The fountain of holy living!
(Charles Spurgeon, "Treasury of David")
"Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walk in His ways." Psalm 128:1
"Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord."
The fear of God is the cornerstone of all blessedness.
We must reverence the ever-blessed God, before we can be blessed ourselves.
This is true of every one of the God-fearing, of all conditions, in all ages-each one and every one is blessed. Their blessedness may not always be seen by carnal reason, but it is always a fact, for God Himself declares that it is so. We know that those whom He blesses, are blessed indeed.
Let us cultivate that holy filial fear of Jehovah which is the essence of all true religion-the fear . . .
of reverencing God,
of dread to offend Him,
of concern to please Him, and
of entire submission and obedience to Him.
This fear of the Lord is the fountain of holy living. We look in vain for holiness apart from it.
None but those who fear the Lord, will ever walk in His holy ways.
"Who walk in His ways."
The pious life which God declares to be blessed, must be practical. It is idle to talk of fearing the Lord, if we act like those who have no care whether there is a God or not. God's ways will be our ways, if we have a sincere reverence for Him. If the heart is truly joined unto God, the feet will follow hard after Him.
A man's heart will be seen in his walk, and the blessing will come where heart and walk are both with God.