Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he shall delight exceedingly in his commandments.

“I have heard about the death of the blessed Theodorus, and the news caused me great anxiety, knowing as I did his value to you. Now if it had not been Theodorus, I would have spoken to you at greater length, with tears, considering what follows after death. But since it is Theodorus whom you and I have known, what need I say in my letter except "Blessed is" Theodorus, "who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly"? But if "he is blessed who fears the Lord," we may now confidently call Theodorus blessed, having the firm assurance that he has reached as it were a haven and has a life without care. Would that the same had also befallen each one of us; would that each of us in his running might thus arrive; would that each of us, on his voyage, might anchor his own ship there in the stormless haven, so that, at rest with the fathers, he might say, "here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein." Wherefore, brother beloved and most longed for, weep not for Theodorus, for he "is not dead but is sleeping."”

“Let no one think that this was said only recently and that it was spoken of by the philosophers before it was mentioned in the gospel. For the philosophers, that is to say, Aristotle and Theophrastus, as also Zeno and Hieronymus, certainly lived before the time of the gospel, but they came after the prophets. Let them rather think how long before even the names of the philosophers were heard of, both of these [Aristotle and Theophrastus] seem to have found open expression through the mouth of the holy David; for it is written, "Blessed is the man whom you instruct, O Lord, and teach him out of your law." We find elsewhere also, "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, he will rejoice greatly in his commandments." We have proved our point as regards knowledge, the reward for which the prophet states to be the fruit of eternity, adding that in the house of the one who fears the Lord or is instructed in his law and rejoices greatly in the divine commandments "is glory and riches; and his justice abides for ever and ever." He has further also in the same psalm made statements about good works, that they gain for an upright man the gift of eternal life. He speaks thus: "Blessed is the man who shows pity and lends; he will guide his affairs with discretion, surely he shall not be moved for ever, the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance." And further, "He has dispersed, he has given to the poor, his justice endures forever."”

“"Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord: he will have great delight in His commandments" [Psalm 112:1]. God, who alone judgeth both truthfully and mercifully, will see how far he obeyeth His commandments: since "the life of man on earth is a temptation," as holy Job saith. But "He who judgeth us is the Lord." ...He therefore will see how far each man profiteth in His commandments; yet he who loveth the peace of this building together, shall have great delight in them; nor ought he to despair, since there is "peace on earth for men of good will."”

“And again, in another place, he [David] ascribeth blessedness to the man who feareth God, and he maketh known what good things the fear of God worketh in him that feareth [Him], saying, "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord", and here the fearer of God is accounted blessed. And although our Lord ordained blessings for other things, the prophet David accounted blessed the fearer of the Lord. "Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the way of the wicked", and it is well known that he walketh not in the way of the wicked because he feareth God. And again he saith, "Blessed is the man whom Thou shalt correct, O Lord, and whom Thou shalt teach Thy law", and it is manifest that the fear of God teacheth the laws, and that the man who feareth confesseth his correction. And again he said, "Blessed are those who are without blemish in the way, and who walk in the law of the Lord", and here again the fear of the Lord preserveth [a man] from blemishes, and urgeth him to walk in the way of the law. And again he saith, "Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven, and whose sins are covered", and it is well known that here also the fear of God bringeth to repentance, through which the forgiveness of sins is given, and through the suffering and tears which are produced by the fear of God the form of a man's sins is covered before his eyes. And again he saith, "Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, and who walketh in His ways", and here again the prophet David sheweth that a man walketh in the way of the commandments through the fear of God. And in another place he saith concerning him that feareth the Lord, "He taketh heed to the commandments which are given by the Lord." And again this Prophet counselleth every man to draw nigh unto God in fear, and he entreated all creation to fear the Lord Who made it, saying, "Let all the earth fear the Lord, and let all the inhabitants of the world tremble before Him." For the word of the prophecy casteth fear and trembling upon all the inhabitants of the world, and it teacheth all created beings to come to God by this way.”

“Praise ye the Lord,.... Or, "hallelujah". This is properly the title of the psalm: Aben Ezra says it is a word of the psalmist; it shows that all that a good man is, has, or does, is from the Lord; and therefore his name is to be praised: and he is not only to be praised for his perfections and works, but for this among others, that there are any good men on earth that fear and serve him, and are useful in their day and generation. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord; not men, but the Lord; not his wrath, nor his judgments here or hereafter, but his goodness; not with a servile, but with a godly fear. This every man does not; there are but few that truly fear the Lord, only such who have the grace of God; and these are happy men: they have an interest in the heart of God, in his pity, love, and delight; great discoveries are made unto them; the secret of the Lord is with them; he shows them his covenant; and the sun of righteousness arises upon them: they are guarded and protected by the Lord; his eye of providence, as well as love, is upon them, and his angels encamp about them: they are supplied with all needful good things, temporal and spiritual; and have much goodness laid up for them hereafter. This psalm begins with what the preceding ends, the fear of the Lord; and is a further illustration and enlargement of it; See Gill on Psa 111:10. That delighteth greatly in his commandments: in the righteousness, purity, and holiness of them: in keeping and doing them: they are not grievous, but pleasant; a good man delights in them, after the inward man; he observes them from a principle of love, and finds peace and pleasure in them; he loves them above gold, yea, above fine gold; and esteems them concerning all things to be right, Psa 119:97.”

“Of the returning, &c. This is in the Greek and Latin, but not in the Hebrew. It signifies, that this psalm was proper to be sung at the time of the return of the people from their captivity: to inculcate to them, how happy they might be, if they would be constant in the service of God. (Challoner) — Yet all Greek copies have not this title, (Haydock) but only Alleluia, with the Hebrew, Syriac, &c. — It might be composed by Aggæus, &c., as it relates to the captivity, (ver. 4.) and to the overthrow of Babylon, (ver. 10.; Calmet) or David might thus describe the happiness of the virtuous, (Berthier) and give the captives to understand, that sin was the source of all temporal as well as spiritual miseries. (Worthington) — Delight. We must love God for his own sake. (St. Chrysostom) — Those who sincerely fear God, will take great delight in keeping his commandments. (Worthington)”

“As in the preceding Psalm. Psa 112:1 here also sets forth the theme of that which follows. What is there said in Psa 112:3 concerning the righteousness of God, Psa 112:3 here says of the righteousness of him who fears God: this also standeth fast for ever, it is indeed the copy of the divine, it is the work and gift of God (Psa 24:5), inasmuch as God's salutary action and behaviour, laid hold of in faith, works a like form of action and behaviour to it in man, which, as Psa 112:9 says, is, according to its nature, love. The promise in Psa 112:4 sounds like Isa 60:2. Hengstenberg renders: "There ariseth in the darkness light to the upright who is gracious and compassionate and just." But this is impossible as a matter of style. The three adjectives (as in Psa 111:4, pointing back to Exo 34:6, cf. Psa 145:8; Psa 116:5) are a mention of God according to His attributes. חנּוּן and רחוּם never take the article in Biblical Hebrew, and צדּיק follows their examples here (cf. on the contrary, Exo 9:27). God Himself is the light which arises in darkness for those who are sincere in their dealings with Him; He is the Sun of righteousness with wings of rays dispensing "grace" and "tender mercies," Mal 4:2. The fact that He arises for those who are compassionate as He is compassionate, is evident from Psa 112:5. טוב being, as in Isa 3:10; Jer 44:17, intended of well-being, prosperity, טּוב אישׁ is here equivalent to אשׁרי אישׁ, which is rendered טוּביהּ דּגברא in Targumic phrase. חונן signifies, as in Psa 37:26, Psa 37:21, one who charitably dispenses his gifts around. Psa 112:5 is not an extension of the picture of virtue, but, as in Psa 127:5, a promissory prospect: he will uphold in integrity (בּמשׁפּט, Psa 72:2, Isa 9:7, and frequently), or rather (= בּמּשׁפּט) in the cause (Psa 143:2, Pro 24:23, and frequently), the things which depend upon him, or with which he has to do; for כּלכּל, sustinere, signifies to sustain, i.e., to nourish, to sustain, i.e., endure, and also to support, maintain, i.e., carry through. This is explanatorily confirmed in Psa 112:6 : he stands, as a general thing, imperturbably fast. And when he dies he becomes the object of everlasting remembrance, his name is still blessed (Pro 10:7). Because he has a cheerful conscience, his heart too is not disconcerted by any evil tidings (Jer 49:23): it remains נכון, erect, straight and firm, without suffering itself to bend or warp; בּטח בּה, full of confidence (passive, "in the sense of a passive state after a completed action of the person himself," like זכוּר, Psa 103:14); סמוּך, stayed in itself and established. The last two designations are taken from Isa 26:3, where it is the church of the last times that is spoken of. Psa 91:8 gives us information with reference to the meaning of ראה בצריו; עד, as in Psa 94:13, of the inevitable goal, on this side of which he remains undismayed. Co2 9:9, where Paul makes use of Psa 112:9 of the Psalm before us as an encouragement to Christian beneficence, shows how little the assertion "his righteousness standeth for ever" is opposed to the New Testament consciousness. פּזּר of giving away liberally and in manifold ways, as in Pro 11:24. רוּם, Psa 112:9, stands in opposition to the egoistical הרים in Psa 75:5 as a vegetative sprouting up (Psa 132:17). The evil-doer must see this, and confounded, vex himself over it; he gnashes his teeth with the rage of envy and chagrin, and melts away, i.e., loses consistency, becomes unhinged, dies off (נמס, 3d praet. Niph. as in Exo 16:21, pausal form of נמס = נמס). How often has he desired the ruin of him whom he must now see in honour! The tables are turned; this and his ungodly desire in general come to nought, inasmuch as the opposite is realized. On יראה, with its self-evident object, cf. Mic 7:10. Concerning the pausal form וכעס, vid., Psa 93:1. Hupfeld wishes to read תּקות after Psa 9:19, Pro 10:28. In defence of the traditional reading, Hitzig rightly points to Pro 10:24 together with Pro 10:28.”