Chapter Overview
Summary
Psalm 112 (MT) / Psalm 111 (LXX) is the companion-acrostic to Psalm 111 — while Ps 111 describes GOD's works, Ps 112 describes the RIGHTEOUS-ONE's-works. The righteous who fears-the-LORD mirrors divine-attributes: gracious, merciful, righteous — making this psalm a portrait of imago-Dei ethics. Verse 9's 'he has distributed freely; he has given to the poor' is cited at 2 Corinthians 9:9 in Paul's collection-for-Jerusalem appeal.
Notable Variants
112:9 'he has distributed freely; his righteousness endures forever' → 2 Corinthians 9:9 Pauline generosity theology; 112:4 'light dawns in the darkness for the upright' as righteous-light imagery; the imago-Dei structure mirroring Ps 111's divine-portrait.
Structural Notes
MT Ps 112 = LXX Ps 111. 10 verses. Acrostic, paired with Ps 111.
Praise the LORD! Blessed is the person who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments.
'Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!' tracks MT. FEAR-THE-LORD / DELIGHT-IN-HIS-COMMANDMENTS beatitude. Ps 1:2's 'his delight is in the law of the LORD' parallels.
His descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
'His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed' tracks MT.
Wealth and riches fill his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
'Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever' tracks MT. HIS-RIGHTEOUSNESS-ENDURES-FOREVER refrain (parallel to Ps 111:3's 'HIS righteousness endures forever,' now applied to the righteous-human).
Light dawns in the darkness for the upright — gracious, compassionate, and righteous.
'Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous' tracks MT. LIGHT-IN-DARKNESS for the upright. Isaiah 58:10 ('your light shall rise in the darkness') and Matthew 5:14 ('you are the light of the world') extend. The righteous is GRACIOUS, MERCIFUL, RIGHTEOUS — the same triad from Exodus 34:6 applied to God. Imago-Dei: the righteous mirror the divine-character.
It goes well for the person who is generous and lends; he conducts his affairs with justice.
'It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice' tracks MT.
He will never be shaken; the righteous person will be remembered forever.
'For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever' tracks MT. NEVER-MOVED / REMEMBERED-FOREVER — Psalter's promise-to-the-righteous.
He does not fear bad news; his heart is steady, trusting in the LORD.
'He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD' tracks MT. NOT-AFRAID-OF-BAD-NEWS. John 14:27 ('let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid') extends.
His heart is secure; he will not be afraid until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
'His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries' tracks MT.
He scatters gifts; he gives to the needy. His righteousness endures forever; his horn is lifted high in honor.
Masoretic (WLC)
פִּזַּר נָתַן לָאֶבְיוֹנִים צִדְקָתוֹ עֹמֶדֶת לָעַד קַרְנוֹ תָּרוּם בְּכָבוֹד
He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor
Septuagint (LXX)
ἐσκόρπισεν ἔδωκεν τοῖς πένησιν ἡ δικαιοσύνη αὐτοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος τὸ κέρας αὐτοῦ ὑψωθήσεται ἐν δόξῃ
He has scattered abroad, he has given to the poor; his righteousness remains forever; his horn shall be exalted in glory
2 CORINTHIANS 9:9 CITATION. Paul cites this verse at 2 Cor 9:9 in his Jerusalem-collection appeal: 'As it is written: HE HAS DISTRIBUTED FREELY, HE HAS GIVEN TO THE POOR; HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS ENDURES FOREVER (eskorpisen, edōken tois penēsin, hē dikaiosynē autou menei eis ton aiōna).' Paul's citation matches the LXX verbatim. The argument: generous-giving IS righteousness-that-endures — a work that survives into eternity when earthly-possessions do not.
PAULINE APPLICATION. 2 Cor 9:10–11 develops: 'he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way.' The psalm's righteous-distributor becomes Paul's model for Christian-generosity.
The wicked person sees it and is enraged; he gnashes his teeth and wastes away. The desire of the wicked will come to nothing.
'The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!' tracks MT. WICKED-GNASHES-TEETH (brykein tous odontas) — Acts 7:54 (Stephen's accusers 'gnashed their teeth at him'), Matt 8:12, 13:42, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30 (weeping-and-gnashing-of-teeth eschatological formula) deploy this vocabulary.