Bible Commentaries
Psalms 112

Verse 1

Praise ye the LORD. Blessed [is] the man [that] feareth the LORD, [that] delighteth greatly in his commandments.

Praise ye the Lord — See Psalms 111:1 .

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord — That obediently feareth him as said before, Psalms 111:10 ; that feareth the Lord, as Abraham did, Genesis 22:12 , who is the blessed man here described, say the Jewish doctors (Midrash Tillin in Psalms 112:1-10 ), because he kept the whole law from Aleph to Tau (this psalm also is alphabetical, as the former) with his whole heart, delighting in God’s commandments, and hastening to fulfil them; as when he left his country, circumcised his family, sacrificed his son.

That delighteth greatly in his commandments — And thereby showeth that his fear of God is filial and amicable, not base and servile, which ever carrieth torment along with it; and he that so feareth is not made perfect in love, 1 John 4:18 ; cannot but hate him whom he so feareth, for Quem metuunt oderunt.

Verse 2

His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.

And his seed shall be mighty upon earth — As Abraham’s was, and, besides, the reward of his humility and fear of the Lord was riches and honour, and life, Proverbs 22:4 . For godliness is profitable to all things, having the promises of this life, and of that to come, 1 Timothy 4:8 , as in this psalm is fully set forth.

The generation of the upright, … — Personal goodness is profitable to posterity; and the contrary.

Verse 3

Wealth and riches [shall be] in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.

Wealth and riches — Wealth enough, as the word Hon signifieth, a well contented sufficiency. His "chambers shall be filled with all precious and pleasant riches," Proverbs 24:4 .

His righteousness endureth for ever — He is not the worse for his wealth, nor drawn aside by the deceitfulness of riches, which yet is hard and happy.

Et cum tot Croesos viceris, esse Numam

(Martial).

Verse 4

Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: [he is] gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness — i.e. Joy in tribulation, as did unto the martyrs, plenty in penury, as "having nothing, and yet possessing all things," 2 Corinthians 6:10 . If they have not an external affluence, yet they have an internal influence of grace and comfort, which is far better and sweeter, 1 Timothy 6:6 . Some render the words thus, He who is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous ( i.e. God), causeth light to arise in darkness upon the upright; who also is, according to his measure, and by participation from God, gracious, merciful, and righteous.

Verse 5

good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

A good man showeth favour, and lendeth — A public spirited man, Romans 5:7 , maketh his moderation to be known to all men, Philippians 4:5 , and lendeth, looking for nothing again, Luke 6:35 . Thence it is that to him light ariseth in darkness; the merciful shall have mercy, Matthew 5:7 . Some render it, Bene viro qui miseratur, Well is the man, or, Well will it be with the man, that pitieth and lendeth. The Hebrew hath it, that is pitying and lending, ever in such actions.

He will guide his affairs with discretion — Heb. with judgment; neither illiberal nor prodigal; not withered handed when he should give, nor yet stretching beyond the staple; for that were to spoil all. Tremellius rendereth it, Moderatur res suas, ex officio.

Verse 6

Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.

Surely he shall not be moved for ever — Non mutabit. The world thinketh liberality to be the ready way to beggary; but it is otherwise; Isaiah 32:8 , "The liberal man deviseth liberal things, and by liberal things he shall stand." Not getting, but giving, is the way to wealth.

The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance — Namely, with the righteous. Demetrius hath good report of all good men, and of the truth itself, 3 John 1:12 . As for wicked men, Calumnias eorum nunquam effugit, there is no escaping their cavils and calumnies (Vatab.).

Verse 7

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings — When the miserly miscreant is ready to make away himself, for fear of what evil may follow, this man is undaunted and unappalled. The fear of God so ballasteth his heart, that he floateth steadily; and blow what wind it will, he saileth safe to the port. Fides famem non formidat, Faith feareth no famine, nor anything else; when as a sound of fear is ever in the wicked man’s ears, Job 15:4

His heart is fixed — viz. Upon the promise of God; and hence he hath a spiritual security, a blessed sabbath of spirit; he is freed, if not from the common destruction, yet from the common distraction; for he knoweth whom he hath trusted. Praeclara est aequabilitas in omni vita, et idem semper vultus, eademque frons, saith Cicero. It is a brave thing to have a well composed spirit in all changes, and to look alike, however the world goeth. The heathens tell us that Gaius Laelius was such a one, and Archimedes, and Socrates, who are said to have been far above all fear of, or grief at, any disaster (Aelian. lib. 9). But that could not be, because their hearts were not fixed, trusting in the Lord. And how Socrates (the best of them) staggered and faltered when he came to die, appeareth by his last speech, as it is related both by Plato and Cicero.

Verse 8

His heart [is] established, he shall not be afraid, until he see [his desire] upon his enemies.

His heart is established — Heb. underpropped, shored up.

He shall not be afraid — Of any adverse power, Psalms 3:6 ; Psalms 27:1

Until he see his desire — Which his faith will once work out.

Verse 9

He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.

He hath dispersed — Or, made a scatter, yet with discretion, giving liberally, but most of all where is most need, and with a specialty of respect to the family of faith, Galatians 6:16

His righteousness endureth for ever — The reward of his charity is lasting, or his charity is never at an end, Sic vocat eleemosynas (Aben Ezra); he giveth after that he hath given, as a spring runneth after it hath run, as the sun shineth after it hath shone. See 2 Corinthians 8:4-5

His horn shall be exalted — i.e. His head, as 1 Samuel 2:1 ; 1 Samuel 2:10 .

Verse 10

The wicked shall see [it], and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

The wicked shall see it — Vir improbus et reprobus; the covetous wretch who sat a brood upon his bags, and befooled the bountiful man, shall himself come to beggary, which he so much feared, and be ready to eat his own nails through envy at the other’s prosperity; and because he cannot come at his heart, he feeds upon his own, yea, puts himself into a hell above ground, both for pain of loss and pain of sense, as here.