THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE LORD

My intention is to write about psalm 111 today. But first I thought I would take a paragraph or two and tell you about a sad event that happened in our household a little over a month ago. Schroeder, our Miniature Schnauzer, became very ill and died at the end of September. He was a companion, a friend, a great listener, and a terrific comic. When I said our dog I really meant Pam’s dog that tolerated me. If you spent any time at all with Pam, it was not very long before you were hearing the latest Schroeder tale. When I came home in the evening Pam would regale me with all the trouble Schroeder had gotten himself into and then add, “But he was so cute doing it!” He went wherever Pam went in the house, but never got himself underfoot. When Pam was at choir rehearsal, Schroeder would wait for her to return in her chair. Each time he heard a car go by the house, he would lift up his head and listen intently for the car to stop and the door to open. When it finally happened, he would rush to the door and greet her as if she had been gone for days. When Pam died, the two of us grieved together. He would sit in her chair and eagerly wait for her return, lifting his head with each passing car, and when a car door closed he ran to the door and eagerly waited for her to open it. The thing is, even with the passage of time since Pam died, he would still wait in her chair, listening, waiting for the car to stop, hoping to greet her at the door.

Psalm 111 is one of my favorites. It tells of God’s tender care for us. Great are His works, studied by those who delight in them. They are splendid and majestic.  His righteousness endures forever. He has made His wonders to be remembered. He is gracious and compassionate. He has given food to those who fear Him. He will remember His covenant forever. He has made known to His people the power of His works, in giving them the heritage of the nations. The work of His hands are truth and justice and all His precepts are sure. They are upheld forever and ever and are performed in truth and uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people. He has ordained His covenant forever; Holy and awesome is His name. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever.

When I was much younger I had a tough time trying to figure out why we needed to be afraid of God. When I finally decided to ask my dad why, he told me that I should change the word ‘fear’ to ‘knowledge.’ It made all the difference in the world to me. If we know God and His precepts and follow them, this truly is ‘the beginning of wisdom.’