David wrote this psalm, after he had grown old (v.25), in much the same way his son Solomon wrote his Proverbs: by contrasting the righteous, good, blameless and upright with wickedness and evil transgressors. The emphasis on the blessings of righteousness is greater than the emphasis on the punishment of evil. Here are a few of the lessons I gleaned from the passages:

1. The righteous person does in fact lend, dispelling the idea that bankers and those with money are evil. To the poor who cannot repay he does not lend; rather, he gives with no obligation to repay. Lending, like giving, is to be gracious and sufficient to cover the need (see Deut. 15:8). Not repaying when you have the ability to do so is wicked. I’ve been on the receiving end of anonymous gifts before. It’s very humbling but at the same time frustrating not knowing whom to repay. I’ve found that the best solution is to pass the repayment on to some other needy person.

2. When the Lord is directing your way, you will still stumble and fall at times. However, you will not be hurled headlong (you won’t fall on your face and be disgraced). There but by the grace of God go I. You will be hungry from time to time, and that is not necessarily a bad thing, but you and your family will not end up begging for bread.

3. Even with the Lord in charge of your life, you must act. You have to depart from evil; it will not depart from you. You have to seek peace; it does not come naturally. You have to love justice, not tolerate injustice. You have to wait for the Lord’s timing, not your own. You have to keep His way and take refuge in Him.

4. The Lord does not ever forsake His godly ones or their families. His blessings are not temporary but eternal. As a family person, I consider this to be one of the greatest promises in the Bible.