BENEFITS FOR THOSE WHO FEAR GOD
(Psalm 25:12-15)
Mike Johnson
Psalm 25:12-15 says the following:
(12) who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. (13) He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. (14) The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. (15) My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.
Many people today are very interested in benefits. When a person is considering a job, one of the first questions often asked pertains to benefits. Earthly benefits, though important, do not compare with the five spiritual benefits those who fear God can obtain. From the above text, consider these blessings:
(1) God will instruct him in the way He chooses (12). This concept goes back to what he states earlier verse 9, which points out God will teach the humble as it says, “The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way.” Those who fear the Lord, the humble, will have a teachable spirit. In addition, God will teach them in the way “He” chooses, not in the way people choose.
(2) He will dwell in prosperity (13a). The word translated “prosperity” carries with it the idea of that which is good, pleasant, and agreeable. Barnes, in his commentary, points out the following:
. . .the idea is that of a good or safe condition as compared with that of one who wanders abroad without a shelter, or of one who has lost his way, and has no one to guide him. As contrasted with such an one, he who fears God, and who seeks his guidance and direction, will be like a man in his own comfortable and quiet home. (Barnes’ Notes).
Today, we have assurances God will take care of us physically (Mt. 6:33). Even further, there will be peace both mentally and spiritually (Rom. 8:35). All will not be easy as Christians have hardships and difficulties like everyone else (Phil. 4:11-13), but ultimately, everything will be good for those who fear God (Rom. 8:35).
(3) His descendants shall inherit the earth (13b). Earlier in the Psalm, David discussed the idea of humility, or meekness, and waiting on the Lord. Psalm 37:7-11 expresses a similar concept as it speaks of “resting in the Lord,” “waiting on Him,” and then says the “meek shall inherit the earth.” Meekness is “a personality trait of gentleness and humility, the opposite of which is pride. Meekness does not refer to weakness or passivity but to controlled power” (Holman Bible Dictionary). A good description is “gentleness in strength.”
The concept of inheriting the earth (often translated “land”) reminds us of Jesus’ statement in the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5:5). The meaning in both cases is not that meek people will literally own all of the land of the earth. This concept seems to have originated with the Jews receiving the land of Canaan. In time, it came to refer to the benefits of the earth. Barnes points out, “It came then to be synonymous with outward, worldly prosperity; with length of days, and happiness in the earth” (Barnes’ Notes).
Psalm 37, mentioned earlier, says the meek will inherit the earth, and Psalm 25 says the descendants of the meek will inherit the earth. The meek of Psalm 25 will undoubtedly inherit the benefits of the land, but our text is saying even the descendants will reap the benefits of having had meek parents. However, for descendants to continue to receive these, they must continue to follow the same righteous path as their mothers and fathers.
(4) God will be his friend (14). This statement continues to speak of one who fears God. The text says, “The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him…” The word in the original is translated “secret” by the NKJV, but in other translations, it is “friendship” (ESV, ASV, RSV) and “confides in” (NIV). The word is translated “council” elsewhere. Consider the following comments by Barnes regarding the Hebrew word:
It properly means a couch or cushion; and then, a divan or circle of friends sitting together; then, deliberation or consultation; then, familiar contact, intimacy; and then, a “secret,” – as if it were the result of a private consultation among friends, or something which pertained to them, and which they did not wish to have known. It is rendered “secret; “counsel” in…. The word “friendship” would perhaps express the meaning here. The sense is, that those who fear the Lord are admitted to the intimacy of friendship with Him; are permitted to come into His presence, and to partake of His counsels; are allowed free access to Him; or, as it is more commonly expressed, have “fellowship” with Him (Barnes’ Notes).
It is good to have friends, but it is especially useful to have God as our friend and our counselor.
(5) God will rescue him (15). The Psalmist says his eyes are “ever toward the Lord.” His eyes being “ever” toward the Lord (15a) would indicate a constant state of mind. He was continually looking to God, seeking his protection and guidance. Since this was the case, God would “pluck his feet out of the net.” If trapped, he knew God would deliver him.
Fearing God, i.e., having reverence, respect, and awe for Him, is essential. In fact, this is what life is all about. Ecclesiastics 12:13 says, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all.” We should all fear God and strive for the spiritual benefits God is willing to bestow on us so we can, ultimately, reach our goal of heaven. Psalm 112:1 says, “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments.”