Show Bible Commentary For A Bible Verse

Click here to show/hide instructions.

Selected Verse: Psalms 112:1 - Strong Concordance

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 112:1	Strong Concordance	Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050]. Blessed [0835] is the man [0376] that feareth [03372] the LORD [03068], that delighteth [02654] greatly [03966] in his commandments [04687].
	King James	Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

Open All | Close All Open All | Close All

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
This Psalm may be regarded as an exposition of Psa 111:10, presenting the happiness of those who fear and obey God, and contrasting the fate of the ungodly. (Psa 112:1-10) True fear produces obedience and this happiness.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

This Psalm may be regarded as an exposition of Psa 111:10, presenting the happiness of those who fear and obey God, and contrasting the fate of the ungodly. (Psa 112:1-10)

True fear produces obedience and this happiness.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
Praise ye the Lord - Margin, as in Hebrew, "Hallelujah." See the notes at Psa 106:1. Blessed is the man - Hebrew, "The blessings of the man." See the notes at Psa 1:1. That is, Blessed, or happy, is such a one. That feareth the Lord - In Psa 111:10, the psalmist had referred to "the fear of the Lord" as "the beginning of wisdom," and had "alluded" to the success, prosperity, or happiness which attends the fear of the Lord, or true religion. This psalm is designed more fully "to illustrate" that thought. That delighteth greatly in his commandments - See the notes at Psa 1:2. It is a characteristic of true piety to find pleasure in the commands of God; in the commandments themselves, and in obedience to them.

The Scofield Bible Commentary, by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, [1917]
feareth (See Scofield) - (Psa 19:9).

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]
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 is indeed the copy of the divine, it is the work and gift of God (Psa 24:5), inasmuch as God's salutary action and behaviour, laid hold of in faith, works a like form of action and behaviour to it in man, which, as Psa 112:9 says, is, according to its nature, love. The promise in Psa 112:4 sounds like Isa 60:2. Hengstenberg renders: "There ariseth in the darkness light to the upright who is gracious and compassionate and just." But this is impossible as a matter of style. The three adjectives (as in Psa 111:4, pointing back to Exo 34:6, cf. Psa 145:8; Psa 116:5) are a mention of God according to His attributes. חנּוּן and רחוּם never take the article in Biblical Hebrew, and צדּיק follows their examples here (cf. on the contrary, Exo 9:27). God Himself is the light which arises in darkness for those who are sincere in their dealings with Him; He is the Sun of righteousness with wings of rays dispensing "grace" and "tender mercies," Mal 4:2. The fact that He arises for those who are compassionate as He is compassionate, is evident from Psa 112:5. טוב being, as in Isa 3:10; Jer 44:17, intended of well-being, prosperity, טּוב אישׁ is here equivalent to אשׁרי אישׁ, which is rendered טוּביהּ דּגברא in Targumic phrase. חונן signifies, as in Psa 37:26, Psa 37:21, one who charitably dispenses his gifts around. Psa 112:5 is not an extension of the picture of virtue, but, as in Psa 127:5, a promissory prospect: he will uphold in integrity (בּמשׁפּט, Psa 72:2, Isa 9:7, and frequently), or rather (= בּמּשׁפּט) in the cause (Psa 143:2, Pro 24:23, and frequently), the things which depend upon him, or with which he has to do; for כּלכּל, sustinere, signifies to sustain, i.e., to nourish, to sustain, i.e., endure, and also to support, maintain, i.e., carry through. This is explanatorily confirmed in Psa 112:6 : he stands, as a general thing, imperturbably fast. And when he dies he becomes the object of everlasting remembrance, his name is still blessed (Pro 10:7). Because he has a cheerful conscience, his heart too is not disconcerted by any evil tidings (Jer 49:23): it remains נכון, erect, straight and firm, without suffering itself to bend or warp; בּטח בּה, full of confidence (passive, "in the sense of a passive state after a completed action of the person himself," like זכוּר, Psa 103:14); סמוּך, stayed in itself and established. The last two designations are taken from Isa 26:3, where it is the church of the last times that is spoken of. Psa 91:8 gives us information with reference to the meaning of ראה בצריו; עד, as in Psa 94:13, of the inevitable goal, on this side of which he remains undismayed. Co2 9:9, where Paul makes use of Psa 112:9 of the Psalm before us as an encouragement to Christian beneficence, shows how little the assertion "his righteousness standeth for ever" is opposed to the New Testament consciousness. פּזּר of giving away liberally and in manifold ways, as in Pro 11:24. רוּם, Psa 112:9, stands in opposition to the egoistical הרים in Psa 75:5 as a vegetative sprouting up (Psa 132:17). The evil-doer must see this, and confounded, vex himself over it; he gnashes his teeth with the rage of envy and chagrin, and melts away, i.e., loses consistency, becomes unhinged, dies off (נמס, 3d praet. Niph. as in Exo 16:21, pausal form of נמס = נמס). How often has he desired the ruin of him whom he must now see in honour! The tables are turned; this and his ungodly desire in general come to nought, inasmuch as the opposite is realized. On יראה, with its self-evident object, cf. Mic 7:10. Concerning the pausal form וכעס, vid., Psa 93:1. Hupfeld wishes to read תּקות after Psa 9:19, Pro 10:28. In defence of the traditional reading, Hitzig rightly points to Pro 10:24 together with Pro 10:28.

Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78]

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 is indeed the copy of the divine, it is the work and gift of God (Psa 24:5), inasmuch as God's salutary action and behaviour, laid hold of in faith, works a like form of action and behaviour to it in man, which, as Psa 112:9 says, is, according to its nature, love. The promise in Psa 112:4 sounds like Isa 60:2. Hengstenberg renders: "There ariseth in the darkness light to the upright who is gracious and compassionate and just." But this is impossible as a matter of style. The three adjectives (as in Psa 111:4, pointing back to Exo 34:6, cf. Psa 145:8; Psa 116:5) are a mention of God according to His attributes. חנּוּן and רחוּם never take the article in Biblical Hebrew, and צדּיק follows their examples here (cf. on the contrary, Exo 9:27). God Himself is the light which arises in darkness for those who are sincere in their dealings with Him; He is the Sun of righteousness with wings of rays dispensing "grace" and "tender mercies," Mal 4:2. The fact that He arises for those who are compassionate as He is compassionate, is evident from Psa 112:5. טוב being, as in Isa 3:10; Jer 44:17, intended of well-being, prosperity, טּוב אישׁ is here equivalent to אשׁרי אישׁ, which is rendered טוּביהּ דּגברא in Targumic phrase. חונן signifies, as in Psa 37:26, Psa 37:21, one who charitably dispenses his gifts around. Psa 112:5 is not an extension of the picture of virtue, but, as in Psa 127:5, a promissory prospect: he will uphold in integrity (בּמשׁפּט, Psa 72:2, Isa 9:7, and frequently), or rather (= בּמּשׁפּט) in the cause (Psa 143:2, Pro 24:23, and frequently), the things which depend upon him, or with which he has to do; for כּלכּל, sustinere, signifies to sustain, i.e., to nourish, to sustain, i.e., endure, and also to support, maintain, i.e., carry through. This is explanatorily confirmed in Psa 112:6 : he stands, as a general thing, imperturbably fast. And when he dies he becomes the object of everlasting remembrance, his name is still blessed (Pro 10:7). Because he has a cheerful conscience, his heart too is not disconcerted by any evil tidings (Jer 49:23): it remains נכון, erect, straight and firm, without suffering itself to bend or warp; בּטח בּה, full of confidence (passive, "in the sense of a passive state after a completed action of the person himself," like זכוּר, Psa 103:14); סמוּך, stayed in itself and established. The last two designations are taken from Isa 26:3, where it is the church of the last times that is spoken of. Psa 91:8 gives us information with reference to the meaning of ראה בצריו; עד, as in Psa 94:13, of the inevitable goal, on this side of which he remains undismayed. Co2 9:9, where Paul makes use of Psa 112:9 of the Psalm before us as an encouragement to Christian beneficence, shows how little the assertion "his righteousness standeth for ever" is opposed to the New Testament consciousness. פּזּר of giving away liberally and in manifold ways, as in Pro 11:24. רוּם, Psa 112:9, stands in opposition to the egoistical הרים in Psa 75:5 as a vegetative sprouting up (Psa 132:17). The evil-doer must see this, and confounded, vex himself over it; he gnashes his teeth with the rage of envy and chagrin, and melts away, i.e., loses consistency, becomes unhinged, dies off (נמס, 3d praet. Niph. as in Exo 16:21, pausal form of נמס = נמס). How often has he desired the ruin of him whom he must now see in honour! The tables are turned; this and his ungodly desire in general come to nought, inasmuch as the opposite is realized. On יראה, with its self-evident object, cf. Mic 7:10. Concerning the pausal form וכעס, vid., Psa 93:1. Hupfeld wishes to read תּקות after Psa 9:19, Pro 10:28. In defence of the traditional reading, Hitzig rightly points to Pro 10:24 together with Pro 10:28.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord - This seems to be the continuation of the preceding Psalm: there it was asserted that the beginning of wisdom was the fear of the Lord; and here the blessedness of the man who thus fears is stated. That delighteth greatly - It is not enough to fear God, we must also love him: fear will deter us from evil; love will lead us to obedience. And the more a man fears and loves God, the more obedient will he be; till at last he will delight greatly in the commandments of his Maker.

Top

¹ Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050]. Blessed [0835] is the man [0376] that feareth [03372] the LORD [03068], that delighteth [02654] greatly [03966] in his commandments [04687].
² His seed [02233] shall be mighty [01368] upon earth [0776]: the generation [01755] of the upright [03477] shall be blessed [01288].
³ Wealth [01952] and riches [06239] shall be in his house [01004]: and his righteousness [06666] endureth [05975] for ever [05703].
⁴ Unto the upright [03477] there ariseth [02224] light [0216] in the darkness [02822]: he is gracious [02587], and full of compassion [07349], and righteous [06662].
⁵ A good [02896] man [0376] sheweth favour [02603], and lendeth [03867]: he will guide [03557] his affairs [01697] with discretion [04941].
⁶ Surely he shall not be moved [04131] for ever [05769]: the righteous [06662] shall be in everlasting [05769] remembrance [02143].
⁷ He shall not be afraid [03372] of evil [07451] tidings [08052]: his heart [03820] is fixed [03559], trusting [0982] in the LORD [03068].
⁸ His heart [03820] is established [05564], he shall not be afraid [03372], until he see [07200] his desire upon his enemies [06862].
⁹ He hath dispersed [06340], he hath given [05414] to the poor [034]; his righteousness [06666] endureth [05975] for ever [05703]; his horn [07161] shall be exalted [07311] with honour [03519].
¹⁰ The wicked [07563] shall see [07200] it, and be grieved [03707]; he shall gnash [02786] with his teeth [08127], and melt away [04549]: the desire [08378] of the wicked [07563] shall perish [06].

¹⁰ The fear [03374] of the LORD [03068] is the beginning [07225] of wisdom [02451]: a good [02896] understanding [07922] have all they that do [06213] his commandments: his praise [08416] endureth [05975] for ever [05703].

² But his delight [02656] is in the law [08451] of the LORD [03068]; and in his law [08451] doth he meditate [01897] day [03119] and night [03915].

¹ Blessed [0835] is the man [0376] that walketh [01980] not in the counsel [06098] of the ungodly [07563], nor standeth [05975] in the way [01870] of sinners [02400], nor sitteth [03427] in the seat [04186] of the scornful [03887].

¹ Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050]. O give thanks [03034] unto the LORD [03068]; for he is good [02896]: for his mercy [02617] endureth for ever [05769].

⁹ The fear [03374] of the LORD [03068] is clean [02889], enduring [05975] for ever [05703]: the judgments [04941] of the LORD [03068] are true [0571] and righteous [06663] altogether [03162].

²⁸ The hope [08431] of the righteous [06662] shall be gladness [08057]: but the expectation [08615] of the wicked [07563] shall perish [06].

²⁴ The fear [04034] of the wicked [07563], it shall come [0935] upon him: but the desire [08378] of the righteous [06662] shall be granted [05414].

²⁸ The hope [08431] of the righteous [06662] shall be gladness [08057]: but the expectation [08615] of the wicked [07563] shall perish [06].

¹⁹ Arise [06965], O LORD [03068]; let not man [0582] prevail [05810]: let the heathen [01471] be judged [08199] in thy sight [06440].

¹ The LORD [03068] reigneth [04427], he is clothed [03847] with majesty [01348]; the LORD [03068] is clothed [03847] with strength [05797], wherewith he hath girded [0247] himself: the world [08398] also is stablished [03559], that it cannot be moved [04131].

¹⁰ Then she that is mine enemy [0341] shall see [07200] it, and shame [0955] shall cover [03680] her which said [0559] unto me, Where is the LORD [03068] thy God [0430]? mine eyes [05869] shall behold [07200] her: now shall she be trodden down [04823] as the mire [02916] of the streets [02351].

²¹ And they gathered [03950] it every morning [01242], every man [0376] according [06310] to his eating [0400]: and when the sun [08121] waxed hot [02552], it melted [04549].

¹⁷ There will I make [06779] the horn [07161] of David [01732] to bud [06779]: I have ordained [06186] a lamp [05216] for mine anointed [04899].

⁵ Lift not up [07311] your horn [07161] on high [04791]: speak [01696] not with a stiff [06277] neck [06677].

⁹ He hath dispersed [06340], he hath given [05414] to the poor [034]; his righteousness [06666] endureth [05975] for ever [05703]; his horn [07161] shall be exalted [07311] with honour [03519].

²⁴ There is [03426] that scattereth [06340], and yet increaseth [03254]; and there is that withholdeth [02820] more than is meet [03476], but it tendeth to poverty [04270].

⁹ He hath dispersed [06340], he hath given [05414] to the poor [034]; his righteousness [06666] endureth [05975] for ever [05703]; his horn [07161] shall be exalted [07311] with honour [03519].

⁹ (As [2531] it is written [1125], He hath dispersed abroad [4650]; he hath given [1325] to the poor [3993]: his [846] righteousness [1343] remaineth [3306] for [1519] ever [165].

¹³ That thou mayest give him rest [08252] from the days [03117] of adversity [07451], until the pit [07845] be digged [03738] for the wicked [07563].

⁸ Only with thine eyes [05869] shalt thou behold [05027] and see [07200] the reward [08011] of the wicked [07563].

³ Thou wilt keep [05341] him in perfect [07965] peace [07965], whose mind [03336] is stayed [05564] on thee: because he trusteth [0982] in thee.

¹⁴ For he knoweth [03045] our frame [03336]; he remembereth [02142] that we are dust [06083].

²³ Concerning Damascus [01834]. Hamath [02574] is confounded [0954], and Arpad [0774]: for they have heard [08085] evil [07451] tidings [08052]: they are fainthearted [04127]; there is sorrow [01674] on the sea [03220]; it cannot [03201] be quiet [08252].

⁷ The memory [02143] of the just [06662] is blessed [01293]: but the name [08034] of the wicked [07563] shall rot [07537].

⁶ Surely he shall not be moved [04131] for ever [05769]: the righteous [06662] shall be in everlasting [05769] remembrance [02143].

²³ These things also belong to the wise [02450]. It is not good [02896] to have respect [05234] of persons [06440] in judgment [04941].

² And enter [0935] not into judgment [04941] with thy servant [05650]: for in thy sight [06440] shall no man living [02416] be justified [06663].

⁷ Of the increase [04766] of his government [04951] and peace [07965] there shall be no end [07093], upon the throne [03678] of David [01732], and upon his kingdom [04467], to order [03559] it, and to establish [05582] it with judgment [04941] and with justice [06666] from henceforth even for [05704] ever [05769]. The zeal [07068] of the LORD [03068] of hosts [06635] will perform [06213] this.

² He shall judge [01777] thy people [05971] with righteousness [06664], and thy poor [06041] with judgment [04941].

⁵ Happy [0835] is the man [01397] that hath his quiver [0827] full [04390] of them: they shall not be ashamed [0954], but they shall speak [01696] with the enemies [0341] in the gate [08179].

⁵ A good [02896] man [0376] sheweth favour [02603], and lendeth [03867]: he will guide [03557] his affairs [01697] with discretion [04941].

²¹ The wicked [07563] borroweth [03867], and payeth not again [07999]: but the righteous [06662] sheweth mercy [02603], and giveth [05414].

²⁶ He is ever [03117] merciful [02603], and lendeth [03867]; and his seed [02233] is blessed [01293].

¹⁷ But we will certainly [06213] do [06213] whatsoever thing [01697] goeth forth [03318] out of our own mouth [06310], to burn incense [06999] unto the queen [04446] of heaven [08064], and to pour out [05258] drink offerings [05262] unto her, as we have done [06213], we, and our fathers [01], our kings [04428], and our princes [08269], in the cities [05892] of Judah [03063], and in the streets [02351] of Jerusalem [03389]: for then had we plenty [07646] of victuals [03899], and were well [02896], and saw [07200] no evil [07451].

¹⁰ Say [0559] ye to the righteous [06662], that it shall be well [02896] with him: for they shall eat [0398] the fruit [06529] of their doings [04611].

⁵ A good [02896] man [0376] sheweth favour [02603], and lendeth [03867]: he will guide [03557] his affairs [01697] with discretion [04941].

² But unto you that fear [03373] my name [08034] shall the Sun [08121] of righteousness [06666] arise [02224] with healing [04832] in his wings [03671]; and ye shall go forth [03318], and grow up [06335] as calves [05695] of the stall [04770].

²⁷ And Pharaoh [06547] sent [07971], and called [07121] for Moses [04872] and Aaron [0175], and said [0559] unto them, I have sinned [02398] this time [06471]: the LORD [03068] is righteous [06662], and I and my people [05971] are wicked [07563].

⁵ Gracious [02587] is the LORD [03068], and righteous [06662]; yea, our God [0430] is merciful [07355].

⁸ The LORD [03068] is gracious [02587], and full of compassion [07349]; slow [0750] to anger [0639], and of great [01419] mercy [02617].

⁶ And the LORD [03068] passed by [05674] before him [06440], and proclaimed [07121], The LORD [03068], The LORD [03068] God [0410], merciful [07349] and gracious [02587], longsuffering [0750] [0639], and abundant [07227] in goodness [02617] and truth [0571],

⁴ He hath made [06213] his wonderful works [06381] to be remembered [02143]: the LORD [03068] is gracious [02587] and full of compassion [07349].

² For, behold, the darkness [02822] shall cover [03680] the earth [0776], and gross darkness [06205] the people [03816]: but the LORD [03068] shall arise [02224] upon thee, and his glory [03519] shall be seen [07200] upon thee.

⁴ Unto the upright [03477] there ariseth [02224] light [0216] in the darkness [02822]: he is gracious [02587], and full of compassion [07349], and righteous [06662].

⁹ He hath dispersed [06340], he hath given [05414] to the poor [034]; his righteousness [06666] endureth [05975] for ever [05703]; his horn [07161] shall be exalted [07311] with honour [03519].

⁵ He shall receive [05375] the blessing [01293] from the LORD [03068], and righteousness [06666] from the God [0430] of his salvation [03468].

³ Wealth [01952] and riches [06239] shall be in his house [01004]: and his righteousness [06666] endureth [05975] for ever [05703].

¹ Praise [01984] ye the LORD [03050]. Blessed [0835] is the man [0376] that feareth [03372] the LORD [03068], that delighteth [02654] greatly [03966] in his commandments [04687].