The Heritage of Those Who Fear Your Name

There are certain passages of Scripture that never fail to bring to mind particular individuals. Psalm 94:19 always reminds me of an older woman who shared with me how precious that verse became to her after the tragic death of her granddaughter. When I read Psalm 40, I think of a teenager at church, who at her baptism spoke of how impactful it had been to her during dark times, and of her mother, who pointed us both to it in times of distress. Psalm 16 never fails to bring a chuckle as I recall my grandmother, speaking of verse 11 and “at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore”, and her delight in finding at that opportune moment chocolate chip cookies near to her right hand. “It’s true! It’s true! Pleasures for evermore!” I can still hear her say.

That same grandmother also comes to mind when I read Psalm 61:5: “You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.” Heritage is an interesting word. It carries with it the weight of prior generations, a line reaching back through time and extending to ancestors far beyond our personal knowledge. There’s a fullness and richness of culture and tradition conveyed in that word, a depth that speaks to and informs our very identity.

Anyone who comes to Christ has been given the heritage of those who fear His name. We can look back into church history, whether 20, 200, 2,000, or 4,000 years, and see that heritage written in the annals of history. We can trace that heritage as far back through time as we have records, and see glimpses of it being carried forward into the future in ourselves and in our children. How sweet it is to doubly possess that heritage, to be connected in such a way to biological family as well.

My grandmother turned 99 last weekend, and likely will not see another birthday this side of heaven. As I’ve reflected on the life she’s lived and the impact she has had, not only on me but on so many others whose paths she crossed even briefly, it seems apparent the way I can honor her best is to do what I can to pass on to my children the heritage of those who fear the name of the Lord. Our thoughts and words are turned more obviously towards the blessings we’ve been given in this time of year, with Thanksgiving literally right around the corner; this heritage and the grandmother with whom I share it are high on the list of the things for which I’m thankful.