Psalm Devotional
Praise the Practical Man!
Written by Kit Swartz. This devotional was first published in the July 2013 issue of The Reformed Presbyterian Witness.
The theme of praise to God runs prominently through Psalms 111–113. The structure and content of Psalms 111 and 112 tie them together as a pair. Both are acrostic (alphabetic), with the succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet being the first letter of the first word of each line after the initial praise.
The wording of 111:3-4 and 112:3-4 is strikingly similar. By these means, the psalmist instructs us to see these psalms as two parts of one flow of thought. Psalm 111 presents the works of God for His praise from men (v. 3), and Psalm 112 presents the works of the godly for his praise from God (112:3, 9; see 111:10).
Begin with First Things! (vv. 1-2)
The first and most important point of this psalm is that the Lord is to be praised for the blessedness of the practical man. This demonstrates again that Psalm 111 is the root of the fruit of Psalm 112. Just as we are saved by the grace of God in Christ and by the Spirit, so also do we bear the fruit and enjoy the blessings of salvation by the grace of God in Christ and by the Spirit. The beginning of that fruit is the fear of the Lord (v. 1; see 111:10). This fear is not the cringing dread of the unrepentant but the awestruck love of the redeemed. As the godly man delights to study the works of God (111:2), so also does he, in this awestruck love, delight to know and do the words of God (v. 1; see Ps. 119:35).
The Practices of the Practical Man of God (vv. 3-9)
Awestruck love is practical, loving by doing (Deut. 5:10; John. 14:15ff.). The heart of this psalm lists the doings of the practical man of God. He is upright or, literally, straight (vv. 2, 4). He walks in the straight and narrow way of God’s commands, not in the crooked and broad way of his own desires (Matt. 7:13ff). He is righteous, conforming his life to God’s standard (vv. 3-4, 6, 9; Eph. 4:24) and he is just, giving to each person what is owed, in full and on time (v. 5; Rom. 13:7). Above all, like God, he is gracious and compassionate, generously meeting pressing needs (v. 4 [see Ps. 111:4], 5, 9; see Exod. 34:6; Titus 3:14). When Paul urged the Corinthians to be practical, he chose verse 9 of this psalm as his compelling argument (2 Cor. 9:9). The cheerfulness, abundance, and almost carelessness in this giving are indicated by the picture of scattering (given freely) in 112:9 and 2 Corinthians 9:9. There is no fear of wasting resources but only of missing opportunities! When we give to the poor we invest in the kingdom of God (Prov. 19:17). Therefore, returns on these investments are infinite, eternal, and unchangeable (1 Tim. 6:17-19). Zealous investment is called for. Finally, as grace is the source of a practical life (v. 1), so faith is the means (v. 7; Isa. 26:3).
The Blessings of the Practical Man (vv. 1-10)
Like Abraham, the practical man is blessed by God by being made a blessing to others, including his family (v. 2a, descendants) and his community (v. 2b, generation). He is blessed with many and valuable things in this life (3a, wealth and riches; Matt. 6:33). As he perseveres in righteousness, so also do his blessings endure (v. 3b [see 111:3b]; v. 9b). Likewise, his reputation as a practical man of God endures (v. 6b). All this does not, of course, mean that he has no troubles. But it does mean that God is with him in, through, and out of his troubles. The Lord upholds (v. 8a) and maintains (v. 5b) His practical man. Far from being defeated by his wicked enemies, the Lord gives him victory over them (vv. 8b, 10). It is far better to be with God in affliction than to be without Him in pleasantness, as each of these situations is only partial and temporary (1 Pet. 5:10; Ps. 73).
Praise the Practical Man!
Who can measure up to this perfect standard, and who can hope for these wonderful blessings? The practical man (112:3b, 4b) is the perfect image of the practical God Himself (111:3b, 4b)! It is not “Who but W.B. Mason?” as one company slogan reads, but rather, “Who but the Lord Jesus Christ!” He alone is the perfect image of God (2 Cor. 4:4-6; Col. 1:19, 2:9; Heb. 1:3), and He alone is the practical man (v. 1; Ps. 40:8; Heb. 10:7ff.). His awestruck love for the Father is perfect, His delight in doing the Father’s will is perfect, His trust in His Father’s faithfulness is perfect, His blessings and honor from the Father are perfect. But the joy of the gospel is that we who love Jesus are His family and community who are blessed in His blessings (v. 2). As we are grafted into Him through faith (Rom. 6:4ff.) and are conformed to His image by the Spirit (Eph. 4:15, 24), we become practical people in Him and enjoy His blessings. Praise the Lord for the practical man, Jesus Christ! And, in Him, become practical people, doing His will and enjoying His blessings.
