So, they say bad news spreads like wildfire, right? Well, there’s good news too, but it doesn’t get the same attention because bad news is just so dramatic.
My example is data from the Royal College of Midwives:
Between 1995 and 2020, the rate of stillbirths in the UK reduced from about 1 in every 150 births to 1 in every 250 births. This represents a remarkable and heartening improvement in the outcome for expectant parents. Importantly, this positive trend persisted even in the face of the challenges posed by a pandemic and lockdown[1]. The unwavering dedication of the doctors, midwives, and nurses of the NHS deserves the highest commendation.
Compare that with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Witnessing the chilling footage of missiles pummeling Kyiv was undeniably harrowing. Can the positive news of a 25-year statistic even begin to hold a candle to that?
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Psalms in Book 5 affirm that God does answer prayer, God’s promises are valid and it includes a long, beautiful love song for God’s laws.
The books of Psalms are roughly themed like this:
Book 1: Psalms 1 – 41: God is beside us.
Book 2: Psalms 42 – 72: God goes before us
Book 3: Psalms 73 – 89: God is all around us.
Book 4: Psalms 90 – 106: God is above us.
Book 5: Psalms 107 – 150: God is among us.
112 Praise the Lord!
Psalm 112 ESVUK – I have added Hebrew letters to show the original acrostic nature of this song.
[א] Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
[ב] who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 [ג] His offspring will be mighty in the land;
[ד] the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 [ה] Wealth and riches are in his house,
[ו] and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 [ו] Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, [ח] merciful, and righteous.
5 [ט] It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
[י] who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 [כ] For the righteous will never be moved;
[ל] he will be remembered for ever.
7 [מ] He is not afraid of bad news;
[נ] his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 [ס] His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
[ע] until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 [פ] He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
[צ] his righteousness endures for ever;
[ק] his horn is exalted in honour.
10 [ר] The wicked man sees it and is angry;
[ש] he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
[ת]the desire of the wicked will perish!
This psalm, like the previous one, is an acrostic poem, each line beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Psalms 111 and 112 stand as one of the acrostic bookends of six songs called the Egyptian Hallel. The other acrostic bookend is Psalm 119.
The first line of Psalms111 and 112, “Hallelu Jah!” is not part of this pattern.
Each beautiful verse in both of these mesmerizing songs gracefully encompasses two Hebrew letters, symbolizing the profound depth of their message. However, the final two verses of both psalms astonish us even more, as they embrace the power of three letters. The splendid divergence lies in the focus of each psalm: while Psalm 111 magnificently depicts the remarkable actions of God, Psalm 112 captivates us with the inspiring deeds of a virtuous individual.
At long last! Back in February, I penned a post on Psalm 111. Now, three months on, it's time to delve into the remarkably similar 112th Psalm. While the preceding song celebrated God's blessings in the past, this song, crafted in the same style and quite likely by the same anonymous author, shifts its focus to the righteous person whom God blesses. It's wonderful to explore the blessings they receive.
Calling someone a righteous person in 2024 would be weird. What even makes someone righteous? Well, I already covered that in my prologue: the doctors, midwives, tech folks, and nurses of the NHS in the UK. A righteous person is just someone who does the right thing.
So a signal that someone’s totally righteous, according to verse 7 of this song, is that they’re totally not freaking out about bad news.
Maybe that disqualifies me. I spent Christmas recovering from a hernia operation. But honestly, when they told me I had a hernia, I was weirdly grateful. I even thanked the doctor. It might sound strange, but I was just so relieved it wasn’t something more serious like cancer that I couldn’t help but laugh. Yeah, I was scared. `
In a hopeful light, a righteous individual is one who consistently strives to do what is right. While this may seem like a daunting standard, it serves as an aspiration for individuals to seek goodness and moral integrity. The book of Psalms, along with other Wisdom literature such as Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, explores philosophical themes and the nuances of human nature. Building on this, the New Testament delves deeper into the concept, with the initial chapters of Paul’s letter to the Romans culminating in the acknowledgment that “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good” (Romans 3:10-12). Yet, amidst this acknowledgement, it also emphasizes the universal human experience of falling short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
The Psalm 112 provides examples of righteous behavior, such as being generous and giving to the poor, reflecting the Golden Rule of treating others as you would like to be treated. The motivation for such behavior is rooted in fearing the Lord and delighting in His commandments. It emphasizes how the response to God’s love leads to righteousness, irrespective of past mistakes, and deliberate acts.
Please take time to respond to God and to others.
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< Psalm 111 | Psalm 112 | Psalm 113 >
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[1]https://www.rcm.org.uk/news-views/rcm-opinion/2022/the-falling-stillbirth-rate-and-what-it-tells-us/
Making an ass of myself 