Unknown
Psalm 112
Unknown
Scripture (KJV)
1Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
2His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
3Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
4Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
5A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
6Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
7He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
8His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
9He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
10The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
Summary
Psalm 112 is an acrostic wisdom psalm that mirrors Psalm 111 in form and theme, tracing the blessings of the person who fears the Lord and delights greatly in His commandments. Such a person’s seed is mighty on earth, and wealth and riches are in his house, but the deepest blessing is that his righteousness endures forever. Light arises for the upright in darkness; the good man is gracious, compassionate, and righteous, lending and guiding his affairs with discretion. He is not moved forever, is held in everlasting remembrance, and is unafraid of evil tidings because his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
The psalm also portrays the righteous person as generous—dispersed, giving to the poor—with the promise that his horn will be exalted with honor. By contrast, the wicked see it and are grieved, gnashing their teeth and melting away; the desire of the wicked perishes. The major themes are the fear of the Lord, blessing, generosity, steadfastness, and righteousness. Practically, the psalm shows that reverence and delight in God’s Word produce a settled, generous, fearless life. The great lesson is that a fixed heart trusting in the Lord is not afraid of evil tidings.
Key Themes
A Prayer from Psalm 112
Praise the Lord! Make me a man or woman who fears You and delights greatly in Your commandments. Let my seed be mighty upon earth and the generation of the upright be blessed. Let my righteousness endure forever, and arise light in my darkness, for You are gracious, full of compassion, and righteous. Make me gracious and compassionate, guiding my affairs with discretion. Establish my heart, fixed and trusting in You, that I may not be moved or afraid of evil tidings. Help me to disperse and give to the poor, that my righteousness may endure forever and my horn be exalted with honor. Let not the desire of the wicked prosper against me, but let me see my desire upon my enemies in Your time. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Reflection Questions
- 1What does it look like to “delight greatly” in God’s commandments today?
- 2How can a fixed heart trusting in the Lord keep me from fearing evil tidings?
- 3Where is God calling me to disperse and give to the poor?
- 4How does the fear of the Lord produce generosity rather than greed?
Related Psalms
Psalm 111
“Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.”
Psalm 111 is an acrostic hymn of praise that extols the works of the Lord as great, honorable, glorious, and eternal.
Read morePsalm 1
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Two paths, two destinies: the righteous rooted like a tree by streams, the wicked blown away like chaff.
Read morePsalm 37
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.”
Trust, delight, and wait; the meek inherit the land.
Read morePsalm 128
“Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.”
Psalm 128 continues the Songs of Ascents and builds on the themes of Psalm 127.
Read morePsalm 1
“Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
Two paths, two destinies: the righteous rooted like a tree by streams, the wicked blown away like chaff.
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