Psalm 112 is a wisdom psalm, like Psalm 1. And like Psalm 111 right before it, it is an acrostic psalm, consisting of 22 phrases whose first letters go through all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order.
Psalm 112 says that an attitude of proper fear of God leads to a number of good things. Such an attitude leads one to heed God's word (v 1) and to grow in wisdom (Ps 111:10), resulting in blessings in the present and future. As 1 Tim 4:8 says, "Godliness is valuable in every way, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come."
Some of the traditions surrounding Ps 112 involve Abraham and Sarah. One midrash based on the acrostic nature of the psalm says that these two obeyed God "from aleph to tav" (we would say from A to Z). And as a result they had mighty descendants (v 2). In particular, Isaac prayed for Rebekah and she was able to conceive children (Gen 25:21). And Isaac's son Jacob prevailed in wrestling with an angel (Gen 32).
Ps 112 ascribes qualities usually attributed to God to people who fear God. God's word reflects his character, and those who heed it become more like him. For example, vv 3,9 say of those who fear God that "their righteousness endures forever." They accumulate "treasure in heaven" for a lasting reward.
In Jesus' day "righteousness" (tzedekah in Hebrew) was associated in particular with giving to the poor, a connection made in Ps 112:9. Paul quotes this verse in 2 Cor 9:6-15, where he urges believers in Corinth to follow God's example of generosity and contribute to famine relief for those in Judea.
With a firm foundation in God's word, those who fear God will not be shaken by hard times (vv 5-8).
No comments:
Post a Comment