Psalms

Psalms 112

10 verses · Wisdom · Old Testament

1Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments. 2His offspring will be mighty in the land. The generation of the upright will be blessed. 3Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever. 4Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment. 6For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever. 7He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in Yahweh. 8His heart is established. He will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries. 9He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor. 10The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.

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3 commentators · 13 notes on this chapter

Matthew HenryEnglish Puritan / Nonconformist · 1708–17142

Writes as a pastor rather than a critic. Expect devotional and practical application over historical or linguistic analysis, read through a Reformed covenantal frame — and expect the Old Testament to be read forward toward Christ throughout.

Why this voice is here: The most widely read English commentary for three centuries. Included as a baseline: where Henry and a modern voice diverge, the divergence itself is usually the interesting part.

v. 1–5

The psalmist begins with a call to us to praise God, but immediately applies himself to praise the people of God; for whatever glory is acknowledged to be on them it comes from God, and must return to him; as he is their praise, so they are his. We have…

v. 6–10

In these verses we have, I. The satisfaction of saints, and their stability. It is the happiness of a good man that he shall not be moved for ever, Psa 112:6. Satan and his instruments endeavour to move him, but his foundation is firm and he shall never be…

John GillParticular Baptist / High Calvinist · 1746–176310

The most exhaustive and the most doctrinally committed here. Expect high — even supralapsarian — Calvinism applied consistently, and unusually heavy use of rabbinic and Talmudic sources for Jewish context. Where a passage bears on election or the will, Gill will read it in one direction, and knowing that in advance is the point.

Why this voice is here: The strongest Calvinist reading available in the public domain, and the best on Jewish background. Read alongside Clarke, not instead of him — between them you get both sides of the argument.

v. 1

Praise ye the Lord,.... Or, "hallelujah". This is properly the title of the psalm: Aben Ezra says it is a word of the psalmist; it shows that all that a good man is, has, or does, is from the Lord; and therefore his name is to be praised: and he is not only…

v. 2

His seed shall be mighty upon earth,.... The Targum is, "mighty in the law;'' as Apollos is said to be "mighty in the Scriptures", Acts 18:24. This must be understood of such of them as fear the Lord also, and love him, and delight in his commandments…

v. 3

Wealth and riches shall be in his house,.... In his family; if not possessed by him, yet by his posterity: though rather this signifies spiritual riches, the riches of grace, the unsearchable riches of Christ, durable riches and righteousness; seeing it is…

Keil & DelitzschGerman Lutheran, conservative-critical · 1861–18751

The technical one, and Old Testament only. Expect Hebrew grammar, textual argument, and direct engagement with nineteenth-century critical scholarship — closer to a scholarly apparatus than a devotional read. Where a modern critic claims a text is late or composite, this is where the conservative counter-argument was made.

Why this voice is here: Old Testament only, and heavy going — but the place to look when someone asserts a passage cannot mean what it appears to.

v. 1–10

As in the preceding Psalm. Psa 112:1 here also sets forth the theme of that which follows. What is there said in Psa 112:3 concerning the righteousness of God, Psa 112:3 here says of the righteousness of him who fears God: this also standeth fast for ever, it…

World English Bible — Public domain