33 He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground, 34 and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there. 35 He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs; 36 there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle. 37 They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest; 38 he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish. 39 Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow; 40 he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste. 41 But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks. 42 The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths. 43 Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.

The great beauty of the love of God is demonstrated in this Psalm. God wants what is best for his own. He wants to bless them and take care of them and yet in his holiness he cannot continue to bless those who fail to revere him by their disobedience. We today are promised that God still wants what is best for us and wants to provide all our needs and bless us abundantly. But he is still the same God who is bound by his holiness and his justice. He will not bless those who refuse to submit to him and to his will.

However, we must not make the same mistake that Job’s friends made in their accusations to him. They believed that if we enjoy good health and are prosperous financially it means that God is pleased with us and is blessing us because he is pleased. On the other hand, when we become sick or have a grave accident or face financial reverses or have other problems they would conclude that we obviously are not pleasing God in our lives and he therefore is punishing us. This direct correlation is not biblical. God may choose to bless whom he wishes and allow affliction on whom he wishes. What we do know is that God will provide our every need, physically, materially, emotionally and best of all, spiritually. This does not mean we get our every wish or want but every real need. Remember, God knows best.

O God, please increase my faith in you and in your providence. Open my heart to your will and to your love. Help me to always be reverent to you and to keep your name holy on my lips and in my heart. Please use me to help others as you give me opportunity. Forgive my foolish heart when I take my eyes off of Jesus and the things above. Forgive my stubborn heart. Thank you for the abundant blessings in my life. I pray in the name of Jesus.

May God bless each of us as we submit to his will in reverence.