Psalms 112

1 Alleluia. Blessed is the man that dreadeth the Lord; he shall delight full much in his commandments. (Alleluia. Happy is the person who feareth the Lord/who hath reverence for the Lord; he shall take great delight, or joy, in his commandments.)

2 His seed shall be mighty in [the] earth; the generation of rightful men shall be blessed. (His children shall be mighty in the earth; the descendants of good people shall be blessed/the generations of the upright shall be blessed.)

3 Glory and riches be in his house; and his rightfulness dwelleth into the world of world. (There shall be glory and riches in his house; and his righteousness remaineth forever and ever.)

4 Light is risen up in darknesses to rightful men; the Lord is merciful in will, and a merciful doer, and rightful. (Light riseth up in the darkness for the upright; the Lord is merciful in will, a giver of mercy, and fair to all.)

5 The man is merry, that doeth mercy, and lendeth; he disposeth his words in doom; (Happy is the person who giveth favour when he lendeth; he disposeth his deeds with justice, or with good judgement;)

6 for he shall not be moved [into] without end. A just man shall be in everlasting mind; (and nothing shall shake him. A good person's deeds shall always be remembered;)

7 he shall not dread of an evil hearing. His heart is ready for to hope in the Lord; (he shall not fear to hear bad news. His heart is always ready to trust in the Lord;)

8 his heart is confirmed, he shall not be moved, till he despise his enemies. (his heart is firm, he shall not be moved, and he shall gloat over his enemies./his heart is steadfast, he shall not be shaken, and he shall see his enemies defeated.)

9 He spreaded abroad, he gave to poor men; his rightwiseness dwelleth into the world of world; his horn shall be raised in glory. (He spreadeth abroad much money, yea, he giveth to the poor; his righteousness remaineth forever and ever, his horn shall be raised up in glory.)

10 A sinner shall see (it), and shall be wroth; he shall gnash with his teeth, and shall fail, either shall wax rotten; the desire of sinners shall perish.

Psalms 112 Commentary

Chapter 112

The blessedness of the righteous.

- We have to praise the Lord that there are a people in the world, who fear him and serve him, and that they are a happy people; which is owing entirely to his grace. Their fear is not that which love casts out, but that which love brings in. It follows and flows from love. It is a fear to offend. This is both fear and trust. The heart touched by the Spirit of God, as the needle touched with the loadstone, turns direct and speedily to God, yet still with trembling, being filled with this holy fear. Blessings are laid up for the faithful and their children's children; and true riches are bestowed on them, with as much of this world's possessions as is profitable for them. In the darkest hours of affliction and trial, the light of hope and peace will spring up within them, and seasonable relief shall turn mourning into joy. From their Lord's example they learn to be kind and full of compassion, as well as just in all their dealings; they use discretion, that they may be liberal in that manner which appears most likely to do good. Envy and slander may for a time hide their true characters here, but they shall be had in everlasting remembrance. They need not fear evil tidings. A good man shall have a settled spirit. And it is the endeavour of true believers to keep their minds stayed upon God, and so to keep them calm and undisturbed; and God has promised them both cause to do so, and grace to do so. Trusting in the Lord is the best and surest way of establishing the heart. The heart of man cannot fix any where with satisfaction, but in the truth of God, and there it finds firm footing. And those whose hearts are established by faith, will patiently wait till they gain their point. Compare all this with the vexation of sinners. The happiness of the saints is the envy of the wicked. The desire of the wicked shall perish; their desire was wholly to the world and the flesh, therefore when these perish, their joy is gone. But the blessings of the gospel are spiritual and eternal, and are conferred upon the members of the Christian church, through Christ their Head, who is the Pattern of all righteousness, and the Giver of all grace.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 112

This psalm, also, very probably, was written by David, and is composed as the former, in an alphabetical order. The inscription of it in the Syriac version is,

``When David in it commanded Solomon his son, saying, Keep the commandments of, the Lord, and worship him: likewise the calling of the Gentiles and the righteousness of Christ.''

The subject matter of the psalm are the character, conduct, usefulness, and happiness of a good man.