"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 23 August 2016 with Scripture: Psalm 112

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Tuesday, 23 August 2016
with Scripture: Psalm 112
Psalm 112:1 Halleluyah!
How happy is anyone who fears Adonai,
who greatly delights in his mitzvot.
2 His descendants will be powerful on earth,
a blessed generation of upright people.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness stands forever.
4 To the upright he shines like a light in the dark,
merciful, compassionate and righteous.
5 Things go well with the person who is merciful and lends,
who conducts his affairs with fairness;
6 for he will never be moved.
The righteous will be remembered forever.
7 He will not be frightened by bad news;
he remains steady, trusting in Adonai.
8 His heart is set firm, he will not be afraid,
till finally he looks in triumph at his enemies.
9 He distributes freely, he gives to the poor;
his righteousness stands forever.
His power will be increased honorably.
10 The wicked will be angry when they see this;
they will gnash their teeth and waste away,
the desires of the wicked will come to nothing.[Complete Jewish Bible]
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This psalm spins our praise and prayer between two words: rooted and generous. I think of the quip that says there are two things parents give their children: roots and wings. The first focus of the psalm is to be anchored firmly in God's promise, to delight in God and God's words (verse 1). This is a picture of hearts held by God's power. They are steady and firm, secure even in the presence of evil (verses 7-8).
Then the psalmist turns our reflection to the power of generosity. God's gifts are given so that sturdy disciples have the strength and concern to get up in the night for those who need help (verse 4), and to give themselves and what they have eagerly (verses 5, 9). Here again are two great ironies of Christian faith: being rooted in God sets us free to give--and the more love is given the more the lover is full.
God hold us firmly in your promise that we are free to give generously. Amen.
Paul Rohde, '82
Campus Pastor, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, S.D. 
Psalm 112:1 Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments.
2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever.
4 They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever.
7 They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.
9 They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.
10 The wicked see it and are angry; they gnash their teeth and melt away; the desire of the wicked comes to nothing.[New Revised Standard Version
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