WISDOM FOR RIGHTEOUS RICHES

“WEALTH and RICHES will be in his house, and his RIGHTEOUSNESS endures forever” – Psalm 112:3

As part of the Covenant of Prosperity, God gives WISDOM for RIGHTEOUS RICHES: “Praise the Lord! Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed. WEALTH and RICHES will be in his house, and his RIGHTEOUSNESS endures forever” (Psa.112: 1-3). This Psalm is divided into two sections: the blessings of the righteous (vv.1-4); and their responsibilities (vv.5-10). Righteous Riches belong to those who are willing to not only enjoy the riches, but also embrace responsibilities; those who are willing to show favour; to give of their wealth to take care of the poor – to reach out with their riches.

The Psalmist praised God who brings blessing to those who “delight greatly” in His commands (v.1). His blessings are not only spiritual, but temporal and material: prosperous children (v.2); wealth and riches (v.3). He who created the material world and declared it good is not disinterested in our material prosperity. God blesses with good things: “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow” (Jam.1:17, NASB). Psalm 84:11 says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no GOOD THING will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” God satisfies our “mouth with good things” (Psa.103:5).

Our Lord Jesus Christ spoke of TRUE RICHES: “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the TRUE RICHES?” (Lk.16:11). If there are True Riches, then there must be False Riches! There are uncertain riches: “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (1Tim.6:17). He gives us ALL THINGS RICHLY to ENJOY! We are to never put our trust in riches: “He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will flourish like foliage” (Pro.11:28).

True Riches are Riches of Righteousness: “The blessing of the LORD makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” (Pro.10:22). Abraham the Father of Faith and friend of God was righteous and rich: “VERY RICH in livestock, in silver, and in gold” (Gen.13:2). David, the apex of Israel’s Kingship said: “I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread” (Psa.37:25). Begging for bread is alien to the Covenant of Righteousness. Poverty is not piety; and prosperity need not erode righteousness. Riches can co-exist with righteousness.

In reality, not everyone who is blessed by God will be materially rich to overflowing measures. Although God is not against us having things, “one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Lk.12:21). There are faithful believers among the poor and vulnerable, and there are the wicked among the rich and the comfortable! A closer reading of Psalm 112 suggests at least three things that pertain to righteous riches:

First, wealth should be gained honestly, without exploiting the poor (Jam.5:4). For example, the practice of lending money to the poor, with interest for profit, though integral to capitalism, ran contrary to the Old Testament: (Exo.22:25; Dt.23:20). 

Secondly, we must not trust in riches. Though wealth provides some security, it has no guarantee against sudden loss in a stock market crash, relationships going wrong, ill health or the inevitability of death. The wealthy are not immune from times of darkness (v.4) or to bad news (v.7). But hearts that are steadfast in trusting God will not be shaken by adversity (vv. 6-7).

Thirdly, we are to share what we have received with the needy (v.9; 1Jh.3:17). The Lord calls us to pray not just for the things we personally might need but for ‘OUR’ daily bread (Lk.11:3). God blesses us with riches through righteous means. He makes us rich to reach out – as extensions of His Hand – to the needy.