The psalmist wrote about fear of bad news (v. 7) and fear of the enemy (v. 8), but the first and most important fear is the fear of the Lord. This verse takes us back to 111:10, for if we fear God, we need fear nothing else. Solomon came to the same conclusion: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl. 12: nkjv). Of itself, fear is not an evil thing. We teach children to fear danger when they cross the street, use sharp objects, or are approached by strangers, but those are rational fears that energize us and protect us. The psalmist is writing about fears that can paralyze us and make life miserable. To overcome these fears, we cultivate a right relationship with the Lord: we fear Him, learn His will from His Word, and obey what He commands. Learning His will and doing it is not a burdensome thing, because we delight in His Word (1:2; 119:16, 35, 47–48, 70, 97, 143). Fear and delight can live together in the same heart because they are tied together by love (2:11; 119:19–20; 1 John 4:16–19). Because we love the Lord, His commands are not burdensome to us (1 John 5:3).
The person described in this psalm praises the Lord in worship, stands in awe of the Lord, delights in fellowship with the Lord, and seeks to obey the Lord. This kind of life brings blessing to the entire family (34:8–14; 37:25; 127:3–5; 128:3). If our life doesn’t make an impact at home, among people we know and love, it is not going to make much of a difference out in the marketplace where people blaspheme the name of the Lord. The person also is a blessing to “the generation of the upright” (v. 2), the people of God who frequent the sanctuary (33:1; 37:37; 111:1; 140:13). The Scriptures know nothing of an isolated believer who ignores other believers. We all need each other, and our united worship and witness can accomplish more than anything we can do by ourselves. Once again, we must not use verse 1 as a “charm” to ward off the troubles of life, for Job had the qualities listed in verse 1 (Job 1:8) and still suffered greatly. This kind of godly character does not protect us from pain and trials but it does enable us to use those trials to glorify the Lord and to grow in grace (1 Peter 3:13–17; 4:12–19; 5:10).
Our Relationship to Material Wealth (vv. 3–5, 9) Under the old covenant, material wealth was one of the evidences of the Lord’s blessing on His people as they moved into the Promised Land (Deut. 7:12ff.; 28:1–14). This explains why the apostles were shocked when Jesus said that it was difficult for rich people to enter God’s kingdom (Matt. 19:16–30). If rich people could not be saved, then who could? To Job’s three friends, the fact that Job had lost everything was proof that God was punishing him for his sins. It was faulty logic, but they held to it tenaciously. The person described in this psalm was righteous before the Lord (vv. 3, 4, 6, 9) and did not acquire his wealth in some unlawful manner. He was generous in his use of the wealth the Lord gave him, sharing it with the poor and lending it freely without interest (Deut. 23:19–20). He was certainly not miserly or covetous, and he was obedient to the Lord’s admonition to care for the poor and needy (Ex. 23:11; Lev. 25:35–38; Deut. 15:7, 11). When he quoted verse 9 in 2 Corinthians 9:9, the apostle Paul used him as an example for believers today to follow. (See also Prov. 11:24.) The word “horn” in verse 9 is an image of power and dignity (75:5; 132:17; Luke 1:69). Because of this man’s generosity, the Lord allowed him to be lifted up in the eyes of his peers. As you see this man’s faith in the Lord and love for those in need, you cannot help but think of the promise in Matthew 6:33.