Psalms 112

Psalms 112:1-10

Psalms 112ANOTHER alphabetical psalm of precisely the same character, coinciding with the one before it, even in the number of verses, and the number of clauses in each verse. This formal agreement shews the intimate connection of the two compositions, and makes it highly probable that they belong not only to the same age but to the same author, and were meant to form parts of one continued series or system. This psalm begins precisely where the one before it ends, i.e. with the happiness arising from the fear of Gods Psalms 112:1, the blessed effects of which are then recounted under several particulars, Psalms 112:2-9, and finally contrasted with the fate of the ungodly, Psalms 112:10.

1. (Psalms 112:1) Happy the man fearing Jehovah, in his commandments delighting greatly. There is here not only an obvious connection with the close of the preceding psalm, but an obvious advance upon it or progression of ideas. As the fear of the Lord is there declared to be the principle of all true wisdom, so here it is declared to be the source of all true happiness. The second clause defines the meaning of the first, by showing that the fear there mentioned is a fear consistent with, or rather necessarily involving, a complacent acquiescence in God’s will, thus entirely excluding a mere slavish dread, which is incompatible with such a disposition.

2. (Psalms 112:2) Mighty in the earth shall be his seed; the race of the upright shall be blessed. The first phrase is borrowed from Genesis 10:8, and would at once suggest to every Hebrew reader the idea of a mighty man like Nimrod and the other ancient heroes. Now a promise of personal heroism is perhaps without analogy, especially as given to the son, to the exclusion of the father. This anomaly can be avoided only by assuming, what is probable enough in itself, that the ideal person here described represents the chosen people, the upright of the other clause, each successive generation of whom might be expected to excel its predecessors in heroic eminence.

3. (Psalms 112:3) Wealth and riches (are) in his house, and his righteousness endureth forever. Not only in his dwelling but in his family, so that his wealth or prosperity might have been said to endure for ever as well as his righteousness, i.e. his recognition and reception as a righteous person, his justification. Endureth, literally (is) standing, the same expression that is used in Psalms 111:3 of God himself. There is also an analogy, at least in form, between the majesty and honour of the righteous God and the wealth and riches of the righteous man.

4. (Psalms 112:4) There arises in the darkness light to the upright— kind, and compassionate, and righteous. The figure in the first clause is a natural and common one, denoting relief from deep distress. See above, on Psalm. 1o6. In the last clause we have another instance of the singular way in which terms applied to God in the preceding psalm are copied and applied to man in this. The first two epithets in this clause are employed above in Ps. 111:4. The principle involved may be the same as in Luke 6:36. “Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” Compare Matt. 5:48.

To these two epithets is added that of righteous, in the wide sense including both the others. The construction of the sentence is unusual and doubtful; but most probably the second clause sustains the same relation to the other, as in ver. 1; that is to say, it limits and defines the general description upright, by confining it to such as have the qualities expressed by the three adjectives that follow. The alternation of the numbers is familiar where the singular denotes an ideal individual including many real ones.

5. (Psalms 112:5) Happy the man shelving favour and lending; he shall sustain his affairs by justice. The first word in Hebrew, which means good, is here descrip- tive not of character but of condition, and denotes good fortune. It is used in the same sense by Isaiah (Isaiah 3:10) and Jeremiah (Jeremiah 44:17). The common version (a good man) is forbidden by the Hebrew collocation. Lending, not as a financial or commercial operation, but as an act of charity, lending to the poor. The verb in the last clause strictly means to provide for or sustain, especially with food.

It is here applied to the control and management of all one’s interests. Affairs, literally words, but in the wider sense of that which words denote, namely things, affairs, in which sense it is sometimes applied to causes or suits at law. The last word is commonly translated judgment, not in the sense of discretion, given in the English versions, but in that of practical justice, righteous conduct. He shall best secure his own interests by treating those of others justly and generously.

6. (Psalms 112:6) For to eternity he shall not lie moved ; to the memory of eternity he shall be righteous. The for assigns the reason for his being pronounced happy. Moved, i. e. from his prosperous condition, or from his position as a righteous man. The construction of the last clause in the English versions (the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance) is grammatical, and yields a good sense; but the latest interpreters prefer another, which makes to everlasting remembrance mean the same as to eternity. As long as he shall be remembered, he shall be remembered as a righteous man. This construction has the advantage of making the parallelism more exact.

7. (Psalms 112:7) From evil tidings he shall not fear; fixed is his heart, trusting in Jehovah. The first Hebrew noun is in the singular number, and is properly a participle passive meaning heard, used absolutely as a noun denoting what is heard, a rumour or report, news or tidings. The common version (he shall not be afraid of evil tidings) seems to confine the negation to the mere apprehension or anticipation of bad news, whereas the original expression comprehends, and indeed more properly denotes, being frightened when the evil tidings are heard. A fixed heart is the negation both of fickleness and cowardice. See above, on Psalms 51:10; Psalms 57:7; Psalms 108:1. Instead of the active participle trusting, the Hebrew has the passive trusted, analogous to that in Psalms 103:14.

8. (Psalms 112:8) Settled (is) his heart, he shall not fear, until he look upon his foes (with triumph). The first word is another expression borrowed from the foregoing psalm, but applied in a manner altogether different. See Psalms 111:8, where the plural of the same participle is applied to God’s commandments. The construction in the last clause is the idiomatic one of the verb see with the preposition in, which usually means to see with strong emotion, and especially with joy or triumph. See above, on Psalms 50:23; Psalms 54:7. Until does not imply that he shall then fear, but that there will then be no occasion so to do. See above, on Psalms 110:1.

9. (Psalms 112:9) He has scattered, he has given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever, his horn shall be high with honour. The first verb denotes profuse munificence, as in Prov. 11. This is alleged not as the cause but the effect, and therefore as the evidence of his being righteous. The next clause is the same as the last of Psa 112:3. With the last clause compare Psalms 75:4; Psalms 89:17.

10. (Psalms 112:10) The wicked shall see and fret; his teeth he shall gnash, and shall melt away; the desire of the wicked shall perish. He shall see, but not with triumph or delight, like the righteous in Psalms 112:8. The word translated fret means both to grieve and be angry, and has no exact equivalent in English. See above, on Psalms 6:7; Psalms 10:14; Psalms 31:9. Gnash with his teeth, a strong expression of impotent malignity. See above, on Psalms 35:16; Psalms 37:12. Melt away, literally be melted, i.e. waste or decay. See above, on Psalms 22:14; Psalms 68:2. The desire of the wicked is his wish to see the righteous perish. Compare Proverbs 10:24; Proverbs 10:28, Job 8:13, and the contrary promise to the humble, Psalms 9:18.