This psalm.
Hopefully is one.
Of.
Encouragement.
Realizing that we have.
All the reason.
In the world.
To praise God.
Um.
And if we fear him.
Then we will be blessed.
Blessed more than.
Just things.
Earthly things.
That are so easily.
Held on to.
But be blessed.
By.
Things that will last.
For eternity.
So with that.
Whom shall I fear?
Nice call Brian.