Psalm 112:7 Context
Like Psalm 111, Psalm 112 is an acrostic poem, which means each line begins with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
It’s unclear who wrote Psalm 112, but the message within it cannot be missed: A heart fixed on God is steady, no matter what comes our way.
Psalm 112:7 Meaning
Because we don’t know who wrote Psalm 112, it’s hard to know precisely what “bad news” the author might have been referring to.
But one thing is certain: No one—despite age, race, gender, or station in life—gets a pass when it comes to hard times.
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That can be a downer, but there’s more that both Jesus and the author of Psalm 112 want us to know. When our hearts trust in God, we don’t have to be afraid of bad news.
The verse doesn’t say, “If you have faith in yourself, you won’t be afraid of bad news.” It doesn’t say, “If you take control of the situation, you won’t be afraid of bad news.”
It instructs us clearly to keep our chin up during bad-news times—gaze fixed steadily on the Lord. In his commentary, Matthew Henry calls this attitude a “settled spirit.”
Psalm 112:7 Application
Every morning, we wake up to some sort of bad news on our television sets or in our iPhone notifications. A virus is spreading. A shooter opened fire.
A tornado struck. Sometimes the bad news strikes closer to home. The phone rings, and you find out your child has been in an accident.
You didn’t get the job. Your best friend found out she has cancer. All of it can leave us feeling afraid, discouraged, and filled with anxiety.
Could we live like that? Could we face each day with a steadfast heart, trusting in the Lord, no matter what comes our way?
None of us likes bad news. We have a preference for a good-news kind of life.
But Psalm 112 tells us that one of the advantages of having faith in God is being able to stand firm in the midst of trial. God guards the minds of those who walk with him.
We have a Good News God for a Bad News Day.
The good news is that we don’t walk alone.
The good news is that, even on days when we lose a battle, Jesus has won the war.
The good news is that our souls are secure, even when our bodies are weak.
The good news is that we don’t have to be afraid of the bad news.
“So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.”