"Praise the Lord!
Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,
who greatly delights in his commandments!
2 His offspring will be mighty in the land;
the generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house,
and his righteousness endures for ever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright;
he is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals generously and lends;
who conducts his affairs with justice.
6 For the righteous will never be moved;
he will be remembered for ever.
7 He is not afraid of bad news;
his heart is firm, trusting in the Lord.
8 His heart is steady; he will not be afraid,
until he looks in triumph on his adversaries.
9 He has distributed freely; he has given to the poor;
his righteousness endures for ever;
his horn is exalted in honour.
10 The wicked man sees it and is angry;
he gnashes his teeth and melts away;
the desire of the wicked will perish!"
Psalm 112
The implication in 2 of the words 'seed' and 'generation' is considerable. Here is what we might call the entail of grace, and the impact of godliness on future generations (cf Isaiah 58:12). We should not have little ideas of what we are involved in, in the (often) painful battle for Christian character and integrity, for this will indeed lay the foundation of many generations. This is the contribution that godly families can make to the nation, both in the introduction of standards of integrity and rectitude in society, and also in the ultimate provision of men of stature for public life. Material prosperity for the upright (3) is more an Old Testament theme than a New Testament one; but then, there are different kinds of wealth, and the homes and families of truly godly men are rich in many things, and these are riches that do not fade or change, but continue and persist over the years and indeed the generations. There are varying translations of 4: the AV rendering is admissible, and makes very good sense, especially in view of what is said in 7. 'Goodness' is no guarantee that dark times will not come. Other translations of 4, however, personalise the verse, and read it in some such way as, 'To those who fear God he (the godly man) is like a light that shines in darkness' - i.e. he becomes a blessing to other people, shining as an example to others, a living testimony to, and an indication of, God’s mercy, grace and forgiveness. This will express itself (5) in beneficence, a beneficence that is a reflection of God's. This, we are meant to understand, is a principal trait in the godly man's character. True godliness does not make a man stern or forbidding, or mean-spirited, but broad, genial and warm-hearted. And it is by this that the godly are remembered (6).