Let no one conclude that the obedience to which God's Word calls is merely earthly and not spiritual. The blessings promised are of a spiritual nature, not carnal. For if you are willing to listen to me, you shall reap the good fruits of the earth (Isaiah 1:19), or indeed those good things, as He who claims to be the Good Shepherd proclaims (John 10:11). You will enjoy the abundance of the earth and the richness of your soul.
Thus, to understand the blessings promised to the soul, we must look beyond material wealth, physical wellness, and worldly accolades—traits that even philosophers deem indifferent, neither good nor evil and subject to change based on the individual’s character. Rather, we must heed what God commands: turn from evil and do good (Psalm 36:27). If truthfulness and virtue embody the true wealth of the soul, then evil must not be interpreted as poverty, physical frailty, or ignorance, but rather the vices that are genuinely harmful.
Abraham was not blessed due to his riches, but because he used what he had for righteous purpose (Genesis 13). Likewise, Lazarus, who found rest in Abraham’s embrace, did not suffer misfortune merely due to his poverty and sickness, but through what the world deemed evil, he attained true blessings. The rich man adorned in splendid attire enjoyed his fortune in life, which was deemed good by those who observed it; however, it is noted that Lazarus did not simply 'receive evil in life,' but rather, the trials he faced seemed evil only to those around him (Luke 16).
The righteous Job serves as a testament to both extremes; he was neither defeated by earthly prosperity nor distress but bore all with unwavering strength (Job 2). For this reason, Solomon implores God, 'Give me neither riches nor vanity. Instead, provide me with just enough sustenance to remain honest and satisfied, lest I become complacent and deny you, or in my poverty resort to dishonesty and misusing your name' (Proverbs 30:8-9). If he requests neither wealth nor neediness, but only what is essential for life, it mirrors what the Apostle expresses: 'If we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content' (1 Timothy 6:8). Thus, it is evident that riches and poverty, health and affliction, joy and suffering, are not inherently good or evil but are perceived as such based on those who experience them.
Consequently, the Lord does not promise the soul an abundance of material wealth, sumptuous meals, physical opulence, or worldly pleasures, but instead entices us to seek divine joy, saying, 'Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will grant you the desires of your heart' (Psalm 36:4), and elsewhere: 'I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living' (Psalm 26:13). Thus it is said: 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name, who satisfies you with good' (Psalm 102:1-5). Ultimately, we are reminded: 'Listen, and your soul shall live.' The promise of all goodness culminates in eternal life. If you heed Him, your soul shall dwell in everlasting peace, and I will grant you a perpetual covenant, the steadfast mercies of David.
Of these, the Psalmist declares: 'I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever; to all generations I will make known Your faithfulness' (Psalm 88:1). To clarify what these mercies entail, he elaborates: 'I have made a covenant with My chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: His offspring shall endure forever, and his throne as the sun before me; as the moon is established forever, a faithful witness in the heavens' (Psalm 88:36-38).
Therefore, he is termed faithful for having fulfilled His promises. The Septuagint refers to a holy faithfulness of David, emphasizing strength and steadfastness: 'Faithful are all His commandments, established forever' (Psalm 110:8), and another scripture reminds us that 'God is faithful, and there is no injustice in Him' (Deuteronomy 32:4). The Apostle Paul affirms: 'If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself' (2 Timothy 2:13), and in another instance, he writes to Timothy: 'The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance' (1 Timothy 1:15).
This covenant, promised by the Lord, will not be fleeting or momentary as it was with the people of old, but will endure eternally, preparing the way for the true David, so that in the Gospel, God's promise may be realized: 'I have found David, My servant; with My holy oil, I have anointed him' (Psalm 88:21), declaring that He has appointed him over the sea and placed his hand upon the rivers. As Ezekiel proclaimed many centuries after David's demise, He called him His servant and shepherd, saying, 'I will set up one shepherd over them, My servant David' (Ezekiel 34:23).
THEOSIS