The Bible — World English Bible
Psalm 112
In brief
Psalm 112 describes the happiness of the one who fears the Lord and delights in his commandments. It is an acrostic poem, each line following the order of the Hebrew alphabet. It echoes Psalm 111, which speaks about God: Psalm 112 shows the life of the one who resembles him, righteous, compassionate and generous. This portrait does not promise a life without trials, but a steady heart that is not afraid of bad news. The psalm ends with the contrast of the wicked, whose desires perish.
The chapter in 4 parts
1Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments.
2His offspring will be mighty in the land. The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever.
4Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment.
6For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever.
7He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in Yahweh.
8His heart is established. He will not be afraid in the end when he sees his adversaries.
9He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.
10The wicked will see it, and be grieved. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The desire of the wicked will perish.
Key verses
Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, who delights greatly in his commandments.
The psalm opens on the happiness of the one who fears the Lord. To fear God is to respect him and trust him, which leads to loving his commandments.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous.
For the upright, a light dawns even in darkness. The text does not say the night does not exist, but that God makes light rise in it.
He will not be afraid of evil news. His heart is steadfast, trusting in Yahweh.
The one who trusts in the Lord is not afraid of bad news. His calm comes from his trust in God, not from the absence of bad news.
He has dispersed, he has given to the poor. His righteousness endures forever. His horn will be exalted with honor.
He has distributed freely and given to the poor. Paul quotes this verse about generosity (2 Corinthians 9:9). Faith here shows itself in concrete acts toward the poor.
Test your knowledge
Frequently asked questions about Psalm 112
What does Psalm 112 mean?
Psalm 112 paints the portrait of the person who fears the Lord: he loves God's commandments, he is righteous and compassionate, he lends and gives generously, and his heart stays steady before bad news. The psalm shows that respect for God produces a stable life turned toward others.
What does it mean to fear the Lord in this psalm?
In the Bible, fearing the Lord mostly means respecting him, honoring him and trusting him. It is not about being afraid of him. The psalm shows this through its fruit: whoever fears God loves his word and is not ruled by fear of circumstances.
Does Psalm 112 promise wealth to those who follow God?
Verse 3 speaks of wealth and riches in the house, but the psalm must be read as a whole. It stresses righteousness, generosity and a steady heart. Proverbs and the book of Job remind us that the righteous also go through trials. It is a blessing from God to read here, not a guarantee of prosperity.
How can I meditate on Psalm 112?
Read it with Psalm 111, which describes God, then note what in the person of Psalm 112 looks like God. Choose one quality to grow this week, for example the generosity of verse 9 or the trust of verse 7, and pray for a steady heart.
Articles quoting Psalm 112
World English Bible translation — public domain.