Psalm 112

This article is about Psalm 112 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 112 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 113.
Psalm 112
"Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD"
Beginning of a setting in Latin by Carlo Cotumacci
Other name
  • Psalm 111
  • "Beatus vir qui timet Dominum"
LanguageHebrew (original)
Psalm 112
BookBook of Psalms
Hebrew Bible partKetuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
CategorySifrei Emet
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part19

Psalm 112 is the 112th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD". In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 111. In Latin, it is known as Beatus vir qui timet Dominum.[1] It is a psalm "in praise of the virtuous".[2] This psalm, along with Psalm 111, is acrostic by phrase,[3] that is, each 7-9 syllable phrase begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order.

The psalm forms a regular part of Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and other Protestant liturgies. Musical settings abound, as the psalm was a common part of Vespers, such as Monteverdi's 1610 Vespro della Beata Vergine and Mozart's Vesperae de Dominica and Vesperae solennes de confessore (K. 339). Górecki composed Beatus Vir as an extended work for baritone, choir and orchestra in 1979.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text[4][5] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 הַ֥לְלוּ־יָ֨הּ ׀ אַשְׁרֵי־אִ֭ישׁ יָרֵ֣א אֶת־יְהֹוָ֑ה בְּ֝מִצְוֺתָ֗יו חָפֵ֥ץ מְאֹֽד׃‎ Hallelujah. Happy is the man that feareth the LORD, That delighteth greatly in His commandments.
2 גִּבּ֣וֹר בָּ֭אָרֶץ יִהְיֶ֣ה זַרְע֑וֹ דּ֖וֹר יְשָׁרִ֣ים יְבֹרָֽךְ׃‎ His seed shall be mighty upon earth; The generation of the upright shall be blessed.
3 הוֹן־וָעֹ֥שֶׁר בְּבֵית֑וֹ וְ֝צִדְקָת֗וֹ עֹמֶ֥דֶת לָעַֽד׃‎ Wealth and riches are in his house; And his merit endureth for ever.
4 זָ֘רַ֤ח בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ א֭וֹר לַיְשָׁרִ֑ים חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם וְצַדִּֽיק׃‎ Unto the upright He shineth as a light in the darkness, Gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
5 טֽוֹב־אִ֭ישׁ חוֹנֵ֣ן וּמַלְוֶ֑ה יְכַלְכֵּ֖ל דְּבָרָ֣יו בְּמִשְׁפָּֽט׃‎ Well is it with the man that dealeth graciously and lendeth, That ordereth his affairs rightfully.
6 כִּֽי־לְעוֹלָ֥ם לֹֽא־יִמּ֑וֹט לְזֵ֥כֶר ע֝וֹלָ֗ם יִהְיֶ֥ה צַדִּֽיק׃‎ For he shall never be moved; The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance.
7 מִשְּׁמוּעָ֣ה רָ֭עָה לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א נָכ֥וֹן לִ֝בּ֗וֹ בָּטֻ֥חַ בַּיהֹוָֽה׃‎ He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is stedfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 סָמ֣וּךְ לִ֭בּוֹ לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א עַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־יִרְאֶ֣ה בְצָרָֽיו׃‎ His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, Until he gaze upon his adversaries.
9 פִּזַּ֤ר ׀ נָ֘תַ֤ן לָאֶבְיוֹנִ֗ים צִ֭דְקָתוֹ עֹמֶ֣דֶת לָעַ֑ד קַ֝רְנ֗וֹ תָּר֥וּם בְּכָבֽוֹד׃‎ He hath scattered abroad, he hath given to the needy; His righteousness endureth for ever; His horn shall be exalted in honour.
10 רָ֘שָׁ֤ע יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ וְכָעָ֗ס שִׁנָּ֣יו יַחֲרֹ֣ק וְנָמָ֑ס תַּאֲוַ֖ת רְשָׁעִ֣ים תֹּאבֵֽד׃‎ The wicked shall see it, and be vexed; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away; the desire of the wicked shall perish.

King James Version

  1. Praise ye the LORD. Blessed is the man that feareth the LORD, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.
  2. His seed shall be mighty upon earth: the generation of the upright shall be blessed.
  3. Wealth and riches shall be in his house: and his righteousness endureth for ever.
  4. Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
  5. A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
  6. Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance.
  7. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
  8. His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.
  9. He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor; his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour.
  10. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.

Latin Vulgate

  1. Beatus vir, qui timet Dominum, in mandatis ejus volet nimis.
  2. Potens in terra erit semen ejus, generatio rectorum benedicetur.
  3. Gloria et divitiae in domo ejus, et iustitia ejus manet in saeculum saeculi.
  4. Exortum est in tenebris lumen rectis, misericors et miserator et iustus.
  5. Iucundus homo, qui miseretur et commodat, disponet res suas in judicio,
  6. quia in aeternum non commovebitur. In memoria aeterna erit iustus,
  7. ab auditione mala non timebit. Paratum cor ejus, sperare in Domino,
  8. confirmatum est cor eius, non commovebitur, donec despiciat inimicos suos.
  9. Dispersit dedit pauperibus; justitia ejus manet in saeculum saeculi, cornu ejus exaltabitur in gloria.
  10. Peccator videbit et irascetur, dentibus suis fremet et tabescet. Desiderium peccatorum peribit.

Uses

Judaism

The psalm begins הַלְלוּ-יָהּ:אַשְׁרֵי-אִישׁ, יָרֵא אֶת-יְהוָה; בְּמִצְו‍ֹתָיו, חָפֵץ מְאֹד.

New Testament

In the New Testament, verse 9 is quoted in 2 Corinthians 9:9.[6]

Catholic Church

Saint Benedict of Nursia attributed the psalms from the Psalm 110 at the services of Vespers, in its Rule of St. Benedict set to 530 AD.[clarification needed] So this psalm was traditionally recited or sung during the solemn service of Vespers on Sunday between the Psalm 111 and Psalm 113.[7][8]

In ordinary Roman rite, Psalm 112 is currently the reading of the fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time. Moreover, in the Liturgy of the Hours enacted in 1970, the psalm is still recited at Vespers of Sunday's fourth week[9] and evening of the Solemnity of the Epiphany.

Musical settings

Heinrich Schütz composed a metred paraphrase of Psalm 112 in German, "Der ist fürwahr ein selig Mann", SWV 210, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628.

The Latin text was set to music by many composers of different nationalities, such as the French Michel-Richard Delalande and André Campra. Marc-Antoine Charpentier composed five different "Beatus vir qui timet Dominum", H.154, H.199-H.199a, H.208, H.221, H.224 between 1670 and 1695, François Giroust, one setting (1777) and many other composers also set these words. Beatus vir is the title of many musical settings for Vespers, such as in Monteverdi's 1610 Vespro della Beata Vergine and 1640 Selva morale e spirituale, Vivaldi's Beatus Vir, and the third movement of Mozart's Vesperae de Dominica (K. 321) and Vesperae solennes de confessore (K. 339).

Górecki composed Beatus Vir, Op. 38, for baritone, large mixed chorus and grand orchestra in 1979.

References

  1. ^ "Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 111 (112)". Archived from the original on 2017-09-30. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
  2. ^ Jerusalem Bible (1966), sub-heading to Psalm 111
  3. ^ Pratico, Gary (2001), "Basics of Bible Hebrew", p.6
  4. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 112". Mechon Mamre.
  5. ^ "Psalms 112 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  6. ^ Kirkpatrick, A. F. (1901). The Book of Psalms: with Introduction and Notes. The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges. Vol. Book IV and V: Psalms XC-CL. Cambridge: At the University Press. p. 840. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
  7. ^ Règle de saint Benoît, traduction de Prosper Guéranger, Abbaye Saint-Pierre de Solesmes
  8. ^ Psautier latin-français du bréviaire monastique, 1938/2003 p486
  9. ^ The main cycle of liturgical prayers takes place over four weeks.
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