Psalms 112 Study Notes: The Blessed Life of the God-Fearer
A companion alphabetic poem to Psalm 111 describing the person who reveres the LORD and delights in His commands. Such a person is generous to the poor, steady in trouble because he trusts God, and lastingly honored, while the wicked look on in frustration.
General
Paul quotes 112:9 in 2 Corinthians 9:6-9. What is he urging the Corinthians to do?
Answer: Give generously and cheerfully to those in need
Psalm 112 describes the righteous man as generous: things go well for the openhanded man who lends without holding back and handles his affairs with justice (112:5), and he has distributed gifts freely to the poor (112:9). Paul quotes the first two lines of 112:9 in 2 Corinthians 9:9, in a passage urging the church to give generously and cheerfully, not reluctantly or under pressure; just before the quotation he assures them that God has power to supply everything they need so that they can overflow in all kinds of good deeds (2 Corinthians 9:6-9). Generosity is the fruit of a heart that fears God, not a way to earn His favor. Proverbs says that kindness shown to the needy is like a loan that the LORD Himself repays (Proverbs 19:17), and Jesus tells His followers to lend without expecting anything back (Luke 6:35).
- Psalm 112:5 (BSB)“It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.”It goes well with the one who is generous, lends freely, and conducts his affairs with justice.
- Psalm 112:9 (BSB)“He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.”The righteous man has given freely to the poor, and his righteousness endures.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 (BSB)“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.””Paul quotes the first part of Psalm 112:9 while urging the Corinthians to give generously and cheerfully.
- Proverbs 19:17 (BSB)“Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.”Kindness to the poor is counted as a loan to the LORD, who will repay it.
- Luke 6:35 (BSB)“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”Jesus calls His followers to lend expecting nothing back, like their Father who is kind to the ungrateful.
Theological
In 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 Paul cites 112:9. What does he urge the Corinthians to do in that passage?
Answer: Give generously and cheerfully to those in need
The righteous man of Psalm 112 is marked by open-handed generosity: he is generous, lends freely, and conducts his affairs with justice (112:5), and he has distributed freely to the poor (112:9). Paul quotes the first two lines of 112:9 (2 Corinthians 9:9) in his appeal for the collection, which calls for generous, cheerful, uncoerced giving and is grounded in God's ability to supply grace in overflowing measure so that believers lack nothing and overflow in good deeds (2 Corinthians 9:6-9). Generosity here is the fruit of grace and of reverence for the LORD, not a means of meriting blessing. Proverbs 19:17 treats kindness to the needy as a loan the LORD Himself repays, while Jesus commands lending without expecting return, after the pattern of the Father's kindness (Luke 6:35).
- Psalm 112:5 (BSB)“It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.”It goes well with the one who is generous, lends freely, and conducts his affairs with justice.
- Psalm 112:9 (BSB)“He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.”The righteous man has given freely to the poor, and his righteousness endures.
- 2 Corinthians 9:6-9 (BSB)“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: “He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever.””Paul quotes the first part of Psalm 112:9 while urging the Corinthians to give generously and cheerfully.
- Proverbs 19:17 (BSB)“Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.”Kindness to the poor is counted as a loan to the LORD, who will repay it.
- Luke 6:35 (BSB)“But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.”Jesus calls His followers to lend expecting nothing back, like their Father who is kind to the ungrateful.
General
True or False: Psalm 112:4 promises the upright that they will never pass through any darkness.
Answer: False
This is false. Verse 4 does not promise that darkness will never come; it says light breaks through for the upright while they are in the dark, for those who are gracious, full of compassion, and righteous. The picture of light rising in darkness shows that the godly are not spared every dark time. Earlier the psalm says the God-fearer's descendants will be strong and the upright generation blessed (112:2). The psalm pictures God's blessing on the household of the one who fears Him, including wealth and a righteousness that lasts (112:3), as the general pattern of God's care, not as a guarantee that every believer will be rich or free from trouble. Scripture elsewhere shows people who fear the LORD walking in darkness and being called to trust Him (Isaiah 50:10), and a faithful psalmist troubled that he suffers while the wicked prosper (Psalm 73:12-14). Paul tells the rich not to rest their hope on wealth that cannot be counted on but on God, and to give freely (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
- Psalm 112:2-4 (BSB)“His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light dawns in the darkness for the upright—for the gracious, compassionate, and righteous.”The upright man's descendants are blessed, wealth and lasting righteousness are in his house, and light rises for the upright in darkness.
- Isaiah 50:10 (BSB)“Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.”Isaiah addresses one who fears the LORD yet walks in darkness, urging him to trust in the LORD's name.
- Psalm 73:12-14 (BSB)“Behold, these are the wicked—always carefree as they increase their wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in innocence I have washed my hands. For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.”Asaph describes the wicked prospering while he, though pure in heart, is afflicted all day long.
- 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (BSB)“Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”Paul tells the rich not to hope in uncertain wealth but in God, and to be generous.
Theological
True or False: 112:4 promises that people who are upright will be kept from ever entering darkness.
Answer: False
This is false. Verse 4 promises not the absence of darkness but light breaking through the gloom for the upright, those marked by grace, compassion, and righteousness, an image that presupposes the godly will sometimes be in darkness. Before this, the psalm promises that the God-fearer's offspring will be strong in the land and the upright generation blessed (112:2). The blessings of 112:3, wealth in the house and enduring righteousness, describe God's characteristic favor on those who fear Him, not a formula guaranteeing prosperity or freedom from suffering. Isaiah 50:10 speaks directly to one who reveres the LORD and yet walks in darkness, calling him to rely on God; Psalm 73:12-14 shows a faithful man afflicted while the wicked prosper; and Paul directs the wealthy to set their hope on God rather than on uncertain riches, and to give freely (1 Timothy 6:17-19).
- Psalm 112:2-4 (BSB)“His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. Light dawns in the darkness for the upright—for the gracious, compassionate, and righteous.”The upright man's descendants are blessed, wealth and lasting righteousness are in his house, and light rises for the upright in darkness.
- Isaiah 50:10 (BSB)“Who among you fears the LORD and obeys the voice of His Servant? Who among you walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the LORD; let him lean on his God.”Isaiah addresses one who fears the LORD yet walks in darkness, urging him to trust in the LORD's name.
- Psalm 73:12-14 (BSB)“Behold, these are the wicked—always carefree as they increase their wealth. Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure; in innocence I have washed my hands. For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.”Asaph describes the wicked prospering while he, though pure in heart, is afflicted all day long.
- 1 Timothy 6:17-19 (BSB)“Instruct those who are rich in the present age not to be conceited and not to put their hope in the uncertainty of wealth, but in God, who richly provides all things for us to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, and to be generous and ready to share, treasuring up for themselves a firm foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”Paul tells the rich not to hope in uncertain wealth but in God, and to be generous.
General
According to 112:7, why is the righteous man not afraid of bad news?
Answer: Because his heart is secure in its trust in the LORD
Verses 6-8 say the godly man cannot be moved and will be remembered for all time. He is not afraid of bad news, because his heart is steady and rests its trust on the LORD; it is settled and unafraid, until he sees his enemies defeated (112:6-8). The reason for his calm is not his wealth or his circumstances but his trust in God. Isaiah says God keeps the steady mind in complete peace, since it relies on Him (Isaiah 26:3). David speaks of his own heart as steadfast in the middle of danger (Psalm 57:7). Paul teaches that when believers bring every worry to God in prayer, God's peace guards their hearts and thoughts in Christ (Philippians 4:6-7).
- Psalm 112:6-8 (BSB)“Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous man will be remembered forever. He does not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is assured; he does not fear, until he looks in triumph on his foes.”The righteous man will not be shaken; he does not fear bad news, because his heart is firm and trusts in the LORD.
- Isaiah 26:3 (BSB)“You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.”God keeps in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in Him.
- Psalm 57:7 (BSB)“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music.”David declares that his heart is steadfast and that he will sing to God.
- Philippians 4:6-7 (BSB)“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”Paul says that prayer with thanksgiving brings the peace of God that guards the heart.
Theological
What reason does 112:7 give for the righteous man's freedom from fear of troubling reports?
Answer: Because his heart is secure in its trust in the LORD
The righteous man is unshakable and is remembered for all time (112:6); troubling reports hold no terror for him, for his heart is firm, resting on the LORD, established and unafraid until he sees his adversaries defeated (112:7-8). The ground of his stability is not circumstance but faith resting in God. Isaiah 26:3 promises perfect peace to the steadfast mind that trusts in the LORD; David's steadfast heart in Psalm 57:7 is the same disposition in the midst of danger; and Paul teaches that God's peace, received through prayer and thanksgiving, guards believers' hearts and thoughts in Christ (Philippians 4:6-7).
- Psalm 112:6-8 (BSB)“Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous man will be remembered forever. He does not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is assured; he does not fear, until he looks in triumph on his foes.”The righteous man will not be shaken; he does not fear bad news, because his heart is firm and trusts in the LORD.
- Isaiah 26:3 (BSB)“You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.”God keeps in perfect peace the one whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in Him.
- Psalm 57:7 (BSB)“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music.”David declares that his heart is steadfast and that he will sing to God.
- Philippians 4:6-7 (BSB)“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”Paul says that prayer with thanksgiving brings the peace of God that guards the heart.
General
Whom does the opening verse of Psalm 112 call blessed?
Answer: The one who reveres the LORD and loves His commands
Psalm 112 begins where Psalm 111 ended. Psalm 111 closed by saying that wisdom begins with fearing the LORD (111:10); Psalm 112 opens by calling blessed the one who reveres the LORD and takes great delight in His commandments (112:1). Blessed means truly well off under God's favor. Like Psalm 111, this psalm is arranged by the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and the two are companions: Psalm 111 praises what God is and does, and Psalm 112 describes the person who fears Him. Some of the same words appear in both; for example, the lasting righteousness said of God in 111:3 is said of the righteous man in 112:3 and 112:9. Psalm 1 also begins by calling blessed the one who finds joy in God's law (Psalm 1:1-2).
- Psalm 112:1 (BSB)“Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.”The psalm pronounces blessed the one who fears the LORD and takes great delight in His commands.
- Psalm 111:10 (BSB)“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!”The preceding psalm ends by naming the fear of the LORD as the beginning of wisdom.
- Psalm 1:1-2 (BSB)“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.”The opening psalm likewise calls blessed the one whose delight is in the law of the LORD.
- Psalm 111:3 (BSB)“Splendid and majestic is His work; His righteousness endures forever.”Words used of God's own righteousness in Psalm 111 are echoed of the righteous man in Psalm 112.
Theological
Whom does 112:1 pronounce blessed?
Answer: The one who reveres the LORD and loves His commands
Psalm 112 picks up exactly where Psalm 111 left off. Having named reverence for the LORD as wisdom's starting point (111:10), the psalmist now pronounces blessed the man who reveres the LORD and delights greatly in His commandments (112:1), reverence joined with glad obedience rather than grudging duty. The two psalms are companion acrostics: 111 celebrates God's character and works, 112 portrays the godly person who reflects them, even applying to him the lasting righteousness ascribed to God in 111:3 (112:3, 9). The beatitude parallels the opening of the whole book in Psalm 1:1-2, where blessedness belongs to the one who delights in the LORD's law.
- Psalm 112:1 (BSB)“Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.”The psalm pronounces blessed the one who fears the LORD and takes great delight in His commands.
- Psalm 111:10 (BSB)“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding. His praise endures forever!”The preceding psalm ends by naming the fear of the LORD as the beginning of wisdom.
- Psalm 1:1-2 (BSB)“Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.”The opening psalm likewise calls blessed the one whose delight is in the law of the LORD.
- Psalm 111:3 (BSB)“Splendid and majestic is His work; His righteousness endures forever.”Words used of God's own righteousness in Psalm 111 are echoed of the righteous man in Psalm 112.
General
True or False: Psalm 112 ends with the wicked man rejoicing alongside the righteous at God's goodness.
Answer: False
This is false. The psalm ends with a sharp contrast. When the wicked man sees the righteous honored, he is grieved; he grinds his teeth and melts away, and what the wicked long for comes to nothing (112:10). The righteous man's memory and righteousness last forever (112:6, 9), but the wicked man's desires perish. This is the same contrast that opens the book of Psalms: the LORD watches over the godly man's way, while the ungodly man's road ends in ruin (Psalm 1:6). Psalm 37 also pictures the wicked gnashing their teeth at the righteous while the Lord laughs, knowing their time is short (Psalm 37:12-13), and Proverbs says the godly are remembered with blessing while the ungodly man's name decays (Proverbs 10:7).
- Psalm 112:10 (BSB)“The wicked man will see and be grieved; he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked will perish.”The wicked man sees the righteous honored and is grieved; his desires come to nothing.
- Psalm 1:6 (BSB)“For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”The LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
- Psalm 37:12-13 (BSB)“The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.”The wicked gnash their teeth at the righteous, but the Lord laughs, knowing their day is coming.
- Proverbs 10:7 (BSB)“The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.
Theological
True or False: Psalm 112 concludes with the wicked man sharing in the righteous man's joy.
Answer: False
This is false. The closing verse sets the wicked man against the righteous: he sees the righteous man exalted and is vexed, gnashes his teeth and wastes away, and the desire of the wicked perishes (112:10). The enduring righteousness and remembrance of the godly (112:6, 9) are matched by the futility of the ungodly. The antithesis is the same one that frames the book of Psalms from its first psalm, where the LORD watches over the godly while the ungodly man's road comes to ruin (Psalm 1:6). Psalm 37:12-13 likewise pictures the wicked gnashing their teeth while the Lord laughs at their coming day, and Proverbs 10:7 contrasts the godly, remembered with blessing, with the ungodly, whose name decays.
- Psalm 112:10 (BSB)“The wicked man will see and be grieved; he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked will perish.”The wicked man sees the righteous honored and is grieved; his desires come to nothing.
- Psalm 1:6 (BSB)“For the LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.”The LORD guards the path of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
- Psalm 37:12-13 (BSB)“The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, but the Lord laughs, seeing that their day is coming.”The wicked gnash their teeth at the righteous, but the Lord laughs, knowing their day is coming.
- Proverbs 10:7 (BSB)“The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.”The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot.