What is the meaning of Psalm 112:7? He does not fear bad news Psalm 112 describes the man who delights in God’s commands, and verse 7 opens with this calm declaration. “He does not fear bad news”. • Bad news is inevitable in a fallen world—wars, illness, financial upheaval—but the righteous man’s first response is not panic. • Proverbs 1:33 promises, “Whoever listens to Me will dwell in safety, secure from the fear of evil.” That safety is not the absence of trouble; it is the absence of terror. • Jesus reinforced this calm in John 14:27: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you… Do not let your hearts be troubled, do not be afraid.” • Isaiah 26:3 speaks to the same settled frame of mind: “You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.” The psalmist is not naïve; he simply believes God’s word that nothing arrives outside the Lord’s sovereign care (Romans 8:28). Therefore, bad news loses its power to intimidate. His heart is steadfast The verse continues, “his heart is steadfast.” A steadfast heart is an anchored heart. • Psalm 57:7 uses identical language: “My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast.” David wrote that while hiding in a cave, illustrating that steadiness is possible even in crisis. • 1 Corinthians 15:58 exhorts believers to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.” The same unwavering posture shows up in both testaments: stability amid shifting circumstances. • Hebrews 3:14 says we “share in Christ if we hold firmly to the end the confidence we had at first.” Persistence proves genuine faith. Rather than drifting with every headline, the righteous person fixes his inner compass on the unchanging character of God. Such resolve cultivates consistency in thought, emotion, and action. Trusting in the LORD The foundation of this fearlessness and steadfastness is simple: “trusting in the LORD.” • Proverbs 3:5-6 urges, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Trust replaces self-reliance with God-reliance. • Jeremiah 17:7-8 paints the picture of a tree planted by water, “its leaves are always green… it has no worries in a year of drought.” Trust draws continuous nourishment from God’s sufficiency. • Psalm 37:5 invites, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in Him, and He will act.” Faith hands over control to the One who already holds the future. • Romans 15:13 reminds us that the God of hope fills believers “with all joy and peace as you trust in Him,” underscoring that trust is the channel through which divine peace flows. Trust is not a vague optimism; it is a conscious reliance on the Lord’s proven faithfulness, displayed supremely in the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ (Romans 5:8; 1 Peter 1:3-5). summary Psalm 112:7 sketches the portrait of a believer whose heart is insulated—though not isolated—from the shocks of life. Because he trusts the Lord who commands every circumstance, he does not succumb to fear when bad news arrives. Instead, his heart remains steadfast, anchored in God’s unchanging promises and character. Far from escapism, this is the solid ground that allows a follower of Christ to face uncertainty with unwavering peace and contagious confidence. |
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