“Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the Lord.” — Psalm 144:15
The first half of our text for today gathers its momentum from the verses just preceding, v.12-14, in which the writer foresees a precious family, a plentiful harvest, productive flocks, prosperous labor, protected property and a peaceful community. All these are temporal blessings, and he denominates those who enjoy such circumstances as happy, or “blessed,” as the same word is rendered elsewhere. With that no reasonable person would disagree.
The inference from the second half of the verse is that this temporal prosperity and stability is a gift from God to those who have put their trust in Him. That gives a certain legitimacy to the statement we hear from time to time, especially among believers, “The Lord has blessed me…,” and the reference is to some present circumstance. Long before the Lord had counseled Israel, “But thou shalt remember the LORD thy God: for it is He that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day [Deut. 8:18, my italics].” This truth is reinforced in the New Testament; “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning [James 1:17].”
It is good and proper for the believer to trace every blessing back to the hand of God and to thank and praise Him for it, whether it be a gratifying family, satisfying enterprise or community stability. And our gratitude should be expressed not merely in words, but in deeds as well. He warned Israel,
“Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied…thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth…And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the LORD thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish." [Deut. 8:11-13, 17, 19]When we take God for granted, and attribute to our own diligence or genius the “happiness” we enjoy, we rob Him of His glory and threaten our own future, this side of heaven.
Of course such temporal welfare is not always the “case,” even for the most humble and faithful Christian. Sometimes hardship and adversity comes for reasons tucked away in the divine wisdom, as our Father in heaven undertakes to develop the character of His children according to their individual needs, “For whom the Lord loveth, He chasteneth…” Then we must continue to praise and thank Him when the road gets rough. It is written of Christ Himself, “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered [Heb. 5:8].” Sometimes, as with Job, we are obliged to cry, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him…He also shall be my salvation… [Job 13:15,16].”
And that leads us to look again at the second half of our text. “Happy (blessed) is the people whose God is the Lord.” The first half of the verse relates to our present circumstances; the second comprehends the eternal dimension. Paul wrote to the Ephesians, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ [Eph. 1:3].” Among the blessings that may here be enumerated are grace and peace (v.2); chosen in Christ (v. 4); adopted as God’s children (v.5); accepted in glory (v. 6); redeemed through the blood of Christ and sins forgiven (v. 7); an eternal inheritance (v. 11); and the security of His Holy Spirit (v.13) . And these are but some of the eternal blessings which are ours “in Christ Jesus.”.
Once “dead in trespasses and sins,” the believer is “quickened (made alive) together with Christ,” raised from the dead already through union with Christ, and seated together with Him in heavenly places, out of the ultimate reach of every alien power and waiting for the redemption of the body. “Blessed,” indeed, “is that people whose God is the Lord!”
God’s earthly oversight of our situation notwithstanding, we cannot know here what a day may bring. Wisdom demands that we say, “If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that,” But, there’s a great day coming when we will cash in on our “inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven” for us.
If you are assured that He is your Lord, count your many blessings—and thank Him for them every day!
For peace in the valley,
"Pastor" Frasier
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