Reflections on Psalms 112

 Psalms 112(Contemporary English Version)

1. Shout praises to the LORD! The LORD blesses everyone who worships him and gladly obeys his teachings.
   
2. Their descendants will have great power in the land, because the LORD blesses all who do right.
   
3. They will get rich and prosper and will always be remembered for their fairness.
   
4. They will be so kind and merciful and good, that they will be a light in the dark for others who do the right thing.
   
5. Life will go well for those who freely lend and are honest in business.
   
6. They won't ever be troubled, and the kind things they do will never be forgotten.
   
7. Bad news won't bother them; they have decided to trust the LORD.
   
8. They are dependable and not afraid, and they will live to see their enemies defeated.
   
9. They will always be remembered and greatly praised, because they were kind and freely gave to the poor.
   
10. When evil people see this, they angrily bite their tongues and disappear. They will never get what they really want.

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Psalms 112 picks up on the concluding thought of Psalms 111, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom." (111:10), and continues with it, telling us, "Happy is the man who fears the LORD." (112:1) The accompanying behavior of the one who "fears the Lord" is a delight in His commandments. This in turn leads to a lifestyle that brings very different results than if he did not fear the Lord.

Verses 2-9 enumerate on the blessings of the one who fears the Lord. He prospers because of his righteousness, he is given light to have discernment, goodness comes to him in return for his generosity, and he has a confident faith that is unshakable and unfearing of what man might do to him. Finally, because he gives to the poor he will be made strong and honorable by the Lord.

We see in these verses not only the blessings of the one who fears the Lord, but the different lifestyle resulting from his delight in the Lord's commandments. He is righteous, he acts with discernment, he is generous, he operates out of faith instead of fear, and he gives to the poor. A brief contrast is given in the last verse of the wicked. He lives in anger and despair. The desires he pursues will "come to nothing."

The wicked, as used here, seems to refer to any who do not fear or reverence the Lord. As such, it refers to a condition of heart rather than to any particular actions. The actions, however, will no doubt follow the condition of the heart leading further and further away from the lifestyle and blessings of the one who reverences the Lord and His teachings.