A New Song For Old People

I've mentioned my Grandpa Henry before. He was a pious farmer who taught me when I was a small boy. He taught me to believe in Jesus and the resurrection from the dead. I have vivid memories of him teaching me the beloved hymn Abide With Me as I sat next to him on his bed. He later died from cancer. Each time I join in the singing of that hymn that memory floods back. And, now that I'm a Grandpa, his example encourages me to follow his wise example.

Listen to the psalmist.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! - Psa 111:10 ESV

 In my last post we were reminded that Jesus is God's wisdom (1 Cor. 1:17-30). The wise man loves Jesus because he knows that in Jesus God loves and forgives us and gives to us life in abundance. So abundant is that life that we can never die (John 11:25). This faith is included in the psalmist's phrase the fear of the LORD.


That phrase is an interesting Biblical way of speaking about faith. We find it everywhere in the Psalms. Some additional examples:

Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. - Psa 34:11 ESV 

You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you offspring of Jacob, glorify him, and stand in awe of him, all you offspring of Israel! - Psa 22:23 ESV 

The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant. - Psa 25:14 ESV 

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. - Psa 40:3 ESV

The Hebrew word for fear is yareh. As you can see from the examples above it means much more than being afraid. It means to stand in awe of, to reverence and honor. The believer in Jesus knows about this. The story of Peter when his boat was filled with fish illustrates it.

And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord." For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. - Luk 5:6-11 ESV

Peter was awed by the gracious and undeserving gift from Jesus as represented by the huge catch of fish. Why would Jesus give this to him, especially since he was a sinful man? Notice the astonishment and fear that fell upon all the fishermen. But they were to move beyond that. Jesus was calling them to follow Him. And so they did. In terms of what we are speaking about they moved from fear to a life of wisdom. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom."

And so we come to my point about us seniors who have attained a certain amount of wisdom that grows out of the fear of the LORD. We may find purpose and meaning to these final years by seizing the opportunities to do what the psalm encourages: 

Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. - Psa 34:11 ESV

Our lives can become the way by which we teach our children the fear of the LORD. You don't need to be a trained teacher. My Grandpa Henry certainly was not. Yet by his example, with his words and prayers he taught me at an early age the meaning of the fear of the LORD, a lesson I have never forgotten. Piety, prayers, our manner of life, how we spend our money, what we say and do to give encouragement—all this and more becomes our way of leading our children to fear the LORD. And note, by children I refer not only to our families, but to all who are younger than we are and who are
not as far down the path of wisdom as we may be.

To assist us in this gracious task the LORD has given us the books of wisdom in the Scriptures. Meditate and ponder Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and the Song of Solomon. There we find much to guide us as we join all of God's wise people in the great and joyous task of making disciples of Jesus. Even in your good old age you too will be able to join the psalmist as he says,

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. - Psa 40:3 ESV