Psalms 112 · ESV Study Bible

The Righteous Will Never Be Moved

PSALM 112 [†] [1] h Praise the LORD!

i Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,

who j greatly delights in his commandments!

2[†] His k offspring will be mighty in the land;

l the generation of the upright will be blessed.

3[†] m Wealth and riches are in his house,

and his n righteousness endures forever.

4[†] Light dawns in the darkness o for the upright;

he is gracious, merciful, and p righteous.

5[†] It is well with the man who q deals generously and lends;

who conducts his affairs with justice.

6[†] For the righteous will r never be moved;

s he will be remembered forever.

7 He is not t afraid of bad news;

his u heart is firm, v trusting in the LORD.

8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,

until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.

9[^][†] He has w distributed freely; he has given to the poor;

his righteousness endures forever;

his x horn is exalted in honor.

10[†] The wicked man sees it and is angry;

he y gnashes his teeth and z melts away;

a the desire of the wicked will perish!

PSALM—NOTE ON 112:4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright. As in 97:11 (see note), the image of light is that of God’s guidance; here that guidance makes the right path clear for those who pursue covenant faithfulness (see note on Prov. 4:18–19). he is gracious, merciful, and righteous. “The upright” is plural; now the verse speaks of each one of them. They show the character of the Lord himself (Ps. 111:4; see note on 112:3). Particular aspects of this character include generosity and fair dealing (vv. 5, 9).

PSALM—NOTE ON 112:3 Wealth and riches. See note on Prov. 10:4. his righteousness endures forever. In Ps. 111:3, this referred to God’s righteousness, his moral uprightness and faithfulness to his promises. Now the same expression is used of the faithful: God’s own character is visible in them (cf. 2 Pet. 1:4). The godly, with their character genuinely reflecting God’s image, will dwell forever under God’s love and watchful care.

PSALM—NOTE ON 112:2 offspring. See note on 109:13. The godly person brings blessing to others, particularly to his descendants.

PSALM—NOTE ON 112:10 The wicked man is the person who despises the covenant; here he is probably an Israelite. The desire of such people will not bear fruit; instead it will perish, because the God who made and rules the world delights in those who fear him.

PSALM—NOTE ON 112:5 deals generously and lends. See Prov. 14:21 (and note), 31; 19:17. It is well with such a man because he works for the good of God’s whole community (cf. Prov. 11:25). Cf. also Ps. 112:9.

PSALM—NOTE ON 112:9 Paul quotes from this verse in 2 Cor. 9:9, encouraging the Corinthian Christians to give generously to the collection for poor Jewish Christians in Judea. The psalm shows why they should not fear (because God will honor and care for them); it also shows a lovely community orientation that provides a stark contrast to the ugly selfishness that Paul had to correct in 1 Corinthians. The NT “community” now transcends national and ethnic boundaries, including people of all kinds who believe in Jesus.

PSALM—NOTE ON Psalm 112. This wisdom psalm joins Psalms 1; 37; 49; 73; 127; and 128 (with 34:11–14) in making themes from the Wisdom Literature the topic of prayer, praise, and instruction in worship. Psalm 112 is also a companion to Psalm 111, as seen in the acrostic pattern they both follow and in the links between their wording (see note on Psalm 111). This psalm focuses on the moral character of the faithful, and on the benefits such people bring to themselves and to others.

PSALM—NOTE ON 112:6–8 never be moved. See note on 15:5c; verses 7–8 of Psalm 112 describe his security. be remembered. By the people, just as they remember the Lord’s own wondrous works (111:4), and perhaps by the Lord himself, who remembers his covenant forever (112:6). The righteous is not afraid of bad news, because he fears the Lord (112:1).

PSALM—NOTE ON 112:1 Blessed. See note on 1:1. man. As with 1:1, the Hb. word is masculine, and the psalm uses a particular man as a pattern of godliness, inviting women and children to make the necessary adaptations to their own circumstances (see Introduction to Proverbs: Literary Features, on concreteness). fears the LORD. This links with Ps. 111:10 (see note there) and shows that the two psalms belong together. greatly delights in his commandments. This shows that the “fear” is not craven terror but reverent love (cf. 1:2).