Ps 1:4b A PROMISE OF GRACE

A PROMISE OF GRACE

“Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Ps 1:4

What an unbelievable promise! In Psalm 37 the Psalmist expresses this promise this way: “Commit thy way unto the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.” To whom does our Lord make this promise? Not to the self-righteous who would trade off their good works for God’s favor, or to some exalted saint, but to His humble children whom Dr. Luther taught to pray, “For into Thy hands I commend my body and soul and all things.” He makes this promise to the child of God whose “way” is based on the word of His heavenly Father. In seminary dogmatics this is called a promise of grace, not something we deserve, but something God out of his immeasurable love for his children does for them.

Though the Lord promises us prosperity, He no where promises that our lives will be easy. The “way of the righteous” always draws the scorn and ill will of the world. It is an up-hill battle. But the victory is assured. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous,” says the Psalmist, “but the Lord delivereth him from them all.” For the Lord, out of His love and mercy, in spite of apparent adversity, grants prosperity.

An excellent example of this promise in Scripture is King Hezekiah “And Hezekiah prospered in all his works”. Hezekiah’s life was not easy. Against unbelievable odds, he reformed the clergy, cleaned up the morals of the country and took on in battle the greatest power of his age, Sennacherib, king of Assyria. Hezekiah’s “way” was based on the word of His Lord, and did he prosper!—“exceeding much riches and honor…for God had given him substance very much” says the Scripture.

What an unbelievable promise! Whatever you set out to do will work out for you. The student and his school work, the mother and her home making, the worker and his job, the employer and his business. This is not an idle promise like the promises you receive in the mail that are not worth the paper they are printed on. This is a promise from the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ, who has all power in heaven and earth. God says, “Trust me, it will happen!”