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Psalm One
Hundred Twelve
Psalm 112
Chapter Contents
The blessedness of the righteous.
We have to praise the Lord that there are a people in the
world, who fear him and serve him, and that they are a happy people; which is
owing entirely to his grace. Their fear is not that which love casts out, but
that which love brings in. It follows and flows from love. It is a fear to offend.
This is both fear and trust. The heart touched by the Spirit of God, as the
needle touched with the loadstone, turns direct and speedily to God, yet still
with trembling, being filled with this holy fear. Blessings are laid up for the
faithful and their children's children; and true riches are bestowed on them,
with as much of this world's possessions as is profitable for them. In the
darkest hours of affliction and trial, the light of hope and peace will spring
up within them, and seasonable relief shall turn mourning into joy. From their
Lord's example they learn to be kind and full of compassion, as well as just in
all their dealings; they use discretion, that they may be liberal in that
manner which appears most likely to do good. Envy and slander may for a time
hide their true characters here, but they shall be had in everlasting
remembrance. They need not fear evil tidings. A good man shall have a settled
spirit. And it is the endeavour of true believers to keep their minds stayed
upon God, and so to keep them calm and undisturbed; and God has promised them
both cause to do so, and grace to do so. Trusting in the Lord is the best and
surest way of establishing the heart. The heart of man cannot fix any where
with satisfaction, but in the truth of God, and there it finds firm footing.
And those whose hearts are established by faith, will patiently wait till they
gain their point. Compare all this with the vexation of sinners. The happiness
of the saints is the envy of the wicked. The desire of the wicked shall perish;
their desire was wholly to the world and the flesh, therefore when these
perish, their joy is gone. But the blessings of the gospel are spiritual and
eternal, and are conferred upon the members of the Christian church, through
Christ their Head, who is the Pattern of all righteousness, and the Giver of
all grace.
── Matthew Henry《Concise Commentary on Psalms》
Psalm 112
Verse 2
[2] His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of
the upright shall be blessed.
Generation — The posterity.
Verse 3
[3] Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his
righteousness endureth for ever.
Righteousness — The fruit or reward of his
righteousness, which is God's blessing upon his estate.
Verse 4
[4] Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he
is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
Darkness — In the troubles and calamities of life.
He — The upright man.
Verse 5
[5] A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide
his affairs with discretion.
Lendeth — Gives freely to some, and lends to others according to
the variety of their conditions.
Affairs — His domestick affairs.
Discretion — Not getting his estate unjustly,
nor casting it away prodigally, nor yet withholding it from such as need it.
Verse 6
[6] Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous
shall be in everlasting remembrance.
Moved — Though he may for a season be afflicted, yet he shall
not be eternally destroyed.
Verse 7
[7] He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is
fixed, trusting in the LORD.
Evil tidings — At the report of approaching
calamities.
Verse 9
[9] He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his
righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
Dispersed — His goods, freely and liberally.
Righteousness — His liberality, or the reward of
it.
Ever — What he gives is not lost, but indeed is the only part
of his estate, which will abide with him to all eternity.
Verse 10
[10] The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash
with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
The desire — Either of the misery of good men;
or of his own constant prosperity.
── John Wesley《Explanatory Notes on Psalms》
Exposition
Explanatory Notes and
Quaint Sayings
Hints to the Village
Preacher
Other Works
TITLE AND
SUBJECT. There is no title to this psalm, but it is evidently a companion
to the hundred and eleventh, and, like it, it is an alphabetical psalm. Even in
the number of verses, and clauses of each verse, it coincides with its
predecessor, as also in many of its words and phrases. The reader should
carefully compare the two psalms line by line. The subject of the poem before
us is—the blessedness of the righteous man, and so it bears the same
relation to the preceding which the moon does to the sun; for, while the first
declares the glory of God, the second speaks of the reflection of the divine
brightness in men born from above. God is here praised for the manifestation of
his glory which is seen in his people, just as in the preceding psalm he was
magnified for his own personal acts. The hundred and eleventh speaks of the
great Father, and this describes his children renewed after his image. The
psalm cannot be viewed as the extolling of man, for it commences with
"Praise ye the Lord; "and it is intended to give to God all the
honour of his grace which is manifested in the sons of God.
DIVISION. The subject is
stated in the first verse, and enlarged upon under several heads from 2 to 9.
The blessedness of the righteousness is set forth by contrast with the fate of
the ungodly in verse 10.
EXPOSITION
Verse
1. Praise ye the LORD. This exhortation is never given too
often; the Lord always deserves praise, we ought always to render it, we are
frequently forgetful of it, and it is always well to be stirred up to it. The
exhortation is addressed to all thoughtful persons who observe the way and
manner of life of men that fear the Lord. If there be any virtue, if there be
any praise, the Lord should have all the glory of it, for we are his
workmanship. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. According to the last
verse of Psalm 111, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
this man, therefore, has begun to be wise, and wisdom has brought him present
happiness, and secured him eternal felicity. Jehovah is so great that he is to
be feared and had in reverence of all them that are round about him, and he is
at the same time so infinitely good that the fear is sweetened into filial
love, and becomes a delightful emotion, by no means engendering bondage. There
is a slavish fear which is accursed; but that godly fear which leads to delight
in the service of God is infinitely blessed. Jehovah is to be praised both for
inspiring men with godly fear and for the blessedness which they enjoy in
consequence thereof. We ought to bless God for blessing any man, and especially
for setting the seal of his approbation upon the godly. His favour towards the
God fearing displays his character and encourages gracious feelings in others,
therefore let him be praised. That delighteth greatly in his commandments. The
man not only studies the divine precepts and endeavours to observe them, but
rejoices to do so: holiness is his happiness, devotion is his delight, truth is
his treasure. He rejoices in the precepts of godliness, yea, and delights
greatly in them. We have known hypocrites rejoice in the doctrines, but never
in the commandments. Ungodly men may in some measure obey the commandments out
of fear, but only a gracious man will observe them with delight. Cheerful
obedience is the only acceptable obedience; he who obeys reluctantly is
disobedient at heart, but he who takes pleasure in the command is truly loyal.
If through divine grace we find ourselves described in these two sentences, let
us give all the praise to God, for he hath wrought all our works in us, and the
dispositions out of which they spring. Let self righteous men praise
themselves, but he who has been made righteous by grace renders all the praise
to the Lord.
Verse
2. His seed shall be mighty upon earth, that is to say,
successive generations of God fearing men shall be strong and influential in
society, and in the latter days they shall have dominion. The true seed of the
righteous are those who follow them in their virtues, even as believers are the
seed of Abraham, because they imitate his faith; and these are the real heroes
of their era, the truly great men among the sons of Adam; their lives are
sublime, and their power upon their age is far greater than at first sight
appears. If the promise must be regarded as alluding to natural seed, it must
be understood as a general statement rather than a promise made to every
individual, for the children of the godly are not all prosperous, nor all
famous. Nevertheless, he who fears God, and leads a holy life, is, as a rule,
doing the best he can for the future advancement of his house; no inheritance
is equal to that of an unblemished name, no legacy can excel the benediction of
a saint; and, taking matters for all in all, the children of the righteous man
commence life with greater advantages than others, and are more likely to
succeed in it, in the best and highest sense. The generation of the upright
shall be blessed. The race of sincere, devout, righteous men, is kept up from
age to age, and ever abides under the blessing of God. The godly may be
persecuted, but they shall not be forsaken; the curses of men cannot deprive
them of the blessing of God, for the words of Balaam are true, "He hath
blessed, and I cannot reverse it." Their children also are under the
special care of heaven, and as a rule it shall be found that they inherit the
divine blessing. Honesty and integrity are better cornerstones for an
honourable house than mere cunning and avarice, or even talent and push. To
fear God and to walk uprightly is a higher nobility than blood or birth can
bestow.
Verse
3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house. Understood
literally this is rather a promise of the old covenant than of the new, for
many of the best of the people of God are very poor; yet it has been found true
that uprightness is the road to success, and, all other things being equal, the
honest man is the rising man. Many are kept poor through knavery and
profligacy; but godliness hath the promise of the life that now is. If we
understand the passage spiritually it is abundantly true. What wealth can equal
that of the love of God? What riches can rival a contented heart? It matters
nothing that the roof is thatched, and the floor is of cold stone: the heart
which is cheered with the favour of heaven is "rich to all the intents of
bliss." And his righteousness endureth for ever. Often when gold comes in
the gospel goes out; but it is not so with the blessed man. Prosperity does not
destroy the holiness of his life, or the humility of his heart. His character
stands the test of examination, overcomes the temptations of wealth, survives
the assaults of slander, outlives the afflictions of time, and endures the
trial of the last great day. The righteousness of a true saint endureth for
ever, because it springs from the same root as the righteousness of God, and
is, indeed, the reflection of it. So long as the Lord abideth righteous he will
maintain by his grace the righteousness of his people. They shall hold on their
way, and wax stronger and stronger. There is also another righteousness which
belongs to the Lord's chosen, which is sure to endure for ever, namely, the
imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus, which is called "everlasting
righteousness, "belonging as it does to the Son of God himself, who is
"the Lord our righteousness."
Verse
4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness. He
does not lean to injustice in order to ease himself, but like a pillar stands
erect, and he shall be found so standing when the ungodly, who are as a bowing
wall and a tottering fence, shall lie in ruins. He will have his days of
darkness, he may be sick and sorry, poor and pining, as well as others; his
former riches may take to themselves wings and fly away, while even his
righteousness may be cruelly suspected; thus the clouds may lower around him,
but his gloom shall not last for ever, the Lord will bring him light in due
season, for as surely as a good man's sun goes down it shall rise again. If the
darkness be caused by depression of spirit, the Holy Ghost will comfort him; if
by pecuniary loss or personal bereavement, the presence of Christ shall be his
solace; and if by the cruelty and malignity of men, the sympathy of his Lord
shall be his support. It is as ordinary for the righteous to be comforted as
for the day to dawn. Wait for the light and it will surely come; for even if
our heavenly Father should in our last hours put us to bed in the dark, we
shall find it morning when we awake. He is gracious, and full of compassion,
and righteous. This is spoken of God in the fourth verse of the hundred and
eleventh Psalm, and now the same words are used of his servant: thus we are
taught that when God makes a man upright, he makes him like himself. We are at
best but humble copies of the great original; still we are copies, and because
we are so we praise the Lord, who hath created us anew in Christ Jesus. The
upright man is "gracious, "that is, full of kindness to all
around him; he is not sour and churlish, but he is courteous to friends, kind
to the needy, forgiving to the erring, and earnest for the good of all. He is
also "full of compassion"; that is to say, he tenderly feels
for others, pities them, and as far as he can assists them in their time of
trouble. He does not need to be driven to benevolence, he is brimful of
humanity; it is his joy to sympathize with the sorrowing. He is also said to be
"righteous": in all his transactions with his fellow men he
obeys the dictates of right, and none can say that he goes beyond or defrauds
his neighbour. His justice is, however, tempered with compassion, and seasoned
with graciousness. Such men are to be found in our churches, and they are by no
means so rare as the censorious imagine; but at the same time they are far
scarcer than the breadth of profession might lead us to hope. Lord, make us all
to possess these admirable qualities.
Verse
5. A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth. Having passed
beyond stern integrity into open handed benevolence he looks kindly upon all
around him, and finding himself in circumstances which enable him to spare a
little of his wealth he lends judiciously where a loan will be of permanent
service. Providence has made him able to lend, and grace makes him willing to
lend. He is not a borrower, for God has lifted him above that necessity;
neither is he a hoarder, for his new nature saves him from that temptation; but
he wisely uses the talents committed to him. He will guide his affairs with
discretion. Those who neglect their worldly business must not plead religion as
an excuse, for when a man is truly upright he exercises great care in managing
his accounts, in order that he may remain so. It is sometimes hard to
distinguish between indiscretion and dishonesty; carelessness in business may
become almost as great an evil to others as actual knavery; a good man should
not only be upright, but he should be so discreet that no one may have the
slightest reason to suspect him of being otherwise. When the righteous man
lends he exercises prudence, not risking his all, for fear he should not be
able to lend again, and not lending so very little that the loan is of no
service. He drives his affairs, and does not allow them to drive him; his
accounts are straight and clear, his plans are wisely laid, and his modes of
operation carefully selected. He is prudent, thrifty, economical, sensible,
judicious, discreet. Men call him a fool for his religion, but they do not find
him so when they come to deal with him. "The beginning of wisdom" has
made him wise, the guidance of heaven has taught him to guide his affairs, and
with half an eye one can see that he is a man of sound sense. Such persons
greatly commend godliness. Alas, some professedly good men act as if they had
taken leave of their senses; this is not religion, but stupidity. True religion
is sanctified common sense. Attention to the things of heaven does not
necessitate the neglect of the affairs of earth; on the contrary, he who has
learned how to transact business with God ought to be best able to do business
with men. The children of this world often are in their generation wiser than
the children of light, but there is no reason why this proverb should continue
to be true.
Verse
6. Surely he shall not be moved for ever. God has rooted and
established him so that neither men nor devils shall sweep him from his place.
His prosperity shall be permanent, and not like that of the gambler and the
cheat, whose gains are evanescent: his reputation shall be bright and lustrous
from year to year, for it is not a mere pretence; his home shall be permanent,
and he shall not need to wander from place to place as a bird that wanders from
her nest; and even his memory shall be abiding, for a good man is not soon
forgotten, and the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. They are of a
most ancient family, and not mushrooms of an hour, and their grand old stock
shall be found flourishing when all the proud houses of ungodly men shall have
faded into nothing. The righteous are worth remembering, their actions are of
the kind which record themselves, and God himself takes charge of their
memorials. None of us likes the idea of being forgotten, and yet the only way
to avoid it is to be righteous before God.
Verse
7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings. He shall have no
dread that evil tidings will come, and he shall not be alarmed when they do
come. Rumours and reports he despises; prophecies of evil, vented by fanatical
mouths, he ridicules; actual and verified information of loss and distress he
bears with equanimity, resigning everything into the hands of God. His heart is
fixed, trusting in the Lord. He is neither fickle nor cowardly; when he is
undecided as to his course he is still fixed in heart: he may change his plan,
but not the purpose of his soul. His heart being fixed in solid reliance upon
God, a change in his circumstances but slightly affects him; faith has made him
firm and steadfast, and therefore if the worst should come to the worst, he
would remain quiet and patient, waiting for the salvation of God.
Verse
8. His heart is established. His love to God is deep and true,
his confidence in God is firm and unmoved; his courage has a firm foundation,
and is supported by Omnipotence. He has become settled by experience, and
confirmed by years. He is not a rolling stone, but a pillar in the house of the
Lord. He shall not be afraid. He is ready to face any adversary—a holy heart
gives a brave face. Until he see his desire upon his enemies. All through the
conflict, even till he seizes the victory, he is devoid of fear. When the
battle wavers, and the result seems doubtful, he nevertheless believes in God,
and is a stranger to dismay. Grace makes him desire his enemies' good: though
nature leads him to wish to see justice done to his cause, he does not desire
for those who injure him anything by way of private revenge.
Verse
9. He hath dispersed, he hath given, to the poor. What he
received, he distributed; and distributed to those who most needed it. He was
God's reservoir, and forth from his abundance flowed streams of liberality to
supply the needy. If this be one of the marks of a man who feareth the Lord,
there are some who are strangely destitute of it. They are great at gathering,
but very slow at dispersing; they enjoy the blessedness of receiving, but
seldom taste the greater joy of giving. "It is more blessed to give than
to receive"—perhaps they think that the blessing of receiving is enough
for them. His righteousness endureth for ever. His liberality has salted his
righteousness, proved its reality, and secured its perpetuity. This is the
second time that we have this remarkable sentence applied to the godly man, and
it must be understood as resulting from the enduring mercy of the Lord. The
character of a righteous man is not spasmodic, he is not generous by fits and
starts, nor upright in a few points only; his life is the result of principle,
his actions flow from settled, sure, and fixed convictions, and therefore his
integrity is maintained when others fail. He is not turned about by companions,
nor affected by the customs of society; he is resolute, determined, and
immovable. His horn shall be exalted with honour. God shall honour him, the
universe of holy beings shall honour him, and even the wicked shall feel an
unconscious reverence of him. Let it be observed, in summing up the qualities
of the God fearing man, that he is described not merely as righteous, but as
one bearing the character to which Paul refers in the memorable verse,
"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a
good man some would even dare to die." Kindness, benevolence, and
generosity, are essential to the perfect character; to be strictly just is not
enough, for God is love, and we must love our neighbour as ourselves: to give
every one his due is not sufficient, we must act upon those same principles of
grace which reign in the heart of God. The promises of establishment and
prosperity are not to churlish Nabals, nor to niggard Labans, but to bountiful
souls who have proved their fitness to be stewards of the Lord by the right way
in which they use their substance.
Verse
10. The tenth and last verse sets forth very forcibly the contrast
between the righteous and the ungodly, thus making the blessedness of the godly
appear all the more remarkable. Usually we see Ebal and Gerizim, the blessing
and the curse, set the one over against the other, to invest both with the
greater solemnity. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved. The ungodly shall
first see the example of the saints to their own condemnation, and shall at
last behold the happiness of the godly and to the increase of their eternal
misery. The child of wrath shall be obliged to witness the blessedness of the
righteous, though the sight shall make him gnaw his own heart. He shall fret
and fume, lament and wax angry, but he shall not be able to prevent it, for God's
blessing is sure and effectual. He shall gnash with his teeth. Being very
wrathful, and exceedingly envious, he would fain grind the righteous between
his teeth; but as he cannot do that, he grinds his teeth against each other.
And
melt away. The heat of his passion shall melt him like wax, and the sun of
God's providence shall dissolve him like snow, and at the last the fire of
divine vengeance shall consume him as the fat of rams. How horrible must that
life be which like the snail melts as it proceeds, leaving a slimy trail
behind. Those who are grieved at goodness deserve to be worn away by such an
abominable sorrow. The desire of the wicked shall perish. He shall not achieve
his purpose, he shall die a disappointed man. By wickedness he hoped to accomplish
his purpose—that very wickedness shall be his defeat. While the righteous shall
endure for ever, and their memory shall be always green; the ungodly man and
his name shall rot from off the face of the earth. He desired to be the founder
of a family, and to be remembered as some great one: he shall pass away and his
name shall die with him. How wide is the gulf which separates the righteous
from the wicked, and how different are the portions which the Lord deals out to
them. O for grace to be blessed of the Lord! This will make us praise him with
our whole heart.
EXPLANATORY
NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS
Whole
Psalm. The hundred and eleventh and the hundred and twelfth psalms, two
very short poems, dating apparently from the latest age of inspired psalmody,
present such features of resemblance as to leave no doubt that they came from
the same pen. In structure they are identical; and this superficial resemblance
is designed to call attention to something deeper and more important. The
subject of the one is the exact counterpart of the subject of the other. The
first celebrates the character and works of God; the second, the character and
felicity of the godly man.—William Binnie.
Whole
Psalm. Here are rehearsed the blessings which God is wont to bestow on
the godly. And as in the previous Psalm the praises of God were directly
celebrated, so in this Psalm they are indirectly declared by those gifts which
are conspicuous in those who fear him.—Solomon Gesner.
Whole
Psalm. This psalm is a banquet of heavenly wisdom; and as Basil speaketh
of another part of Scripture, likening it to an apothecary's shop; so may this
book of the psalms fitly be compared; in which are so many sundry sorts of
medicines, that every man may have that which is convenient for his disease.—T.
S., 1621.
Whole
Psalm. The righteousness of the Mediator, I make no doubt, is celebrated
in this psalm; for surely that alone is worthy to be extolled in songs of
praise: especially since we are taught by the Holy Ghost to say, "I will
make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only." I conclude,
therefore, that in this alphabetical psalm, for such is its construction,
Christ is "the Alpha and the Omega."—John Fry.
Verse
1. This psalm is a praising of God for blessing the believer, and
the whole Psalm doth prove that the believer is blessed: which proposition is
set down in verse 1, and confirmed with as many reasons as there are verses
following. Whence learn,
1.
Albeit, in singing of certain psalms, or parts thereof, there be nothing
directly spoken of the Lord, or to the Lord, yet he is praised when his truth
is our song, or when his works and doctrine are our song; as here it is said, Praise
ye the Lord, and then in the following verses the blessedness of the
believer taketh up all the psalm.
2.
It is the Lord's praise that his servants are the only blessed people in the
world. Praise ye the Lord. Why? because Blessed is the man that
feareth the Lord.
3.
He is not the blessed man who is most observant to catch opportunities to have
pleasure, profit, and worldly preferment, and careth not how he cometh by them:
but he is the blessed man who is most observant of God's will, and careful to
follow it.—David Dickson.
Verse
1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. It is not said
simply, "Blessed is the man who fears": for there is a fear which of
itself produces misery and wretchedness rather than happiness. It has to do,
therefore, chiefly with what is feared. To fear when it is not becoming, and
not to fear when fear is proper, these are not blessedness for a man, but
misery and wretchedness. The prophet, therefore, says rightly, "Blessed is
the man that feareth the Lord":and in the 7th and 8th verses he
says of this blessed one that he shall not be afraid of evil tidings.
Therefore, he who fears God and, according to the exhortation of Christ, does
not fear those who can kill the body, he truly may be numbered among the
blessed.—Wolfgang Musculus.
Verse
1. Feareth the Lord. Filial fear is here intended. Whereby we
are both restrained from evil, Pr 3:7; and incited unto well doing, Ec 12:13;
and whereof God alone is the author, Jer 32:39-40; A duty required of every
one, Ps 33:8; Early, 1Ki 18:12; Only, Lu 12:5; Continually, Pr 23:17; With
confidence, Ps 115:11; With joyfulness, Ps 119:74; With thankfulness, Re 19:5.—Thomas
Wilson, in "A Complete Christian Dictionary," 1661.
Verse
1. That delighteth greatly in his commandments. The Hebrew
word Upx, chaphets, is rather emphatic, which is, as it were, to take
his pleasure, and I have rendered it to delight himself. For the
prophet makes a distinction between a willing and prompt endeavour to keep the
law, and that which consists in mere servile and constrained obedience.—John
Calvin.
Verse
1. That delighteth greatly in his commandments—defining what
constitutes the true "fear of the Lord, "which was termed "the
beginning of wisdom, "Ps 111:10. He who hath this true "fear" delights
(Ps 111:2) not merely in the theory, but in the practice of all "the
Lord's commandments." Such fear, so far from being a "hard"
service, is the only "blessed" one (Jer 32:39). Compare the Gospel
commandments, 1Jo 3:23-24 Ps 112:3. True obedience is not task work, as
formalists regard religion, but a "delight" (Ps 1:2). Worldly delights,
which made piety irksome, are supplanted by the newborn delight in and taste
for the will and ways of God (Ps 19:7-10).—A. R. Fausset.
Verse
1. In his commandments. When we cheerfully practice all that
the Lord requireth of us, love sweetens all things, and it becomes our meat and
drink to do his will. The thing commanded is excellent, but it is sweeter
because commanded by him—"his commandments." A man is
never thoroughly converted till he delighteth in God and his service, and his
heart is overpowered by the sweetness of divine love. A slavish kind of
religiousness, when we had rather not do than do our work, is no fruit of
grace, and cannot evidence a sincere love.—Thomas Manton.
Verse
2. His seed. If any one should desire to leave behind him a
flourishing posterity, let him not think to accomplish it by accumulating heaps
of gold and silver, and leaving them behind him; but by rightly recognising God
and serving Him; and commending his children to the guardianship and protection
of God.—Mollerus.
Verse
2. The generation of the upright—the family; the children—shall
be blessed. Such promises are expected to be fulfilled in general;it
is not required by any proper rules of interpreting language that this should
be universally and always true.—Albert Barnes.
Verse
2. The generation of the upright shall be blessed. Albeit,
few do believe it, yet is it true, that upright dealing hath better fruits than
witty projecting and cunning catching.—David Dickson.
Verses
2-3. It is probable that Lot thought of enriching his family when he chose
the fertile plains of wicked Sodom, yet the event was very different; but
Abraham "feared the Lord, and delighted greatly in his commandments,
"and his descendants were "mighty upon earth." And thus
it will generally be, in every age, with the posterity of those who imitate the
father of the faithful; and their disinterested and liberal conduct shall
prove, in the event, a far preferable inheritance laid up for their children,
than gold and silver, houses and lands, would have been.—Thomas Scott.
Verse
3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house, and his righteousness
endureth for ever. He is not the worse for his wealth, nor drawn aside by
the deceitfulness of riches, which yet is hard and happy.—John Trapp.
Verse
3. In the lower sense, we may read these words literally of abundant
wealth bestowed on the righteous by God, and used, not for pride and luxury,
but for continual works of mercy, whence it is said of the person so enriched,
that his righteousness endureth for ever. But the higher meaning bids us see
here those true spiritual riches which are stored up for the poor in spirit,
often most needy in the prosperity of the world; and we may come at the truest
sense by comparing the words wherein the great apostle describes his own
condition, "As poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet
possessing all things." 2Co 6:10. For who can be richer than he who is
heir of God and joint heir with Jesus Christ?—Agellius, Chrysostom, and
Didymus, in Neale and Littledale.
Verse
3. His righteousness endureth for ever. It seems a bold thing
to say this of anything human, and yet it is true; for all human righteousness
has its root in the righteousness of God. It is not merely man striving to copy
God. It is God's gift and God's work. There is a living connexion between the
righteousness of God and the righteousness of man, and therefore the
imperishableness of the one appertains to the other also. Hence the same thing
is affirmed here of the human righteousness which in Ps 111:3 is affirmed of
the Divine.—J. J. S. Perowne.
Verse
3. His righteousness endureth for ever. We are justified
before God by faith only: Ro 3:4: but they are righteous before men, who live
honestly, piously, humbly, as the law of God requires. Concerning this
righteousness the Psalmist says that it endureth for ever, while the feigned
and simulated uprightness of hypocrites is abominable before God, and with men
speedily passes away.—Solomon Gesner.
Verse
4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness. The
arising of light out of darkness, although one of the most common, is one of
the most beautiful, as it is one of the most beneficent natural phenomena. The
sunrise is a daily victory of light over darkness. Every morning the darkness
flees away. Heavy sleepers in the city are not apt to be very well acquainted
with the rising sun. They know the tender beauties of the dawning, and the
glories of sunrise by poetical description, or by the word of others. The light
has fully come, and the day has long begun its work, especially if it be summer
time, before ordinary citizens are awake; and, unless on some rare occasions,
the millions of men who, every day, see more or less the fading of the light
into the dark, never see the rising of the light out of the dark again; and, perhaps,
seldom or never think with what thankfulness and joy it is hailed by those who
need it—by the sailor, tempest tossed all night, and driven too near the
sandbank or the shore; by the benighted traveller lost in the wood, or in the
wild, who knows not south from north until the sun shall rise; by the night
watcher in the sick room, who hears, and weeps to hear, through the weary
night, the moaning of that old refrain of sorrow, "Would God it were
morning!" What intensity of sorrow, fear, hope, there may be in that
expression, "more than they that watch for the morning; I say, more than
they that watch for the morning"! Now I make no doubt that there is at
least somewhat of that more intense meaning carried up into the higher region
of spiritual experience, and expressed by the text, "Unto the upright
there ariseth light in the darkness." ...Sincerity: an honest desire to
know the truth: readiness to make any sacrifice in order to the knowledge:
obedience to the truth so far as it is known already—these will bring the light
when nothing else will bring it.—Alexander Raleigh, in "The Little
Sanctuary and other Meditations," 1872.
Verse
4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness. The
great lesson taught by this simile is the connection which obtains between
integrity of purpose and clearness of perception, insomuch that a duteous
conformity to what is right, is generally followed up by a ready and luminous
discernment of what is true. It tells us that if we have but grace to do as we
ought, we shall be made to see as we ought. It is a lesson repeatedly affirmed
in Scripture, and that in various places both of the Old and New Testament:
"The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more
unto the perfect day"; "The righteousness of the upright shall
deliver them"; "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the
upright in heart"; or still more specifically, "To him that ordereth
his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God."—Thomas
Chalmers, 1780-1847.
Verse
4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: that
is, comfort in affliction. He hath comforted others in affliction, and been
light to them in their darkness, as is showed in the latter end of the fourth
verse, and in the fifth, and therefore by way of gracious retaliation, the Lord
will comfort him in his affliction, and command the light to rise upon him in
his darkness.—Joseph Caryl.
Verse
4. Light. Darkness. While we are on earth, we are subject to
a threefold "darkness"; the darkness of error, the darkness of
sorrow, and the darkness of death. To dispel these, God visiteth us, by his
Word, with a threefold "light"; the light of truth, the light
of comfort, and the light of life.—George Horne.
Verse
4. Gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous—attributes
usually applied to God, but here said of "the upright."
The children of God, knowing in their own experience that God our Father is "gracious,
full of compassion, and righteous, "seek themselves to be the same
towards their fellow- men from instinctive imitation of him (Mt 5:45,48; Eph
5:8; Lu 6:36).—A. R. Fausset.
Verse
5. A good man sheweth favour, etc. Consider that power to do
good is a dangerous ability, unless we use it. Remember that it is God who
giveth wealth, and that he expects some answerable return of it. Live not in
such an inhuman manner as if Nabal and Judas were come again into the world.
Think frequently and warmly of the love of God and Jesus to you. You will not
deny your crumbs to the miserable, when you thankfully call to mind that Christ
gave for you his very flesh and blood. Consider as one great end of poverty is
patience, so one great end of wealth is charity. Think how honourable it is to
make a present to the great King of the world; and what a condescension it is
in his all sufficiency to do that good by us, which he could so abundantly do
without us.—Thomas Tenison, 1636-1715.
Verse
5. Lendeth. The original word here, hwl, lavah, means
to join oneself to any one; to cleave to him; then to form the union which is
constituted between debtor and creditor, borrower and lender. Here it is used
in the latter sense, and it means that a good man will accommodate another—a
neighbour—with money, or with articles to be used temporarily and returned
again. A man who always borrows is not a desirable neighbour; but a man who
never lends—who never is willing to accommodate—is a neighbour that no one
would wish to live near—a crooked, perverse, bad man. True religion will always
dispose a man to do acts of kindness in any and every way possible.—Albert
Barnes.
Verse
5. Charity though it springs in the heart should be guided by the
head, that it may spread itself abroad to the best advantage. He will guide his
affairs with discretion, and no affairs are so properly the good man's own as
the dispensation and stewardship of those blessings which God has entrusted him
with, for "it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful."—Michael
Cox, 1748.
Verse
5. He will guide his affairs with discretion. Just as a
steward, servant, or agent in any secular concern has to feel that his mind is
his master's, as well as his hands, and that his attention, thought, tact, and
talent, should be vigorously and faithfully given to the interests of his
employer; so the Christian stewardship of money, demands on the part of God's
servant, in respect to every form of its use and disposal, the exercise of
reflection; a reference to conscience; the recollection of responsibility to
God; attention to the appeals of humanity as addressed to the ear of justice
and love. Everything is to be weighed as in the balance of the sanctuary; a
decision formed; and then energy, skill, schemes, and plans wisely constructed,
prudential limitations or beneficent liberality as may seem best. Spending,
saving, giving, or lending, all being done so as best to meet what may be felt
to be the Master's will, and what may best evince at once the wisdom and the
fidelity of his servant.—Thomas Binney, in "Money: a Popular Exposition
in Rough Notes," 1865.
Verse
5. Discretion. There is a story, concerning divers ancient
Fathers, that they came to St. Anthony, enquiring of him, what virtue did by a
direct line lead to perfection, that so a man might shun the snares of Satan.
He bade every one of them speak his opinion; one said, watching and sobriety;
another said, fasting and discipline; a third said, humble prayer; a fourth
said, poverty and obedience; and another, piety and works of mercy; but when
every one had spoken his mind, his answer was, That all these were excellent
graces indeed, but discretion was the chief of them all. And so beyond doubt it
is; being the very Auriga virtutum, the guide of all virtuous and
religious actions, the moderator and orderer of all the affections; for
whatsoever is done with it is virtue, and what without it is vice. An ounce of
discretion is said to be worth a pound of learning. As zeal without knowledge
is blind, so knowledge without discretion is lame, like a sword in a madman's
hand, able to do much, apt to do nothing. Tolle hanc et virtus vitium erit.
He that will fast must fast with discretion, he must so mortify that he does
not kill his flesh; he that gives alms to the poor, must do it with discretion,
Omni petenti non omnia petenti—to every one that doth ask, but not
everything that he doth ask; so likewise pray with discretion, observing place
and time; place, lest he be reputed a hypocrite; time, lest he be accounted a
heretic. Thus it is that discretion is to be made the guide of all religious
performances.—Quoted by John Spencer, 1658.
Verse
6. What doth the text say? The righteous (that is the bountiful) shall
be in everlasting remembrance. God remembers our good deeds, when he
rewards them (as he does our prayers, when he hears them). If to remember,
then, be to reward, an everlasting reward is our everlasting remembrance... Now
in those who are to be partakers of mercy, the divine wisdom requires this
congruity, that they be such as have been ready to show mercy to others.—Joseph
Mede, 1586-1638.
Verse
6. The righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. The
stately and durable pyramids of Egypt have not transmitted to posterity even
the names of those buried in them. And what has even embalming done, but tossed
them about, and exposed them to all the world as spectacles to the curious, of
meanness, or horror? But the piety of Abraham, of Jacob, of David and Samuel,
of Hezekiah, Josiah and others, is celebrated to this very day. So when
pyramids shall sink, and seas cease to roll, when sun and moon and stars shall
be no more, "the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance."—John
Dun, 1790.
Verse
7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings. How can you
affright him? Bring him word his estate is ruined; "yet my inheritance is
safe, "says he. Your wife, or child, or dear friend is dead; "yet my
Father lives." You yourself must die; "well, then, I go home to my
Father, and to my inheritance." For the public troubles of the Church,
doubtless it is both a most pious and generous temper, to be more deeply affected
for these than for all our private ones; and to sympathise in the common
calamities of any people, but especially of God's own people, hath been the
character of men near unto him. Observe the pathetic strains of the prophet's
bewailing, when he foretells the desolation even of foreign kingdoms, much more
of the Lord's chosen people, still mindful of Sion, and mournful of her
distresses. (Jer 9:1, and the whole Book of Lamentations.) Yet even in this,
with much compassion, there is a calm in a believer's mind; he finds amidst all
hard news, yet still a fixed heart, trusting, satisfied in this, that
deliverance shall come in due time, Ps 102:13, and that in those judgments that
are inflicted, man shall be humbled and God exalted, Isa 2:11,15,16; and that
in all tumults and changes, and subversion of states, still the throne of God
is fixed, and with that the believer's heart likewise, Ps 93:2. So Ps 29:10.—Robert
Leighton.
Verse
7. He shall not be afraid, etc. If a man would lead a happy
life, let him but seek a sure object for his trust, and he shall be safe: He
shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the
Lord. A man that puts his confidence in God, if he hears bad news of
mischief coming towards him, as suppose a bad debt, a loss at sea, accidents by
fire, tempests, or earthquakes, as Job had his messenger's of evil tidings,
which came thick and threefold upon him, yet he is not afraid, for his heart is
fixed on God: he hath laid up his confidence in God, therefore his heart is
kept in an equal poise; he can say, as Job, "The Lord gave, and the Lord
hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord, "Job 1:21. His comforts
did not ebb and flow with the creature, but his heart was fixed, trusting in
the Lord.—Thomas Manton.
Verse
7 (first clause). The good man will not be alarmed by any report of
danger, whilst the dishonest man, conscious of his wickedness, is always in a
state of fear.—George Phillips.
Verse
7. His heart is fixed, or prepared, ready, and in arms for
all services; resolved not to give back, able to meet all adventures, and stand
its ground. God is unchangeable; and therefore faith is invincible, for it sets
the heart on him; fastens it there on the rock of eternity; then let winds blow
and storms arise, it cares not.—Robert Leighton.
Verse
7. His heart is fixed—established fearlessly. So Moses, with
the Red Sea before and the Egyptian foes behind (Ex 14:13); Jehoshaphat before
the Ammonite horde of invaders (2Ch 20:12,15,17); Asa before Zerah, the
Ethiopian's "thousand thousand, and three hundred chariots" (2Ch
14:9-12). Contrast with the persecuted David's fearless trust, Saul's panic
stricken feeling at the Philistine invasion, inasmuch as he repaired for help
to a witch. How bold were the three youths in prospect of Nebuchadnezzar's
fiery furnace! How fearless Stephen before the council! Basilius could say, in
answer to the threats of Caesar Valens, "such bug bears should be set
before children." Athanasius said of Julian, his persecutor, "He is a
mist that will soon disappear."—A. R. Fausset.
Verse
7. Trusting in the Lord, I need not prove that a man can have
no other sure comfort and support. For what can he confide in? His treasure?
This may soon be exhausted, or it may awaken the avarice or ambition of a
powerful enemy, as Hezekiah's did the king of Babylon, and so instead of being
a defence, prove the occasion of his ruin. Can he confide in power?
Alas, he knows that when this is grown too big to fall by any other hands, it
generally falls by its own. Can he finally confide in worldly wisdom?
Alas, a thousand unexpected accidents, and unobserved latent circumstances,
cross and frustrate this, and render the Ahithophels not only unfortunate, but
often contemptible too.—Richard Lucas, 1648-1715.
Verse
8. His heart is established. Happy surely, is the man whose
heart is thus established. Others may be politic, he only is wise; others may
be fortunate, he only is great; others may drink deeper draughts of sensual
pleasure, he only can eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the
paradise of God. He is an image of that great Being whom he trusts...and in the
midst of storms, and thunders, and earthquakes sits himself serene and
undisturbed, bidding the prostrate world adore the Lord of the universe.—George
Gleig, 1803.
Verse
8. Until he see his desire upon his enemies. His faith will
not fail, nor shrink, nor change, while one by one his enemies are brought to
the knowledge of the truth and the love of Christ, and he shall see his heart's
desire fulfilled upon them, even that they may be saved.—Plain Commentary.
Verse
8. Until he see his desire upon his enemies. Or, according to
the original, Until he looks upon his oppressors; that is, till he
behold them securely, and, as we say, confidently looks in their faces; as being
now no longer under their power, but being freed from their tyranny and
oppression.—Thomas Fenton.
Verse
9. When all the flashes of sensual pleasure are quite extinct, when
all the flowers of secular glory are withered away; when all earthly treasures
are buried in darkness; when this world, and all the fashion of it, are utterly
vanished and gone, the bountiful man's state will be still firm and
flourishing, and "his righteousness shall endure for ever."
His horn shall be exalted with honour. A horn is an emblem of power; for
it is the beast's strength, offensive and defensive: and of plenty, for
it hath within it a capacity apt to contain what is put into it; and of sanctity,
for in it was put the holy oil, with which kings were consecrated; and of dignity,
both in consequence upon the reasons mentioned (as denoting might, and
influence, and sacredness accompanying sovereign dignity) and because also it
is an especial beauty and ornament to the creature which hath it; so that this
expression, "his horn shall be exalted with honour, "may be
supposed to import that an abundance of high, and holy, of firm and solid
honour shall attend upon the bountiful person ... God will thus exalt the
bountiful man's horn even here in this world, and to an infinitely higher pitch
he will advance it in a future state.—Isaac Barrow, 1630-1677.
Verse
9. For ever. The Hebrew phrase in this text is not Mlwel, in
seculum, which is sometimes used of a limited eternity, but del, in
eternum, which seems more expressive of an endless duration, and is the
very same phrase whereby the duration of God's righteousness is expressed in
the foregoing psalm at the third verse.—William Berriman, 1688-1749.
Verses
9-10. These words are an enlargement of the character, begun at the
first verse, of the blessed man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly
in his commandments. The author closes that character with an amiable
description of his charity, and so leaves on our minds a strong impression,
that benevolence of heart when displayed in the benefaction of the hand is the
surest mark and fairest accomplishment of a moral and religious mind; which,
whether it rewards the worthy, or relieves the unworthy object, is the noblest
imitation of the dealings of God with mankind. For he rewardeth the good if any
can be called so but himself, (though the name good is but God
spread out). He beareth even with the wicked and stretcheth out his hand to
save even them.—Michael Cox.
Verse
10. The wicked. The word evr, the wicked, is used
emphatically, by the Jews, to denote him who neither gives to the poor himself,
nor can endure to see other people give; while he who deserves but one part of
this character is only said to have an evil eye in regard of other people's
substance, or in regard of his own.—Mishna.
Verse
10. The wicked shall see it and be grieved, etc. The sight of
Christ in glory with his saints, will, in an inexpressible manner torment the
crucifiers of the one, and the persecutors of the other; as it will show them
the hopes and wishes of their adversaries all granted to the full, and all
their own "desires" and designs for ever at an end; it will excite
envy which must prey upon itself, produce a grief which can admit of no
comfort, give birth to a worm which can never die, and blow up those fires
which nothing can quench.—George Horne.
Verse
10. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved, etc. It is the
property of the Devil, not to mistake the nature of virtue, and esteem it
criminal, but to hate it for this reason, because it is good, and therefore
most opposite to his designs. The wicked, as his proper emissaries, resemble
him in this, and grieve to have the foulness of their vices made conspicuous by
being placed near the light of virtuous example...They may, like the giants of
ancient fable, attempt a romantic war with heaven; but all their preparations
for that purpose must recoil with double force upon themselves, and cover them
with shame and confusion...If such be the effect of their malice in the present
life, that, instead of injuring those they rage against, it usually turns to
their own vexation, how much more, when the scene shall open in the life to
come... They shall continue then to gnash their teeth (the wretched amusement
of that cursed state) as well in grief and anguish for their own torments, as
in rage and envy at the abundant honour which is done the saints.—William
Berriman.
Verse
10. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; that is, he shall
have secret indignation in himself to see matters go so; he shall gnash with
his teeth, and melt away. Gnashing of teeth is caused by vexing the heart; and
therefore it follows, he melts away; which notes (melting is from the heart) an
extreme heat within. The sense is very suitable to that of Eliphaz (Job 5:2)
"wrath slayeth the foolish, "or wrath makes him melt away, it melts
his grease with chafing, as we say of a man furiously vexed. Hence that
deplorable condition of the damned, who are cast out of the presence of God for
ever, is described by "weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth";
which imports not only pain, but extreme vexing at, or in themselves. These
finally impenitent ones shall be slain for ever with their own wrath, as well
as with the wrath of God.—Joseph Caryl.
Verse
10. The wicked shall see it. The psalm which speaks of the
blessedness of the saints also bears solemn testimony to the doom of the
wicked. Cowper sings as if this verse was before his eyes.
...The
same word, that like the polished share
Ploughs up the roots of a believer's care,
Kills, too, the flowery weeds wherever they grow,
That bind the sinner's Bacchanalian brow.
Oh that unwelcome voice of heavenly love,
Sad messenger of mercy from above,
How does it grate upon his thankless ear,
Crippling his pleasures with the cramp of fear.
His will and judgment at continual strife,
That civil war embitters all his life;
In vain he points his powers against the skies,
In vain he closes or averts his eyes;
Truth will intrude.
Verse
10. He shall gnash with his teeth. An enraged man snaps his
teeth together, as if about to bite the object of his anger. Thus in the book Ramyanum,
the giant Ravanan is described as in his fury gnashing together his
"thirty-two teeth!" Of angry men it is frequently said, "Look at
the beast, how he gnashes his teeth!" "Go near that fellow!
not I, indeed! he will only gnash his teeth."—Joseph Roberts.
Verse
10. He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away. The effect
of envy, which consumes the envious. Thus the poet: "Envy is most hateful,
but has some good in it, for it makes the eyes and the heart of the envious to
pine away."—John Le Clerc, 1657-1736.
HINTS TO THE
VILLAGE PREACHER
Verse
1. "Praise ye the LORD."
1.
Who should be praised? Not man, self, wealth, etc., but God only.
2.
Who should praise him? All men, but specially his people, the blessed ones
described in this psalm.
3.
Why should they do it? For all the reasons mentioned in succeeding verses.
4.
How should they do it? Chiefly by leading such a life as is here described.
Verse
1 (second clause).
1.
Fear of the Lord; what it is.
2.
Its connection with the delight mentioned.
3.
The qualities in the commandments which excite delight in God fearing minds.
Verse
2. The real might of the holy seed and their true blessedness.
Verse
3. The riches of a Christian: content, peace, security, power in
prayer, promises, providence, yea, God himself.
Verse
3. The enduring character of true righteousness.
1.
Based on eternal principles.
2. Growing out of an incorruptible seed.
3. Sustained by a faithful God.
4. United to the ever living Christ.
Verse
3. Connection of the two clauses—How to be wealthy and righteous.
Note the following verses, and show how liberality is needful if rich men would
be righteous men.
Verse
4 (whole verse).
1.
The upright have their dark times.
2. They shall receive comfort.
3. Their own character will secure this.
Verse 4 (first clause).
1.
The character of the righteous: "upright, " "gracious,
"etc.
2.
His privilege.
(a)
Light as well as darkness.
(b)
More light than darkness.
(c)
Light in darkness: inward light in the midst of surrounding darkness. Light
seen above, when all is dark below. Even darkness itself becomes the harbinger
of day.—G. R.
Verse
4 (last clause). A Trinity of excellencies found in true
Christians, in Christ, and in God: their union forms a perfect character when
they are well balanced. Show how they are exemplified in daily life.
Verse
5.
1.
A good man is benevolent, but a benevolent man is not always good.
2.
A good man is prudent, but a prudent man is not always a good man. There must
first be goodness and then its fruits. "Make the tree good, "etc.—G.R.
Verse
5. "Lending."
1.
It is to be done.
2.
It is to be done as a favour; borrowing is seeking alms.
3.
It should be done very discreetly. Add to this a homily on borrowing and
repaying.
Verse
6.
1.
In this life the Christian is,
a.
Steadfast;
b. Calm;
c. Unconquerable: and
2.
When this life is over his memory is,
a.
Beloved;
b. Influential;
c. Perpetual.
Verse
6.
1.
The character of the righteous is eternal: "surely," etc.
2. His influence upon others is eternal: "shall be had," etc.—G.R.
Verse
7.
1.
"He shall not be afraid, "etc.: peaceful.
2. "His heart is fixed": restful.
3. "Trusting in the Lord": trustful; the cause of the former.
Verse
7.
1.
The waves: "evil tidings."
2. The steady ship: "he shall not be afraid."
3. The anchor: "his heart is fixed, trusting."
4. The anchorage: "in the Lord."
Verse
8. Heart establishment, the confidence which flows from it, the
sight which shall be seen by him who possesses it.
Verse
8.
1.
The security of the righteous: "his heart is established."
2. His tranquillity: "he shall not be afraid; "and,
3. His expectancy: "until, "etc.—G.R.
Verse
9. Benevolence: its exercise in alms giving, its preserving influence
upon character, and the honour which it wins.
Verse
10.
1.
What the wicked must see, and its effect upon them.
2. What they shall never see (their desire), and the result of their
disappointment.
WORK UPON THE
HUNDRED AND TWELFTH PSALM
An
Exposition upon the 112 Psalme. The high way to everlasting blessednesse.
Written for the benefit of God's Church. By T. S. . . . London, 1621. (8vo.
This exposition is upon the first two verses of the Psalm only.)
── C.H. Spurgeon《The Treasury of David》