Children are a blessing of the Lord. This message needs to be proclaimed strongly in our day when self-fulfillment and materialism seem to have drastically changed people's attitude toward children. The prevalence of abortion, child abuse, child neglect, and divorce stand as a terrible indictment of our society and its values. In God's view passing on the heritage of faith is the most important goal of each generation. It is doubtful if many in our society, including many in the church, would list this as the first priority in life.
Many of God's gifts are also a responsibility. God's word is one such gift. Children are another. Children will be a blessing in the long run; in this psalm they defend their father against his foes. But for many years they are, in a sense, a liability. Before they can contribute, they must receive. But this investment in church is the best investment in the future, both for the church and for society.
John F. Brug, Psalms II, People's Bible Commentary (Milwaukee: Northwestern Publishing House, 1989; rpt. St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1992), 2:227, re Psalm 127.
