May 27, 2015: Psalm 112

Psalm 112

¹Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments.

²Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.

³Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.

⁴They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.

⁵It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.

⁶For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.

⁷They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.

⁸Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.

⁹They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.

¹⁰The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing

                   

Reflection:

Do you delight in the Lord's commandments? I know the commandments, I strive to keep the commandments, but I do not know that I always delight in them. Sometimes keeping the Sabbath, honoring my parents, and not coveting seems like work instead of a joy. There should be times in our faith walk when we delight in our prayer, devotion, and keeping of the commandments. There may be other times when this seems like a chore. However, we should keep the commandments, study the Bible, and spend time in prayer both when it is delightful and when it is difficult. This is what it means to be righteous, and the Psalm says that when we hold fast to God we will be blessed with a steady heart, a righteous spirit, and honor.

Reflection Questions:

Morning: What spiritual practices do I keep and how do I strive to keep God's commandments?

Noon: How can I keep these practices even when it is difficult?

Night: How did I stay close to God today? Did I delight, or was it more work? How can I do better tomorrow?

Prayer:

Holy God, lead me ever closer to you. May I rest in your peace at the end of each day. Draw me closer to you and your ways, and help me to strive to know you more. I ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.