Psalms 112:3

Wealth and riches shall be in his house.

Prosperity and its qualifications

I. What is prosperity? To be prosperous is to have that which will promote the well-being of man’s whole nature and which has that end secured. Material, moral, and intellectual wealth and its results.

II. What is calculated to produce it? The psalmist, our Lord, and St. Paul are at one as to the qualification. “Righteousness”--the harmony of a man’s whole nature with the will of God.

1. When that is the case, a man is moderate, temperate, observant of natural laws, and (supposing of course no constitutional ailment) therefore healthy.

2. He holds in check the feverish desire to succeed, and thus godliness with contentment becomes great gain.

3. He holds those passions in check which cloud the understanding and impair the vision.

4. He respects the rights of others. Hence, those whose rights you respect, will respect yours.

5. He will be frugal of his time, his money, etc., in recognition of God’s claims upon both, and, as God’s steward, will put them out to usury, and strive to be prosperous, that he may advance God’s interests in the world.

III. What objections can be urged against all this?

1. That the righteous are not better off than others. But

(1) Do those who are called righteous answer to the law of righteousness in its entirety?

(2) Without controversy it is all true respecting communities. All history proves that they prosper in proportion to their righteousness.

(3) It is so by the common consent of the world. How often do we hear the expression that such an one is “worth his weight in gold.”

2. That men prosper who violate the laws of righteousness. But

(1) Are these men prosperous?

(2) Supposing them to have all that heart could wish, “what shall it profit a man?” etc.

(3) Supposing it true of an individual, when was it ever true of a nation? (J. W. Burn.)

Treasure in the house

The treasures in the house of the righteous--i.e, in the Christian home--though very great, are not duly appreciated, even by those who possess them. I heard a good man say once, as we passed the home of a millionaire, “It, doesn’t seem right that such a man as he is should be rolling in wealth, while I have to work hard for my daily bread.” I made no reply. But when we reached the home of the grumbler, and a troop of rosy children ran out to meet us, I caught one in my arms, and, holding him up, said, “John, how much will you take for this boy?” And he answered, while the moisture gathered in his eyes, “That boy, my namesake! I wouldn’t sell him for his weight in gold.” “Why, John, he weighs forty pounds at least, and forty pounds of gold would make you many times a millionaire. And you would probably ask as much for each of the others. So, according to your own admission, you are immensely rich. Yes, a great deal richer than that cold, selfish, childless millionaire whom you were envying as we came along. Nothing would tempt you to change places with him. Then you ought to be grateful instead of grumbling. You are the favourite of fortune, or, rather, of Providence, and not he.” (H. W. Beecher.)