Psalm 112/Notes/Lexical.Vv. 5-6.9695

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  • SDBH defines טוב as the "state in which humans and deities have character, integrity, and good fortune." In this passage, the emphasis is on the "good fortune" part of the definition: "fortunate," as a parallel to אשרי in v. 1.[1]
  • The verb translated manages (יְכַלְכֵּל) most often refers to a "causative action by which humans... ensure that (other) humans received the food and care that they need."[2] In this way, the verb 'manages' corresponds lexically and poetically to the phrase 'lends generously' in the previous line. In this context, however, the meaning seems to be different. Most understand the phrase here to mean "to conduct one's affairs."[3] Understood in this sense, the whole verse is about the man's finances. The first half of the verse says that he is generous with his finances; the second half says that he is just in the administration of his finances.
  • The noun משפט could mean either "place/process of judgment" (NASB; so BDB) or "justice" (NIV, NRSV, NLT, ESV, NET, GNT, CEV, JPS85; so SDBH; cf. Targum). The absence of the definite article and the parallel with Psalm 111 favor interpreting the word as an abstract noun "justice."
  1. Cf. Jer. 44:17 and Isa. 3:10; so De Wette, Delitzsch, Baethgen, Hupfeld. Cf. Radak: טוב איש כמו אשרי איש. Cf. the Aramaic expression טוביה דגברא which is equivalent to אשרי איש. In light of this parallel, טוֹב אִישׁ might even be a construct chain, equivalent to טוב יהיה לאיש (cf. Eccl. 8:12–13).
  2. SDBH. E.g., Gen 47:12; 1 Kgs 18:4.
  3. HALOT; cf. Ges–18 "seine Angelegenheiten rechtmäßig besorgt." Cf. LXX οἰκονομήσει τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐν κρίσει (which can be understood in this sense; see Ps 111:5 in Septuaginta Deutsch). Cf. Sirach 49:9 המכלכל כל (full line reconstructed as המכלכל כל דרכי צדק.