The Meaning of Psalms 112:4 Explained

Psalms 112:4

KJV: Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: he is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.

YLT: Light hath risen in darkness to the upright, Gracious, and merciful, and righteous.

Darby: Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness; he is gracious, and merciful, and righteous.

ASV: Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: He is gracious, and merciful, and righteous.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Unto the upright  there ariseth  light  in the darkness:  [he is] gracious,  and full of compassion,  and righteous. 

What does Psalms 112:4 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 112:1-10 - Prosperity In Serving The Lord
Here are the two conditions of the blessed life: first, to fear the Lord; second, to delight greatly in His commandments. And then the blessed results: a mighty seed; a blessed generation; wealth and riches; enduring influence; light amid darkness; and many suchlike things. The psalm is replete with the beatitudes that alight on the heart of the man who lives for God alone.
Around us may be the encircling gloom, in which evil men and tidings lurk as savages in the shadow of the forest, but within there is the blessed sense of the presence of God, like the circle of fire within which the traveler is secure. The voice of God assures him that he shall never be moved, and the heart is so established that it cannot yield to fear. It is good to have that quiet, unperturbed confidence in God. Moses had it at the Red Sea, Exodus 14:13; Asa, before the overwhelming hosts that threatened to submerge his little army, 2 Chronicles 14:9-12; Jehoshaphat, when confronted by the hordes of Ammon, 2 Chronicles 20:12; and Hezekiah, when the Assyrian threatened to invade Judah, 2 Chronicles 32:6-8. Such a life is full of the "Hallelujah Chorus," in accord with the opening note of the psalm. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalms 112

1  Godliness has the promises of this life
4  And of the life to come
10  The prosperity of the godly shall be an eyesore to the wicked

What do the individual words in Psalms 112:4 mean?

There arises in the darkness light Unto the upright [He is] gracious and compassionate and righteous
זָ֘רַ֤ח בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ א֭וֹר לַיְשָׁרִ֑ים חַנּ֖וּן וְרַח֣וּם וְצַדִּֽיק

זָ֘רַ֤ח  There  arises 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: זָרַח  
Sense: to rise, come forth, break out, arise, rise up, shine.
בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ  in  the  darkness 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֹשֶׁךְ  
Sense: darkness, obscurity.
א֭וֹר  light 
Parse: Noun, common singular
Root: אֹור  
Sense: light.
לַיְשָׁרִ֑ים  Unto  the  upright 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Adjective, masculine plural
Root: יָשָׁר 
Sense: straight, upright, correct, right.
חַנּ֖וּן  [He  is]  gracious 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חַנּוּן  
Sense: gracious.
וְרַח֣וּם  and  compassionate 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: רַחוּם  
Sense: compassionate.
וְצַדִּֽיק  and  righteous 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adjective, masculine singular
Root: צַדִּיק  
Sense: just, lawful, righteous.