The Condition of the Righteous (Psalm 112)

The psalmist here begins with another admonition to praise the Lord.  This time, the writer lists not his attributes, but rather His acts.  Psalm 111 looked at the motivation and quality of the acts of God, but this psalm looks at his acts in light of the obedience of man.  The man who fears the Lord is blessed, and will be mighty on the earth.  He will have wealth and riches, and be righteous forever.  He will deal graciously and lend, and will never be shaken.  The righteous will not live in fear, and will prevail over his enemies.  The righteous disperse their wealth abroad, giving to the poor, and his horn will be exalted.

This psalm gives us a picture of how the righteousness of God must be lived out through righteous people.  If you claim to serve God, then you should emulate His character, which is demonstrated through your actions.  The sad truth is that many Christians claim the name of Christ, but not the character of Christ, nor the behavior of Christ.  If you wear the name, then embrace the character, and live the life.  Without works, faith is dead!