Blessings For Obedience

“Do good, O LORD, unto those that be good, and to them that are upright in their hearts. As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity: but peace shall be upon Israel.” (Ps 125:4-5 AV)

 

This is pretty straightforward.  God will bless those that live in obedience and those who do not, will be left to themselves.  The end of the latter is an association with those who consistently live in sin with all the consequences that go with it.  This prayer of David reflects back on Israel’s history and assumes the same pattern will continue.  There will be those who will seek to live in accordance with the word of God and those who will not.  These verses are also prophetical in the sense that a few generations after David penned these words, Israel was carried away by Assyria and Babylon.  The application is very clear.  God loves to bless those who trust Him and live according to His word.  He delights to bless those who bless Him.  His grace showers upon those who know what the LORD desires and tries to meet those desires.  This does not mean God only blesses the perfect.  If that were so, He wouldn’t bless anyone.  God is good to those who are upright in their hearts.  This means when a saint does fail, his heart drives him to deep repentance.  He feels guilt and shame over his failure and pleads with the Holy Spirit to help him overcome his sin.  God will not overburden an errant yet repentant child beyond what he can endure.  His holiness demands correction, but if the saint is upright in his heart, then the saint can expect God’s grace to show its way.

There is a distinction here.  Some strive to live and walk with God.  Others do not.  This prayer is a prayer for separation.  The king desires a distinction and separation according to devotion to God.  Those who live their lives in somberness and focus are encouraged to assemble.  David desires God’s blessings on those who desire God so they will be motivated to an even deeper commitment to God.  He also knows there will be a natural separation.  It will not be forced.  No one is going to remove anyone.  It is just that like-minded people seem to coagulate according to their values and goals.  Those who have a pure heart will find others with a pure heart.  Those who live in iniquity will fellowship with others that live in iniquity.  This is how our nature works.

What we want to consider is the request of the psalmist.  He desires God’s blessings on those who work on their relationship with God.  It is not wrong to ask the LORD to bless our efforts.  The goodness of the LORD leads to repentance.  Good things motivate us to do good works.  If the LORD never recognized that which we did right by blessings or statements, we would lose a great motivator to do more.  This principle is evident with children.  Recognizing good behavior is just as, if not more, important than correcting bad behavior.  Rewarding good deeds produce more good deeds.  Recognizing a good effort increases the effort.  This is what David is seeking.  He is not seeking good things because they have earned them.  He is asking to be recognized for that which he had done right that he might desire to do more right.  Nehemiah asked the same towards the end of his building project.  Four times he asked the LORD to remember him for good.  David’s request is not a man-centered one.  It is a God-centered one.  God, bless those who seek to do right and have a pure heart, even if we fail Thee from time to time.