King James Version
Psalms 112
10 verses with commentary
Blessed Is the Man Who Fears the Lord
Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments. Praise: Heb. Hallelujah
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
The psalm begins with a beatitude: 'Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD.' 'Blessed' (Hebrew 'ashrei') indicates deep happiness, security, and divine favor. This blessedness is predicated on 'feareth the LORD' - reverent awe and worship of God (echoing Psalm 111:10). The second clause expands this: 'that delighteth greatly in his commandments.' 'Delighteth' (chafetz) means to take pleasure in,...
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
**7. secret place--**the cloud from which He troubled the Egyptians (Ex 14:24).
**proved thee--**(Psa 7:10; 17:3)--tested their faith by the miracle.
His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>His seed shall be mighty upon earth</strong> (זַרְעוֹ יִהְיֶה גִבּוֹר בָּאָרֶץ)—<em>Zera</em> (seed, offspring, descendants) promises generational blessing flowing from personal godliness. <em>Gibbor</em> (mighty, strong, valiant) suggests not merely numerous descendants but influential, empowered ones. This echoes Abrahamic covenant promises (Genesis 12:2, 22:17) and Deuteronomic blessing...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(2) **Mighty**.—In the sense of *wealthy, *as in Ruth 2:1.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
8. (Compare Psa 50:7). The reproof follows to Psa 81:12.
**if thou wilt hearken--**He then propounds the terms of His covenant: they should worship Him alone, who (Psa 81:10) had delivered them, and would still confer all needed blessings.
Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>Wealth and riches shall be in his house</strong> (הוֹן־וָעֹשֶׁר בְּבֵיתוֹ)—<em>Hon</em> (wealth, substance) and <em>osher</em> (riches) are near-synonyms emphasizing material prosperity. <em>Beito</em> (in his house) suggests household flourishing—economic stability providing for family needs. This reflects Deuteronomic covenant blessings (Deuteronomy 28:1-14) but must be read within wisdo...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(3) **His righteousness endureth for ever.**—The parallelism in Psalm 112:9, where the same clause is repeated, seems to require for righteousness the limited sense which the Talmud gives the word—viz., *liberality *or *beneficence. *See also Daniel 4:27, in the LXX. Still the saying is true in its widest sense. “There is nothing, no, nothing, innocent or good, that dies or is forgotten; let us ho...
Read full commentary →Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
View commentary (2 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
This verse offers hope in darkness: 'Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness.' 'The upright' refers to those characterized by moral integrity and covenant faithfulness described in verse 1. 'Light' symbolizes deliverance, understanding, guidance, and hope. 'In the darkness' represents trouble, confusion, suffering, or adversity. The promise is that light 'ariseth' - appears, dawns - e...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(4) **Ariseth . . .**—The Hebrew verb is commonly used of the sunrise. (Comp. Psalm 97:11; Isaiah 58:8.) For the good man the darkest night of trouble and sorrow will have a dawn of hope.
**He is gracious . . .**—The Authorised Version is right in making this a description of the upright man’s character. The construction certainly at first appears strange, since “the upright” is in the plural, whi...
Read full commentary →A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion. discretion: Heb. judgment
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth</strong> (טוֹב־אִישׁ חוֹנֵן וּמַלְוֶה)—<em>Tov ish</em> (good man) describes moral character, one who embodies covenant faithfulness. <em>Chonen</em> (showing favor, being gracious) means extending kindness especially to those in need, echoing God's own graciousness (v.4 of Psalm 111). <em>Malveh</em> (lending) refers to interest-free loans commanded ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(5) **A good man.**—Rather, *happy is the man who gives and lends, *good being here not used in a moral sense, but meaning *prosperous.*
**He will guide . . .**—Rather, *he will gain his cause: in *(*the*)* judgment. *So apparently the LXX. and Vulg. Others, “he will sustain his affairs by justice.” The verb primarily means “to measure,” but in the conjugation here used has the sense of “sustains....
Read full commentary →Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
11-12. They failed, and He gave them up to their own desires and hardness of heart (De 29:18; Pr 1:30; Ro 11:25).
Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
This verse emphasizes stability and perpetual remembrance: 'Surely he shall not be moved for ever.' 'Moved' (mot) means shaken, disturbed, or overthrown. The promise of never being moved contrasts with the instability of the wicked. 'For ever' indicates eternal duration. This doesn't promise absence of trial but ultimate security - nothing can fundamentally overthrow the righteous person's standin...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(6) See Psalm 15:5; Proverbs 10:7.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
11-12. They failed, and He gave them up to their own desires and hardness of heart (De 29:18; Pr 1:30; Ro 11:25).
He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
This verse addresses fear and faith: 'He shall not be afraid of evil tidings.' 'Evil tidings' (shemu'ah ra'ah) means bad news, reports of danger, or threatening circumstances. The promise isn't absence of evil news but absence of paralyzing fear in response to it. The second clause explains the source of this courage: 'his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.' 'Fixed' (nakown) means established, ...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(7) The story of Job, when the messengers of ill succeeded one another so fast, is an illustration of the truth of this verse. “A good conscience before God” is the best “armour against fate.”
“Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful.”—
SHAKESPERE: *Measure for Measure.*
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
13-16. Obedience would have secured all promised blessings and the subjection of foes. In this passage, "should have," "would have," &c., are better, "should" and "would" expressing God's intention at the time, that is, when they left Egypt.
His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>His heart is established, he shall not be afraid</strong> (סָמוּךְ לִבּוֹ לֹא יִירָא)—<em>Samukh</em> (established, firm, supported) uses the same root as Psalm 111:8's description of God's precepts standing fast. The righteous person's <em>lev</em> (heart, inner being) possesses divinely-given stability. <em>Lo yira</em> (shall not fear) promises courage not from circumstances but from he...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(8) **Until he see.**—See Note, Psalm 59:10, and comp. Psalm 112:8.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
13-16. Obedience would have secured all promised blessings and the subjection of foes. In this passage, "should have," "would have," &c., are better, "should" and "would" expressing God's intention at the time, that is, when they left Egypt.
He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
This verse describes the righteous person's generosity: 'He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor.' 'Dispersed' (pizar) means scattered widely, distributed liberally. The repetition 'dispersed... given' emphasizes active, intentional generosity. Giving to 'the poor' reflects biblical concern for the vulnerable and God's command to care for them. The second clause states the result: 'his righte...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(9) **He hath dispersed.**—The conjugation of the verb indicates a *frequent *and *customary *action.
For St. Paul’s use of this verse, see *New Test. Com. *2Corinthians 9:9.
**His horn.**—For the image of the exalted horn see Note, Psalm 75:5.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
13-16. Obedience would have secured all promised blessings and the subjection of foes. In this passage, "should have," "would have," &c., are better, "should" and "would" expressing God's intention at the time, that is, when they left Egypt.
The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
View commentary (3 sources)
KJV Study Commentary
<strong>The wicked shall see it, and be grieved</strong> (רָשָׁע יִרְאֶה וְכָעָס, <em>rasha yir'eh ve-kha'as</em>)—<em>Ka'as</em> means be angry, grieved, vexed. <strong>He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away</strong> (שִׁנָּיו יַחֲרֹק וְנָמָס, <em>shinnav yacharok ve-names</em>)—<em>Charaq</em> means gnash, grind teeth in rage; <em>masas</em> means melt, dissolve, waste away. <strong>The de...
Read full commentary →Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
(10) **Gnash.**—See Psalm 35:16.
**Melt away.**—As we say, “Consume with vexation.”
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers
Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bible Hub
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
13-16. Obedience would have secured all promised blessings and the subjection of foes. In this passage, "should have," "would have," &c., are better, "should" and "would" expressing God's intention at the time, that is, when they left Egypt.