Evil tidings and the upright

Today is my last day in Colorado; we are going home to Florida tomorrow. I have not read the news the whole time I have been gone on vacation, but I have heard of things. That evil men are still trying to thwart God and work evil in the world, is what it boils down to.

This past week in the Torah I read of Balak's hiring of Balaam to come and curse Israel, and how that all worked out for the king of Moab. It was the same thing we are facing today: evil men trying to thwart God and work evil in the world. The bottom line of that history, is that God has blessed Israel; what God has blessed cannot be cursed, or destroyed, or done away with; and when men attempt to withstand God and His people, to thwart His blessing and His people's well being, He will withstand them until He has either their cooperation or their death.

The Psalm that accompanies that Torah portion is Psalm 112:

Psa 112:1 Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments. Psa 112:2 His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed. Psa 112:3 Wealth and riches will be in his house, And his righteousness endures forever. Psa 112:4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous. Psa 112:5 A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion. Psa 112:6 Surely he will never be shaken; The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance. Psa 112:7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. Psa 112:8 His heart is established; He will not be afraid, Until he sees his desire upon his enemies. Psa 112:9 He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever; His horn will be exalted with honor. Psa 112:10 The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish.

Just as the nation whose God is the Lord is blessed, the man whose God is the Lord is blessed. Evil tidings may come, the wicked may try to do wickedly, but the blessing of the Lord on the head and the house of the upright cannot be removed or withstood. Notice God's definition of the upright: the man who fears the Lord, and who delights greatly in His commandments. We have had uprightness imputed to us by the blood of Yeshua; but let us also not despise the gift of righteousness, and let us fear the Lord and walk in His commandments (His covenant), now that we have been made clean and free from sin.

Then, let nothing shake us, for nothing can shake us out of the good hand of our Father, our King, and our God.