Psalm 112:7

This verse describes the inner stability of a person whose life is rooted in God. "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings" -- bad news, the kind that arrives unexpectedly and throws people into panic. Everyone faces evil tidings: a frightening diagnosis, financial loss, threatening circumstances. The remarkable claim here is not that such news never comes, but that it does not have to produce fear.

The reason is given: "his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD." A "fixed" heart is one that is settled, established, anchored -- not tossed about by every alarming report. And what fixes it is trust in the LORD. This is the secret of steadiness in a frightening world. The person described in Psalm 112 fears God and delights in His commandments, and that reverence has produced a deep-rooted confidence that holds firm when bad news strikes. The fixed heart is not the result of pretending everything is fine; it is the result of having something steady to stand on -- the character and faithfulness of God. Such a person can hear hard news without crumbling because their security does not rest on circumstances. The verse holds out this settled heart as something available to anyone whose trust is firmly placed in the LORD.