Psalm 112 Text

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The one who fears YHWH

Psalm 112

Listen & Read: Psalm 112

Read along and listen to our audio recordings for Psalm 112. Choose between simple, unaffected audio recordings (in Hebrew or English), or a dramatized reading that takes into account our emotional and discourse analyses. You can also choose between a text-only view, or a view overlaid with our summary At-a-Glance, Expanded Paraphrase, or Participant Analysis tracking.

Simple Reading (Hebrew) Forthcoming.	Simple Reading (English) Forthcoming.
Dramatic Reading (Hebrew) Forthcoming.	Dramatic Reading (English) Forthcoming.

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Text Only (Hebrew and English) The text below is divided according to the psalm's poetic lines. For additional information, see our Poetic Structure layer.

Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀	1a	Praise Yah!
אַשְׁרֵי־אִ֭ישׁ יָרֵ֣א אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה	1b	Happy is the one [who] fears YHWH,
בְּ֝מִצְוֺתָ֗יו חָפֵ֥ץ מְאֹֽד׃	1c	[who] delights very much in his commands!
גִּבּ֣וֹר בָּ֭אָרֶץ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְע֑וֹ	2a	His offspring will be great on the earth,
דּ֭וֹר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יְבֹרָֽךְ׃	2b	a generation of upright people [who] will be blessed.
הוֹן־וָעֹ֥שֶׁר בְּבֵית֑וֹ	3a	Immense wealth is in his house,
וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	3b	and his righteousness endures forever.
זָ֘רַ֤ח בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ א֭וֹר לַיְשָׁרִים ישרים	4a	A light for the upright has risen in the darkness,
חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם וְצַדִּֽיק׃	4b	merciful and compassionate and righteous.
טֽוֹב־אִ֭ישׁ חוֹנֵ֣ן וּמַלְוֶ֑ה	5a	Fortunate is the one who lends generously,
יְכַלְכֵּ֖ל דְּבָרָ֣יו בְּמִשְׁפָּֽט׃	5b	[who] manages his affairs with justice!
כִּֽי־לְעוֹלָ֥ם לֹא־יִמּ֑וֹט	6a	For he will never waver.
לְזֵ֥כֶר ע֝וֹלָ֗ם יִהְיֶ֥ה צַדִּֽיק׃	6b	The righteous one will be remembered forever.
מִשְּׁמוּעָ֣ה רָ֭עָה לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א	7a	He will not be afraid of bad news.
נָכ֥וֹן לִ֝בּ֗וֹ בָּטֻ֥חַ בַּיהוָֽה׃	7b	His heart is confident, trusting in YHWH.
סָמ֣וּךְ לִ֭בּוֹ לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א	8a	His heart is encouraged. He will not be afraid,
עַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־יִרְאֶ֣ה בְצָרָֽיו׃	8b	until he looks [in triumph] on his adversaries.
פִּזַּ֤ר ׀ נָ֘תַ֤ן לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים	9a	He has given freely to the poor.
צִ֭דְקָתוֹ עֹמֶ֣דֶת לָעַ֑ד	9b	His righteousness endures forever.
קַ֝רְנ֗וֹ תָּר֥וּם בְּכָבֽוֹד׃	9c	His horn will rise in honor.
רָ֘שָׁ֤ע יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ וְכָעָ֗ס	10a	The wicked person will see and become vexed.
שִׁנָּ֣יו יַחֲרֹ֣ק וְנָמָ֑ס	10b	He will grind his teeth and waste away.
תַּאֲוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃	10c	The desire of the wicked will come to an end.

Structure Overlay Below, the text has been overlaid with our summary structural analysis. For details on the structure, see the Structure At-a-Glance here.

Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Text (CBC)
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀	1a	Praise Yah!
אַשְׁרֵי־אִ֭ישׁ יָרֵ֣א אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה	1b	Happy is the one [who] fears YHWH,
בְּ֝מִצְוֺתָ֗יו חָפֵ֥ץ מְאֹֽד׃	1c	[who] delights very much in his commands!
גִּבּ֣וֹר בָּ֭אָרֶץ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְע֑וֹ	2a	His offspring will be great on the earth,
דּ֭וֹר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יְבֹרָֽךְ׃	2b	a generation of upright people [who] will be blessed.
הוֹן־וָעֹ֥שֶׁר בְּבֵית֑וֹ	3a	Immense wealth is in his house,
וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	3b	and his righteousness endures forever.
זָ֘רַ֤ח בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ א֭וֹר לַיְשָׁרִים	4a	A light for the upright has risen in the darkness,
חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם וְצַדִּֽיק׃	4b	merciful and compassionate and righteous.
טֽוֹב־אִ֭ישׁ חוֹנֵ֣ן וּמַלְוֶ֑ה	5a	Fortunate is the one who lends generously,
יְכַלְכֵּ֖ל דְּבָרָ֣יו בְּמִשְׁפָּֽט׃	5b	[who] manages his affairs with justice!
כִּֽי־לְעוֹלָ֥ם לֹא־יִמּ֑וֹט	6a	For he will never waver.
לְזֵ֥כֶר ע֝וֹלָ֗ם יִהְיֶ֥ה צַדִּֽיק׃	6b	The righteous one will be remembered forever.
מִשְּׁמוּעָ֣ה רָ֭עָה לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א	7a	He will not be afraid of bad news.
נָכ֥וֹן לִ֝בּ֗וֹ בָּטֻ֥חַ בַּיהוָֽה׃	7b	His heart is confident, trusting in YHWH.
סָמ֣וּךְ לִ֭בּוֹ לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א	8a	His heart is encouraged. He will not be afraid,
עַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־יִרְאֶ֣ה בְצָרָֽיו׃	8b	until he looks [in triumph] on his adversaries.
פִּזַּ֤ר ׀ נָ֘תַ֤ן לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים	9a	He has given freely to the poor.
צִ֭דְקָתוֹ עֹמֶ֣דֶת לָעַ֑ד	9b	His righteousness endures forever.
קַ֝רְנ֗וֹ תָּר֥וּם בְּכָבֽוֹד׃	9c	His horn will rise in honor.
רָ֘שָׁ֤ע יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ וְכָעָ֗ס	10a	The wicked person will see and become vexed.
שִׁנָּ֣יו יַחֲרֹ֣ק וְנָמָ֑ס	10b	He will grind his teeth and waste away.
תַּאֲוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃	10c	The desire of the wicked will come to an end.

Expanded paraphrase The expanded paraphrase seeks to capture the implicit information within the text and make it explicit for readers today. It is based on the CBC translation and uses italic text to provide the most salient background information, presuppositions, entailments, and inferences.

Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Expanded Paraphrase
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀ אַשְׁרֵי־אִ֭ישׁ יָרֵ֣א אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה בְּ֝מִצְוֺתָ֗יו חָפֵ֥ץ מְאֹֽד׃	1	Praise Yah who made a covenant with King David and promised to give him an eternal dynasty! If David's descendants study YHWH's law, fear YHWH, and keep his commandments, then they will be successful, and people will call them 'happy', that is, people will acknowledge that their position in life is admirable and desirable. And so, I say, both of the king who fears YHWH and of all those who follow his example, Happy is the one who studies YHWH's commands daily and thereby learns to fear YHWH, who fears YHWH, [who] keeps YHWH's commands, because he delights very much in his commands!
גִּבּ֣וֹר בָּ֭אָרֶץ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְע֑וֹ דּ֭וֹר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יְבֹרָֽךְ׃	2	This person is to be considered 'happy' because he will have many sons, and His offspring will be great on the earth, mighty warriors fighting for the cause of truth and justice, a generation of upright people [who] will be blessed and made great by YHWH.
הוֹן־וָעֹ֥שֶׁר בְּבֵית֑וֹ וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	3	Wise and successful kings gain immense wealth. This man is a wise and successful king, and so Immense wealth is in his house, and not only is he wealthy, but he has something far more valuable than wealth: righteousness. Even if his wealth deteriorates his righteousness the preeminent quality of a good king endures forever.
זָ֘רַ֤ח בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ א֭וֹר לַיְשָׁרִים חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם וְצַדִּֽיק׃	4	This righteous king is like the sun, which is a common image for righteousness and justice. Just as the sun has dominion over the day and the responsibility to provide light and heat during the day, so the king has dominion over his kingdom and the responsibility to maintain justice in the kingdom. Justice is the precondition for peace and well-being, just as light and heat are the preconditions for flourishing on the earth. The wise and just king is, therefore, like A light for the upright which has risen in the darkness dispelling injustice and bringing peace, and he is, like YHWH, his father, merciful and compassionate and righteous.
טֽוֹב־אִ֭ישׁ חוֹנֵ֣ן וּמַלְוֶ֑ה יְכַלְכֵּ֖ל דְּבָרָ֣יו בְּמִשְׁפָּֽט׃	5	Fortunate is the one who, in his delight for YHWH's commands, keeps the commands and lends generously, [who] manages his financial affairs with justice, that is, in accordance with YHWH's law!
כִּֽי־לְעוֹלָ֥ם לֹא־יִמּ֑וֹט לְזֵ֥כֶר ע֝וֹלָ֗ם יִהְיֶ֥ה צַדִּֽיק׃	6	This is why I declare him to be 'fortunate': For he will never be drastically affected by negative circumstances that cause him to waver with worry. The righteous one will be remembered forever.
מִשְּׁמוּעָ֣ה רָ֭עָה לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א נָכ֥וֹן לִ֝בּ֗וֹ בָּטֻ֥חַ בַּיהוָֽה׃	7	And even when he does face negative circumstances, He will not be afraid of bad news, for example, when a foreign adversary poses a serious threat to the well-being of the kingdom. Instead, His heart is confident, trusting in YHWH who will protect him and fight for him.
סָמ֣וּךְ לִ֭בּוֹ לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א עַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־יִרְאֶ֣ה בְצָרָֽיו׃	8	His heart is encouraged by YHWH and by the certainty of receiving YHWH's help. He will not be afraid and, in his fear, seek an alliance with another foreign nation. Instead, he will remain unafraid all through the battle, until he finally looks [in triumph] on his defeated adversaries.
פִּזַּ֤ר ׀ נָ֘תַ֤ן לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים צִ֭דְקָתוֹ עֹמֶ֣דֶת לָעַ֑ד קַ֝רְנ֗וֹ תָּר֥וּם בְּכָבֽוֹד׃	9	And his enemies are not the only ones to be 'scattered'; he has 'scattered' his wealth as well! He has not kept his wealth for himself, but has given it freely and bountifully to the poor. Meanwhile, His righteousness which is his greatest asset endures forever. When he defeats his enemies, His horn a symbol for his strength will rise in honor.
רָ֘שָׁ֤ע יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ וְכָעָ֗ס שִׁנָּ֣יו יַחֲרֹ֣ק וְנָמָ֑ס תַּאֲוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃	10	The wicked person will see the rising horn and the growing success of the man and become vexed, because he knows that his wicked desires cannot be satisfied for much longer, because the king is purging all wickedness from his kingdom. In order to express his hostility towards the king, He will grind his teeth and eventually, when the king's justice reaches him, he will melt and waste away like something melting from the heat of the sun. And so, under the rule of the man who fears YHWH, The desire of the wicked will come to an end.

Psalm 112/Prominence/Text

Participant Tracking Text Participant Analysis focuses on the characters in the psalm and asks, “Who are the main participants (or characters) in this psalm, and what are they saying or doing? Our full analysis can be found in the Participant Analysis layer.

  Participant Color-Coding

Participant Set List

There are four participants/characters in Psalm 112:

Profile List

Leader

"The man who fears YHWH" (v. 1)

"A light" (v. 4)

"Righteous one" (v. 6)

Offspring

"A generation of upright people" (v. 2)

YHWH

"Yah" (v. 1)

Upright Ones

"The poor" (v. 9)

Wicked

"Adversaries" (v. 8)

Profile Notes

• Leader: The "man who fears YHWH" (v. 1), also referred to as the "righteous one" (v. 6b) and depicted as "a (source of) light" (v. 4a), is probably a king (see discussion here). The description of this man in Ps. 112 closely parallels the description of YHWH in Ps. 111.
• Upright Ones: The upright (v. 4a) are those who live their lives in accordance with YHWH's law. Also known as "the poor" (v. 9a), they are those who lack life's basic necessities and are therefore financially dependent upon others, including especially YHWH (cf. SDBH). Because poverty leads to dependence on YHWH, poverty and uprightness are, in the Biblical world, closely related realities (cf. Ps. 37:14). In Psalm 112, both the upright are the beneficiaries of the man's justice and generosity.
• Wicked: The wicked (v. 10) are those who do not live according to YHWH's law (cf. SDBH). Instead of serving YHWH, they serve their desires (v. 10c), which, under the reign of the man who fears YHWH, will come to an end. The man's adversaries (v. 8b) are probably a foreign power that represents a military threat (see Story behind). In the psalm, both the wicked and the adversaries play a similar role—they both express hostility towards the man—and so they are grouped together here.

Text (Hebrew)	Verse	Text (CBC) The Close-but-clear translation (CBC) exists to provide a window into the Hebrew text according to how we understand its syntax and word-to-phrase-level semantics. It is not intended to be used as a stand-alone translation or base text, but as a supplement to Layer-by-Layer materials to help users make full use of these resources.
הַ֥לְלוּ יָ֨הּ ׀	1a	Praise Yah!
אַשְׁרֵי־אִ֭ישׁ יָרֵ֣א אֶת־יְהוָ֑ה	1b	Happy is the one [who] fears YHWH,
בְּ֝מִצְוֺתָ֗יו חָפֵ֥ץ מְאֹֽד׃	1c	[who] delights very much in his commands!
גִּבּ֣וֹר בָּ֭אָרֶץ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְע֑וֹ	2a	His offspring will be great on the earth,
דּ֭וֹר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יְבֹרָֽךְ׃	2b	a generation of upright people [who] will be blessed.
הוֹן־וָעֹ֥שֶׁר בְּבֵית֑וֹ	3a	Immense wealth is in his house,
וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃	3b	and his righteousness endures forever.
זָ֘רַ֤ח בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ א֭וֹר לַיְשָׁרִים ישרים	4a	A light for the upright has risen in the darkness,
חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם וְצַדִּֽיק׃	4b	merciful and compassionate and righteous.
טֽוֹב־אִ֭ישׁ חוֹנֵ֣ן וּמַלְוֶ֑ה	5a	Fortunate is the one who lends generously,
יְכַלְכֵּ֖ל דְּבָרָ֣יו בְּמִשְׁפָּֽט׃	5b	[who] manages his affairs with justice!
כִּֽי־לְעוֹלָ֥ם לֹא־יִמּ֑וֹט	6a	For he will never waver.
לְזֵ֥כֶר ע֝וֹלָ֗ם יִהְיֶ֥ה צַדִּֽיק׃	6b	The righteous one will be remembered forever.
מִשְּׁמוּעָ֣ה רָ֭עָה לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א	7a	He will not be afraid of bad news.
נָכ֥וֹן לִ֝בּ֗וֹ בָּטֻ֥חַ בַּיהוָֽה׃	7b	His heart is confident, trusting in YHWH.
סָמ֣וּךְ לִ֭בּוֹ לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א	8a	His heart is encouraged. He will not be afraid,
עַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־יִרְאֶ֣ה בְצָרָֽיו׃	8b	until he looks [in triumph] on his adversaries.
פִּזַּ֤ר ׀ נָ֘תַ֤ן לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים	9a	He has given freely to the poor.
צִ֭דְקָתוֹ עֹמֶ֣דֶת לָעַ֑ד	9b	His righteousness endures forever.
קַ֝רְנ֗וֹ תָּר֥וּם בְּכָבֽוֹד׃	9c	His horn will rise in honor.
רָ֘שָׁ֤ע יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ וְכָעָ֗ס	10a	The wicked person will see and become vexed.
שִׁנָּ֣יו יַחֲרֹ֣ק וְנָמָ֑ס	10b	He will grind his teeth and waste away.
תַּאֲוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃	10c	The desire of the wicked will come to an end.

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