Psalm 112:6-8 – “To Be Continued”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

⁶Because to ages he will not be shaken,

     a memory of ages a righteous one will be.

⁷He will not fear bad news,

    His heart being established, being confident in the LORD.

⁸His heart being supported, he will not fear,

    Until which he will look on his enemies.

My last three blogs have recorded a rather interesting little episode in my own life. As I’ve related, I studied out these three verses, thought I basically understood them, then walked into work and got clobbered by two terrifying situations, only to have that followed by the addition of what I perceived to be an impossible workload. Shaken? Fear? I had plenty of both; but it was also obvious to me this was the Lord’s hand and the point of it all was to help me grow in being the very person portrayed in this Psalm.

I think for the most part I’m “on the other side” now, perhaps even “looking in triumph on my foes.” The two terrifying situations were pretty well remedied and in fact I would say things are considerably improved in both of those projects. As far as the work load, the Lord really helped me by reminding me I need a “well-ordered mind” (II Tim 1:7), and when I sat down and wrote it all out, it just didn’t look as bad.

Maybe it’s not over. Maybe something else is on its way. It’s all up to Him, of course. Of course it’s not over if I’m still alive. I still have much to learn and I’m still not the man of Psalm 112. I hope I’m a little more that man. I hope I’ve grown even just a little in being “confident in the Lord.” He certainly deserves it. Through all the terrors and hardships of my entire life, He has always been there; He has always worked out all things for good; and I should be confident in Him. This whole thing has just been one more example of His kindness.

I don’t know. Right now, honestly, I feel like I’ve been run over by a truck. This one really beat me up. But then it was my own fear that did the beating. Had I really been “confident in the Lord” the whole time, there would have been no need for any of this trauma or terror. There wasn’t any need for it anyway. I just haven’t learned yet how to rise above it. It is completely my own mind, my own heart that creates the trauma and all the emotional fracas.

Well, I hope I have learned even a little, that perhaps in some small way I am stronger. If I am it is all the Lord’s doing. I want to be the man of Psalm 112. The Lord deserves that I should be that man, a man who doesn’t fear bad news, who is in fact confident in Him. I want to be stable like Him.

This may sound crazy but this has all been wonderful. It’s just like sports. I appreciated my awesome track and cross-country coach Louis Baker. I appreciated how he pushed me and nearly killed me (just kidding) and made me into a runner who actually ran miles down in the 4-minute range. The Lord is doing the same thing on a much bigger scale. He’s making me, slowly but surely into the man I want to be. And I’m glad He loves me enough not only to put me through it all but to endure all my childish whining, that He stays with me through it all, gives me lots of little expressions of love and kindness along the way, and just gives my life and my troubles meaning and purpose.

It’s not “over” of course and won’t be until He calls me home; but this is all exactly what I want Him to be doing in my life.

I don’t want to face any more pain, but I have to pray with Jesus, “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless not my will, but Thine be done.” On the other hand, I’ll pray with Jabez, “Keep me from pain, that it might not pain me!”

He is a wonderful Lord. I don’t know how anyone lives without Him!

And so we study on. In this life, everything ends with “to be continued …”

Just 'cause I want to include the words of the old Hymn,  "How Firm a Foundation."

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
Unto you, who to Jesus for refuge have fled?

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.


The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.