Psalms 112:1
Praise ye the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Study Note
Study Note
The acrostic Psalm 112 is the companion piece to Psalm 111 (both are perfect acrostics), with Psalm 111 celebrating YHWH's works and Psalm 112 depicting the human being who mirrors those works — making the righteous person a microcosm of divine character. The opening beatitude 'blessed is the man who fears the Lord and greatly delights in his commandments' combines the Psalm 1 framework of Torah-delight with the Proverbs 1:7 principle of fear-as-wisdom-foundation. The subsequent verses develop the portrait through twelve attributes — light in darkness, gracious, compassionate, generous — many of which echo Psalm 111's attributes of YHWH, establishing the imitatio Dei pattern at the heart of Old Testament ethics. Jesus' Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3–12) operate within this same tradition of blessing-pronouncement linked to character-description.
Other Translations
Praise ye Jehovah. Blessed is the man that feareth Jehovah, That delighteth greatly in his commandments.
Praise ye Jah! O the happiness of one fearing Jehovah, In His commands he hath delighted greatly.
Let the Lord be praised. Happy is the man who gives honour to the Lord, and has great delight in his laws.
Cross References
Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, …
But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.
Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and …
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: …
They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.
I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.
Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.