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870 / 1113 · Psalms 112 · Return & Rebuilding · Undated; read here after the return (after 538 BC)

Like Father, Like Child

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Relatives at a family function love to point out resemblances. She laughs exactly like her grandmother; he stands with his hands behind his back, just like his father. We copy the people we live closely with, often without noticing. Psalm 112 is built on that idea. It is the twin of Psalm 111, with the same alphabet pattern, and it deliberately borrows its phrases. What was said of God in the first psalm, gracious, compassionate, righteous forever, is now said of the person who fears him. Living near God, you start to look like him.

Where it sits in the story: Where Psalm 111 recounts God's works, Psalm 112 describes the life of the one who reverences him: generous lending, fair dealing, a steady heart. It links the Psalter to the wisdom of Proverbs and to the Torah's picture of a just community. In the New Testament Paul quotes verse 9 in 2 Corinthians 9:9 when he urges generous giving to the poor.

What this chapter is doing: To show what the fear of the LORD looks like in daily life, and to present a godly person as a reflection of God's own character, especially in generosity and justice.

Why it is read here: Books 4–5 of the Psalms carry few headings. Most scholars think the Psalter reached its final shape after the exile, so we read these untitled psalms at the close of the Old Testament story. Individual psalms may be much older.
The walk-through
  • 112:1–3 — Blessed is the one who fears the LORD and delights in his commands. His descendants will be strong, and wealth and riches are in his house. Then a striking phrase borrowed from Psalm 111: his righteousness endures forever.
  • 112:4–6 — Light rises in the darkness for the upright, who are gracious, compassionate and righteous, the same words used of God. It goes well for the one who lends generously and conducts his affairs with justice; he will not be shaken and will be remembered.
  • 112:7–9 — He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is steady, trusting the LORD, and in the end he looks on his enemies without fear. He has scattered his gifts freely to the poor, his righteousness endures forever, and his strength will be lifted up with honour.
  • 112:10 — The final letter belongs to the wicked, who see this and are angry, grind their teeth and melt away. Their longing comes to nothing, a sober contrast to the lasting life of the generous.
What it showsThe psalm mirrors Psalm 111 line by line in form and deliberately repeats its descriptions of God for the righteous person; Paul's quotation in 2 Corinthians 9:9 shows it was used to teach generosity.
Where the evidence stopsNo date or author is given. Its promises of prosperity are wisdom-style generalisations, and the Bible itself qualifies them elsewhere, so they should not be read as guarantees.

Key verse: Psalm 112:7  ·  So what: The psalm describes a steady person, one who can hear bad news without panic. Here that steadiness is tied to generosity, not accumulation: the righteous person gives freely and deals fairly. Read honestly, it is a portrait of character, not a promise that the faithful will always be rich; other psalms and Job wrestle with the exceptions.

← Great Are the Works of the LORDYou have just read Psalm 111, the alphabet poem of God's works. Next, Psalm 113 opens the Hallel psalms, praising the God who stoops down to lift the poor from the dust.The God Who Stoops Down →
Sources & further reading
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