Psalms Chapter 112:1-10 Sunday School Notes

These are some of my notes for Sunday, November 15, 2009 in the Lifeway Explore the Bible series

Ps 112 Cross references (from NRSV Anglicized Cross Reference Edition):

112:1 Ps 106:1, 1:1, 111:10, 115:13, 119:38, 128:1,4, 111:2, 119:14
112:2 Ps 25:13, 102:28, 37:26
112:3 Pr 3:16, 8:18, 22:4, Ps 112:9, 111:3
112:4 Job 11:17, Ps 97:11, Ex 34:6, Ps 86:15, 111:4, 116:5
112:5 Ps 112:9, Deu 15:7-11
112:6 Ps 10:6
112:7 Pr 1:33, Ps 57:1
112:8 Ps 27:1, 54:7
112:9 Ps 112:5, 112:3, quoted 2 Cor 9:9, Ps 111:3, 75:10
112:10 Job 16:9, Ps 58:7, Job 8:13, Ps 146:4, Pr 10:28, 11:7, Wis 5:14

The books referenced in these notes are:

1. Psalms vol 3: Psalms 90-150, Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms, Baker Academic, 2008 by John Goldingay

2. Psalms: Revised Expositor’s Commentary by Willem Van Gemeren

3. NET Bible from Bible dot org, also available from CBD

Ps 112
An alphabetic acrostic psalm, much like the preceding Psalm 111, it uses “blessed is the man” and contrasts the righteous and the wicked, while listing the benefits of wisdom, elements that show it to be a wisdom psalm. Apart from the initial “Praise the LORD” psalm 112 would fit well in the book of Proverbs.(Goldingay, Van Gemeren).

Ps 112:1
Happy/blessed: Hebrew asre, a state that is a gift from God, and being “happy” as as asre is often translated is only a part of the blessedness. “Blessed” is an ANE expression for wisdom teaching as far back as the Egyptian Pyramid Texts up to the Beatitudes. “Blessed” in the Beatitudes is the Greek makarios, the word used to translate the Hebrew asre in the Greek OT version of the Psalms. The blessed are those actively seeking godly wisdom. “The man who fears the LORD” is synonymous with “upright” in v.2. (Van Gemeren, Wilson)

Fears, feareth: Hebrew yare, which expresses both the negative fear and positive reverence that led to obedience. Revering God and delighting in his commands cover both sides of obedience, reverence implying respect and deference, delight implying enthusiasm.(Goldingay)

Ps 112:2
“Offspring” might be singular or plural, but powerful/mighty ) suggests the eldest son and heir.(Goldingay)

Powerful/mighty: Hebrew gibbor (also “hero”) can be read as “valiant”, “wealthy”, or “influential”, “wealthy” being most likely here. (Van Gemeren)

Generation, Hebrew dor, typically is the next generation to which the mighty offspring belongs, but one might expect a “next” to make this clear. Instead the upright generation might be all the blessed man’s fellows in his lifetime, his contemporaries.(Goldingay, Van Gemeren)

The upright/righteous’ character and acts build up God’s kingdom on earth, causing God to reward them, here expressed in ANE terms: powerful, blessed, wealth and riches in v.3. Thus godliness has rewards in this life, future generations, and the life to come.(Van Gemeren)

Ps 112:3
“Wealth and riches” may speak of the blessed man’s gifts from God, or more likely the natural fruitfulness of the upright man’s way of life. (Goldingay)

Righteousness: Hebrew saddaqa, is defined as acting in accordance to God’s law.(Van Gemeren)

Ps 112:4
While the HCSB and KJV see the “light” of this verse as shining from God for the upright as he faces darkness, Goldingay sees the light as emanating from the upright man because he is gracious, compassionte, and righteous. Translations vary as to which alternate they take here. “Gracious, compassionate, and righteous” is thus also ambiguous, and some Greek OT mnauscripts add “the Lord” here to clarify who has those three qualities. (Goldingay, Van Gemeren)

Ps 112:5
HCSB translates that good comes to a generous, fair man, while KJV and Goldingay see good as descriptive of the generous man. Again translations differ on this as the “natural” result of the upright man’s action or an explicit statement of divine favor toward the upright. (Goldingay)

Business/affairs: translates Hebrew debarayw “his words” or “his acts”(Van Gemeren)

Ps 112:6
A righteous man is remembered because of his gifts and good deeds. (Van Gemeren)

Ps 112:7
Either the righteous man does not fear bad news because he trusts God to shield him from it, or he believes God will see him through the bad.(Goldingay)

Confident/fixed: Hebrew nakon “established, steadfast, firm, fixed”(Van Gemeren)

Ps 112:8
The person who fears God fears no one else, and expects to see his foes put down.(Goldingay)

Assured/established: Hebrew samuk, “steadfast, secure”. (Van Gemeren)

Ps 112:9
Here giving (distributes/dispersed) goes along with (and pretty much repeats) v.5’s lending, with the result the upright is remembered.(Goldingay)

Horn: Hebrew qarno, is used as a symbol of dignity and honor or miltary might. (Van Gemeren, NET)

112:10
The wicked are apt to gloat at the righteous’ problems, but when the righteous come through their problems, the wicked’s feelings turn to shock and anger.(Van Gemeren)

Angry/grieved: Hebrew kaas, which usually indicates anger, but might mean another strong emotion like frustration or grief.(Goldingay)

In despair/melt away: Hebrew masas used with “heart” often means “fearful, faint” instead of “melt away”. “Melt away” seems to indicate the wicked’s negative emotions will destroy them, and in death they will not be remembered/ held in honor. (Goldingay, Van Gemeren)

Desire: Hebrew taawa, “desire, longing, aspirations” likely relates to the coveting and scheming of the wicked. (Van Gemeren)

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