Psalm 112:1-10
Blessed Is the Man
1Hallelujah! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.
2His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
4Light dawns in the darkness for the upright—for the gracious, compassionate, and righteous.
5It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
6Surely he will never be shaken; the righteous man will be remembered forever.
7He does not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8His heart is assured; he does not fear, until he looks in triumph on his foes.
9He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be lifted high in honor.
10The wicked man will see and be grieved; he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked will perish.
Berean Standard Bible
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD and delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty, and wealth and riches will be in his house. The psalm does not make wealth a moral scorecard; it describes blessing in poetic terms while giving the greater attention to how the person uses what he has.
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright. He is gracious, compassionate, and righteous, generous and lending freely, conducting his affairs with justice. His generosity is not carelessness; it is a stable character that notices need.
He will not fear bad news because his heart is steadfast and trusts the LORD. He gives freely to the poor, and his righteousness endures. The wicked see it and gnash their teeth as their desires perish.
Questions
1 Who is blessed?
AnswerThe person who fears the LORD and delights in His commandments is blessed.
2 How does he treat the poor?
AnswerHe gives freely and conducts his affairs with justice and generosity.
3 Why is he not paralyzed by bad news?
AnswerHis heart is steadfast and trusts in the LORD, giving him a deeper stability than circumstances.
4 What happens to the wicked person's desire?
AnswerThe wicked see the righteous person's life and their own desires perish.
What This Means for Us
The psalm does not ask us to envy a prosperous household. It asks whether resources have made a person more generous, just, and calm under pressure.
Steadfastness is revealed in the use of good news and bad news alike. Keep the poor in view when the family is doing well, and keep trust when news is frightening.
Prayer
LORD, make our household generous, compassionate, and just. Give us steadfast hearts when bad news comes, and teach us to use every resource for the good of people who need help. Amen.