Psalm 112
The Righteous Will Never Be Moved

(1) Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments!
(2) His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed.
(3) Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
(4) Light dawns in the darkness for the upright; he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
(5) It is well with the man who deals generously and lends; who conducts his affairs with justice.
(6) For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever.
(7) He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.
(8) His heart is steady; he will not be afraid, until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
(9) He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn is exalted in honor.
(10) The wicked man sees it and is angry; he gnashes his teeth and melts away; the desire of the wicked will perish!
ESV

Psalm 111 and Psalm 112 are sometimes called twin or companion psalms. Both are acrostic poems probably used for memorization. Each of the twenty-two lines begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and both psalms open with Hallelujah, the Hebrew word for Praise the LORD (YAHWEH).

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.

Charles Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892

Psalm 112 is titled The Righteous Will Never Be Moved (above, ESV), The Blessed State of the Righteous (NKJV), Honest People Are Blessed (ICB), and Prosperity of the One Who Fears the LORD (NASB), among others.

Praise the Lord! Happy is the person who fears the Lord. He loves what the Lord commands.
Psalm 112 ICB

Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who delights greatly in His commandments.
Psalm 112 NKJV

Hallelujah! The one who follows the Lord is blessed. That does not mean that the children of God have it easy, it just means that they have a purpose, a direction, a path that’s lit from above, and that they never walk alone. The world may fall apart around them, but the one who follows the Lord can still rejoice because his worth is in God, his strength is from God, his heart is protected by God.

Hallelujah! A psalm such as this and the previous are good reminders that we must always praise the Lord. In good times and bad. This very psalm was probably taught and memorized for that very reason. We are human and it is easy to stray. But learning God’s word and memorizing God’s word is a way to hold fast.

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9 NIV

Let us praise the Lord, in good times and bad. Remember how He has been faithful. Talk about it, sing about it, remember.

Let self-righteous men praise themselves, but he who has been made righteous by grace renders all the praise to the Lord.

Charles Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892

His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
Psalm 112:2-3 NKJV

His descendants will be power in the land. The children of honest people will be blessed. His house will be full of wealth and riches. His goodness will continue forever.
Psalm 112:2-3 ICB

God calls His children to be different, set apart. We walk on a different path and to a different tune. When non-believers look upon us, they should see a reflection of Jesus. Jesus was different, yet people were drawn to Him by the thousands. They ached to hear His words of love and hope. And that is what must always come from the mouth and the actions of God’s children. That is what He asks of us.

And with that, comes blessing. God will provide. If we look at these two verses in the physical and earthly sense, they are hard to understand. Many godly people are poor and suffering and unknown by the world. But what makes a man or woman “mighty on earth?” What are true “wealth and riches” to fill our houses here on earth with? Is it hope, love, integrity, honor, truth, compassion, peace?

These things do in fact bring blessings and may be counted as riches and wealth.

However, if we look at these two verses in a spiritual sense, they are even clearer. Despite what happens on earth, when the children of God keep their eyes toward heaven and what awaits there, what is “important” in this life on earth is meaningless.

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.”

Charles Spurgeon, English preacher, 1834-1892

The psalmist goes on in this mighty poem to describe the man and woman of God. The one who is faithful, who’s hope is in the eternal and who is blessed on earth because of it.

A light shines in the dark for honest people. It shines for those who are good and kind and merciful. It is good to be kind and generous. Whoever is fair in his business will never be defeated. A good person will be remembered from now on. He won't be afraid of bad news. He is safe because he trusts in the Lord. That person is confident. He will not be afraid. He will look down on his enemies. He gives freely to the poor. The things he does are right and will continue forever. He will be given great honor.
Psalm 112:4-9 ICB

Verse 4 is so beautiful:

Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness; he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
Psalm 112:4 NKJV

Even in the darkness light dawns for the upright, for those who are gracious and compassionate and righteous. 
Psalm 112:4 NIV

He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous: The light received from God shines through the righteous one, and he displays to others the grace, compassion, righteousness, and generosity God has granted to him.

Pastor David Guzik, http://www.enduringword.com

What a beautiful promise that God not only is present in the darkness, but He shines through it. He uses the darkness to bring light to His children. And not only that beautiful promise, but His light reflects off those who love Him even in the darkness. He uses us to reach those who are lost. His light penetrates even the darkest places of this life to bring hope and peace and love. What a wonderful, faithful, gracious Father we have.

Praise Him.

It is good to be kind and fair and merciful. The name of a good person will be remembered. This psalm speaks of integrity in this life. Some people are celebrated for evil things, but that is not the way of the Lord. And truly, deep down, this world needs integrity. It needs kindness and fairness and mercy. That is what we are called to, even in the darkest times and places. And we are called to confidence in the Lord, not to be afraid. Honor is in these things; honor is in goodness and kindness, says the Lord over and over again.

When this world feeds evil, anger, bitterness, greed, and lust, God’s children must respond with kindness, fairness, mercy, and love. And we only have the power to do this because of the great God that we serve. Without Him, without His light in the darkness, we cannot succeed. But with Him, all these things are possible.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
Joshua 1:9 ESV

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

Finally, Psalm 112 closes with what will become of the wicked who see the goodness and kindness and mercy of the godly man. The one who sees and still chooses to turn his back on God will face exactly what they want . . . a place and life where good does not exist, where God cannot go. Darkness. Evil. Loneliness.

The wicked will see this and become angry.
They will grind their teeth in anger and then disappear.
The wishes of the wicked will come to nothing.
Psalm 112:10 ICB

In contrast to the enduring blessing upon the upright man, the wicked man will melt away. His misery will be all the worse as his desires are frustrated and he sees the blessings that come to those who fear the LORD.

Pastor David Guzik, http://www.enduringword.com

Father in heaven, thank you for being our light in the darkness. Thank you for walking beside us during this life and promising that you will never leave us. Give us strength and love today. Fill us with your spirit so that we may be the goodness and kindness and mercy and love that you need us to be to a world that is lost. Thank you for your word and for your promises. Help us to be the light you ask us to be. Amen.

He xoxo