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. It is a psalm "in praise of the virtuous". This psalm, along with Psalm 111, is acrostic by phrase, 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 of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

King James Version

Latin Vulgate

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.

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. So this psalm was traditionally recited or sung during the solemn service of Vespers on Sunday between the Psalm 111 and Psalm 113. 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 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.