Psalms 112:10
in Psalms 112The wicked man will see and be grieved; he will gnash his teeth and waste away; the desires of the wicked will perish.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; He shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: The desire of the wicked shall perish.
KJV
The wicked shall see it, and be grieved; he shall gnash with his teeth, and melt away: the desire of the wicked shall perish.
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This verse in Psalms 112
Commentary
11 notes on this verseThe wicked shall see it,.... The glory and happiness of the upright man: so when the witnesses shall ascend to heaven, a phrase expressive of a more glorious state of the church, their enemies shall behold them, Rev 11:12. And be grieved; at their happiness, and grudge it: the Targum is, "and shall be angry at him;'' the upright man.
This site's exposition
gnash his teeth
The wicked man watches what the psalm has just described and is grieved by it. He gnashes his teeth and wastes away while the righteous man's righteousness endures forever. The desires of the wicked perish.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Dearly beloved, whether the Jews receive these divine testimonies with joy or with indignation, nevertheless, when we can, let us proclaim them with great love for the Jews. Let us not proudly glory against the broken branches; let us rather reflect by whose grace it is, and by much mercy, and on what root, we have been ingrafted. Then, not savoring of pride but with a deep sense of humility, not insulting with presumption but rejoicing with trembling, let us say, "Come and let us walk in the light of the Lord," because his "name is great among the Gentiles." If they hear him and obey him, they will be among them to whom Scripture says, "Come to him and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be confounded." If, however, they hear and do not obey, if they see and are jealous, they are among them of whom the psalm says, "The wicked shall see and shall be angry, he shall gnash with his teeth and pine away." "But I," the church says to Christ, "as a fruitful olive tree in the house of God, have hoped in the mercy of God for ever, yea forever and ever."
"The ungodly shall see it, and he shall be angered" [Psalm 112:10]: this is that late and fruitless repentance. For with whom rather than himself is he "angered," when he shall say, "Our pride, what has it profited us? The boastfulness of our riches, what has it given us? [Wisdom 5:8] " seeing the horn of him exalted with honour, who "dispersed abroad, and gave to the poor." "He shall gnash with his teeth, and consume away:" for "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." For he will no more bring forth leaves and bloom, as would happen if he had repented in season: but he will then repent, when "the desire of the ungodly shall perish," no consolation succeeding. "The desire of the ungodly shall perish," when "all things shall pass away like a shadow," [Wisdom 5:8-9] when the flower shall fall down on the withering of the grass. "But the word of the Lord that endures for ever," [Isaiah 40:8] as it is mocked by the vanity of the falsely happy, so will laugh at the perdition of the same when truly miserable.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This is often fulfilled in this world. The happiness of the saints is the envy of the wicked, and that envy is the rottenness of their bones. But it will most fully be accomplished in the other world, when it shall make damned sinners gnash with their teeth, to see Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in him bosom, to see all the prophets in the kingdom of God and themselves thrust out.
We have reason to praise the Lord that there are a people in the world who fear him and serve him, and that they are a happy people, both which are owing entirely to the grace of God. A description of those who are here pronounced blessed, and to whom these promises are made.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
The tenth and last verse sets forth very forcibly the contrast between the righteous and the ungodly, thus making the blessedness of the godly appear all the more remarkable. Usually we see Ebal and Gerizim, the blessing and the curse, set the one over against the other, to invest both with the greater solemnity. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved. The ungodly shall first see the example of the saints to their own condemnation, and shall at last behold the happiness of the godly and to the increase of their eternal misery.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Disappointed in their malevolent wishes by the prosperity of the pious, the wicked are punished by the working of their evil passions, and come to naught.
The tenth and last verse sets forth very forcibly the contrast between the righteous and the ungodly, thus making the blessedness of the godly appear all the more remarkable. Usually we see Ebal and Gerizim, the blessing and the curse, set the one over against the other, to invest both with the greater solemnity. The wicked shall see it, and be grieved. The ungodly shall first see the example of the saints to their own condemnation, and shall at last behold the happiness of the godly and to the increase of their eternal misery. The child of wrath shall be obliged to witness the blessedness of the righteous, though the sight shall make him gnaw his own heart. He shall fret and fume, lament and wax angry, but he shall not be able to prevent it, for God's blessing is sure and effectual. He shall gnash with his teeth. Being very wrathful, and exceedingly envious, he would fain grind the righteous between his teeth; but as he cannot do that, he grinds his teeth against each other. And melt away. The heat of his passion shall melt him like wax, and the sun of God's providence shall dissolve him like snow, and at the last the fire of divine vengeance shall consume him as the fat of rams. How horrible must that life be which like the snail melts as it proceeds, leaving a slimy trail behind. Those who are grieved at goodness deserve to be worn away by such an abominable sorrow. The desire of the wicked shall perish. He shall not achieve his purpose, he shall die a disappointed man. By wickedness he hoped to accomplish his purpose—that very wickedness shall be his defeat. While the righteous shall endure for ever, and their memory shall be always green; the ungodly man and his name shall rot from off the face of the earth. He desired to be the founder of a family, and to be remembered as some great one: he shall pass away and his name shall die with him.
The wicked shall see it - רשע rasha, the wicked one. Some think Satan is meant. It is distinguished from רשעים reshaim, wicked men, in the conclusion of the verse. Shall gnash with his teeth - Through spite and ill will. And melt away - Through envy and hopeless expectation of similar good; for his desire in reference to himself and in reference to him who is the object of his envy, shall perish - shall come to nothing.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
The wicked shall see it, and be grieved - They shall see his prosperity; shall see the evidence that God approves his character and his conduct. The word rendered “grieved” means rather to be angry or enraged. Perhaps the word “fret” would best express the sense. He shall gnash with his teeth - As indicative of hatred and wrath. See the notes at Psa 37:12. And melt away - Disappear - as snow does that melts; or as a snail (see the notes at Psa 58:8); or as waters that run away (see the notes at Psa 58:7); or as wax (see the notes at Psa 68:2). Their wrath shall be of no avail, for they themselves shall soon disappear. The desire of the wicked shall perish - He shall not be able to accomplish his desire, or to carry out his purposes. He shall be disappointed, and all his cherished plans will come to nought. This is in strong contrast with what is said in the psalm would occur to the righteous. They would be prospered and happy; they would be able to carry out their plans; they would be respected while living, and remembered when dead; they would find God interposing in their behalf in the darkest hours; they would be firm and calm in the day of danger and of trouble; they would put their trust in the Lord, and all would be well. Surely there is an advantage in our world in being a friend of God.
The words behind it
9 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| רָ֘שָׁ֤ע | rasha' | a wicked [person] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| יִרְאֶ֨ה׀ | yireh | he will see | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| וְכָעָ֗ס | vekhaas | and he will be angry | H3707 → | 54 times |
| שִׁנָּ֣יו | shinav | teeth his | H8127 → | 55 times |
| יַחֲרֹ֣ק | yacharok | he will gnash | H2786 → | 5 times |
| וְנָמָ֑ס | venamas | and he will melt away | H4549 → | 21 times |
| תַּאֲוַ֖ת | taavat | [the] desire of | H8378 → | 20 times |
| רְשָׁעִ֣ים | reshaim | wicked [people] | H7563 → | 263 times |
| תֹּאבֵֽד׃ | toved | it will perish | H6 → | 184 times |
רָ֘שָׁ֤עa wicked [person]
rasha'H7563 →263 times
יִרְאֶ֨ה׀he will see
yirehH7200 →1300 times
וְכָעָ֗סand he will be angry
vekhaasH3707 →54 times
שִׁנָּ֣יוteeth his
shinavH8127 →55 times
יַחֲרֹ֣קhe will gnash
yacharokH2786 →5 times
וְנָמָ֑סand he will melt away
venamasH4549 →21 times
תַּאֲוַ֖ת[the] desire of
taavatH8378 →20 times
רְשָׁעִ֣יםwicked [people]
reshaimH7563 →263 times
תֹּאבֵֽד׃it will perish
tovedH6 →184 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 86:17Show me a sign of Your goodness, that my enemies may see and be ashamed; for You, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me.
it leads to
- Psalms 41:10–11
But You, O LORD, be gracious to me and raise me up, that I may repay them.
- Judges 6:17
Gideon answered, “If I have found favor in Your sight, give me a sign that it is You speaking with me.
- Psalms 71:20–21
Though You have shown me many troubles and misfortunes, You will revive me once again. Even from the depths of the earth You will bring me back up.
- Psalms 71:9–13
Do not discard me in my old age; do not forsake me when my strength fails.
- Micah 7:8–10
Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
- Psalms 41:10–11
Through
Job 8:13Such is the destiny of all who forget God; so the hope of the godless will perish.
it leads to
- Psalms 9:17
The wicked will return to Sheol— all the nations who forget God.
- Psalms 9:17
Through
Psalms 37:12The wicked scheme against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them,
it leads to
- Psalms 35:16
Like godless jesters at a feast, they gnashed their teeth at me.
- Micah 2:1
Woe to those who devise iniquity and plot evil on their beds! At morning’s light they accomplish it because the power is in their hands.
- Psalms 35:16
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Psalms
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, IN ANSWER TO THE JEWS 10:15; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 112; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.