John Trapp on Psalms 112

PSAL. CXII.

PRaiſe ye the Lord] See Pſal. 111. verſ. 1. Bleſſed is the man that feareth the Lord] That obedientially ſeareth him as aforeſaid, Pſal. 111.10. that feareth the Lord, as Abraham did, Gen. 22.12.Midraſh Till[illegible: 2 letters] in Pſal. 112. who is the bleſſed man here deſcribed, ſay the Jew-Doctors, becauſe he kept the whole Law from [illegible: 1 word] to Tau (this Pſalm alſo is Alphabetical as the former) wiſh his whole heart, delighting in Gods commandements, and haſtening to fulfil them; as when he left his Countrey, circumciſed his family, ſacrificed his ſon.

That delighteth greatly in his commandements] And thereby ſheweth that his fear of God is filial and amicable, not baſe and ſervile, which ever carrieth tor[illegible: 2 letters]ent along with it; and he that ſo ſeareth, is not made perfect in love, I Job. 4.18. cannot but hate him whom he ſo feareth; for Quam metuunt oderunt.

Verſ. 2. His ſeed ſhall be mighty upon earth] As Abrahams was, and beſides, the reward of his humility and fear of the Lord was riches and honour, and life, Prov. 22.4. For godlineſs is profitable to all things, having the promiſes of this life, and of that to come, I Tim. 4.8. as in this Pſalm is fully ſet forth.

The generation of the righteous, &c.] Perſonal goodneſs is profitable to poſterity, and the contrary.

Verſ. 3. Wealth and riches] Wealth enough, as the word Hon ſignifieth a well-contented ſufficiency. His chambers ſhall be filled with all precious and pleaſant riches, Prov. 24.4.

His righteouſneſs endureth for ever] He is not the worſe for his wealth, nor drawn aſide by the deceitfulneſs of riches; which yet is hard and happy. Ardua res baec eſt opibus non tradere mores: Et cum tot Craeſos viceris, eſſe Numam.Martial.

Verſ. 4. Ʋnto the upright, there ariſeth light in darkneſs] i.e. Joy in tribulation, as did unto the Martyrs, plenty in penury, at having nothing, and yet poſſeſſing all things, 2. Cor, 6 10. If they have not an external affluence, yet they have an internal influence of grace and comfort, which is far better and ſweeter, I Tim. 6.6. Some render the words thus, He who is gracious, and full of compaſſion, and righteous (i.e. God) cauſeth light to ariſe in darkneſs upon the upright; who alſo, is, according to his meaſure, and by participation from God, gracious, merciful, and righteous.

Verſ. 5. A good man ſheweth favour and lendeth] A publick-ſpirited man, Rom. 5.7. maketh his moderation to be known to all men, Philip. 4.5. and lendeth, looking for nothing again, Luk. 6.35. Thence it is that to him light ariſeth in darkneſs; the merciful ſhall have mercy, Mat. 5.7. Some render it, Bene vire qui miſeratur, Well is the man, or, Well will it be with the man that pittieth and lendeth. The Hebrew hath it, That is pittying and lending, ever in ſuch actions.

He will guide his affairs with diſcretion] Heb. With judgement; neither illiberal not prodigal, not withered handed when he ſhould give, nor yet ſtretching beyond the ſtaple; for that were to ſpoyl all. Tremellius rendreth it, Moderatur res ſuas, ex officio.

Verſ. 6. Surely be ſhall not be moved for ever] Non nutabit. The world thinketh liberality to be the ready way to beggary: But it is otherwiſe, Iſa. 32.8. The liberal man deviſeth liberal things, and by liberal things he ſhall ſtand. Not getting, but giving is the way to wealth.

The righteous ſhall be in everlaſting remembrance] Namely with the righteous. Demetrius hath good report of all good men, and of the truth it ſelf, 3 Job. 12.Vatab. As for wicked men. Calumnias corum nunqu[illegible: 1 letter]m effugit, there is no eſcaping their cavils and calumnies.

Verſ. 7. He ſhall not be afraid of evil tydings] When the miſerly miſcreant is ready to make away himſelf for feat of what evil may follow, this man is undaunted and unappaled. The fear of God ſo ballaſteth his hears, that he floteth ſteadily; and blow what wind it will, he ſaileth ſate to the port. Fides famem non formidat, Faith ſeareth no famine, nor any thing elſe; when as a ſound of ſear is ever in the wicked mans cars, Job. 15.

His heart is fixed] viz. Upon the promiſes of God, and hence he [illegible: 1 word] a ſpiritual ſecurity, a bleſſed Sabbath of Spirit; he is freed, if not from the common deſtruction, yet from the common diſtraction; for he knoweth whom he hath truſted. Praeclara eſt equabilitas in omni vita,In offic. & idem ſemper vnitus, eademque frons, ſaith Cicero, It is a brave thing to have a well-compoſed ſpirit in all changes, and to look alike however the world goeth. [illegible: 1 word] lib. 9. The heathens tell us that C. Lalius was ſuch an one, and Archimedes, and Socrates, who are ſaid to have been far above all fear of, or grief at, any diſaſter. But that could not be, becauſe their hearts were not fixed, truſting in the Lord. And how Socrates (the beſt of them) ſtaggered and faultered when he came to dye, appeareth by his laſt ſpeech, as it is related both by Plato and Cicero.

Verſ. 8. His heart is eſtabliſhed] Heb. Ʋnderpropt, ſhored up.

He ſhall not be afraid] Of any adverſe power, Pſal. 3. & 27.

Ʋntil he ſee his deſire] Which his faith will once work out.

Verſ. 9. He hath diſperſed] Or, made a ſcatter, yet with diſcretion, giving liberally, but moſt of all where is moſt need, and with a ſpecialty of reſpect to the family of ſaith, Gal. 6.

His righteouſneſs endureth for ever] The reward of his charity is laſting, or his charity is never at an end;Sic vocat ele[illegible: 1 letter] moſynas. Aben-Ezr. he giveth after that he hath given, as a ſpring runneth after it hath run, as the Sun ſhineth after it hath ſhone. See a Cor. 8.

His horn ſhall be exalted] i.e. His head, as 1 Sam. 2.1, 10.

Verſ. 10. The wicked ſhall ſee it] Vir improbus & reprobus; The covetous Caitiff who ſate a brood upon his bags, and befool'd the bountiful man, ſhall himſelf come to beggery, which he ſo much feared, and be ready to eat his own nayis through envy at the others proſperity; and becauſe he cannot come at his heart, he ſeeds upon his own, yea puts himſelf into an hell above ground, both for pain of loſs, and pain of ſenſe, as here.