Psalm 112:4 - Printer Friendly

ESV: Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.

NIV: Even in darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous.

NASB: Light shines in the darkness for the upright; He is gracious, compassionate, and righteous.

CSB: Light shines in the darkness for the upright. He is gracious, compassionate, and righteous.

NLT: Light shines in the darkness for the godly. They are generous, compassionate, and righteous.

KJV: Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

NKJV: Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

Psalm 112:1–6 summarizes the blessings of a proper "fear" of God. This is not panic or terror. Instead, this means a humble, submissive, respectful admission of God as Lord. This is the starting point for all truth, and those who follow it save themselves from many problems. Generally, following the Lord's will, here on earth, leads to better outcomes than ignoring His wisdom. A life of godliness and justice is more likely to leave a legacy of success (Psalm 25:13; Proverbs 3:33–34; 8:32–36) than one of evil and perversion.

This psalm begins on a high note as the psalmist praises the Lord. He asserts that the man who fears the Lord is blessed; this is the overall theme of the psalm. This form of "fear" is a deep, submissive, reverent respect (Proverbs 1:7). The book of Proverbs frequently points out that following the Lord's will generally leads to better outcomes in this life (Proverbs 3:33). The person who learns from God can anticipate wisdom, assurance, and the blessings of a life lived in harmony with the Creator. In contrast, the wicked ones who reject God's leading are jealous and eventually find themselves lost.

Both this and the preceding psalm (Psalm 111) are written in an acrostic form. As written in the original, each line begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. These lines are often three Hebrew words long, but this pattern doesn't correspond to translated versions. Both Psalm 111 and 112 repeat statements seen in other psalms and the book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:7; 20:7). Where Psalm 111 focuses on God's great deeds, Psalm 112 emphasizes the blessings of faithfully honoring the Lord.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 11/21/2024 8:28:36 AM