Today I read a verse that has meant so much to me over the decades. Psalm 112:7-8a "He will not fear evil tidings; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is upheld, he will not fear". I memorized that verse years and years ago in the Living paraphrase: He does not fear bad news nor live in dread of what may happen, for he is settled in his mind that Jehovah will take care of him.
We live in such perilous times and I find that my heart can quickly acquire a vague and oppressive sense of fear. On both the large international scene and in the everyday of life I am aware of my own helplessness. Age has a way of bringing my own inadequacies into focus. It was concretely comforting therefore to be reminded that for those who fear the Lord, He is our security and we need not fear. He is our Rock and our Fortress, our unchanging God in whom we trust. As the stage is set for the last days, I need to hold on to these words.
Because he has a cheerful conscience, his heart too is not disconcerted by any evil tidings; it remains erect, straight and firm, without suffering itself to bend or warp; full of confidence, stayed in itself and established. The last two designations are taken from Isa 26:3, where it is the church of the last times that is spoken of. (Keil and Delitzsch, vol 5, p 703, emphasis mine)
I flipped to Isaiah 26 to remind myself of those beautiful words: "The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock."
Certainly words of strength to keep me standing erect, straight and firm, without bending or warping, no matter what the storms.
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