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Psalm 112 · a question people ask

"Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous" (112:4). Who is gracious, merciful, and righteous?

In the text

The verse doesn't name anyone. Here is what the text shows. In Hebrew the upright is plural, while gracious, merciful and righteous are singular. Each of the three words is said of the LORD elsewhere: "The LORD is gracious and merciful" (Psalm 111:4), and "The LORD is gracious and righteous" (Psalm 116:5). Brown-Driver-Briggs describes gracious, chanun, as "only used as an attribute of God" (tap gracious), and in the Hebrew Bible's other twelve uses it is said of God. But the man of this psalm is called righteous two verses later, with the same Hebrew word: "The righteous will be remembered forever" (112:6). And the next verse says he "deals graciously" (112:5), with the verb Strong's gives gracious as coming from. These notes set out what the verses say and don't choose between reading the three words of the LORD and reading them of the man.

The verses

“Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, gracious, merciful, and righteous. It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment. For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever.”
Psalm 112:4-6 · World English Bible
“He has caused his wonderful works to be remembered. The LORD is gracious and merciful.”
Psalm 111:4 · World English Bible
“The LORD is gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful.”
Psalm 116:5 · World English Bible

From Favor's study of Psalm 112

Psalm 112: Not afraid of evil news

The man who fears the LORD (112:1) "will not be afraid of evil news" (112:7): in Hebrew fears and afraid are one verb. And a line Psalm 111 says of the LORD, "His righteousness endures forever" (Psalm 111:3), comes back twice about the man who fears him (112:3, 112:9).

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Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible, which is in the public domain. Every answer cites the verses it rests on. What we believe · All Bible questions