The Meaning of Psalms 112:8 Explained

Psalms 112:8

KJV: His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.

YLT: Sustained is his heart -- he feareth not, Till that he look on his adversaries.

Darby: His heart is maintained, he is not afraid, until he see his desire upon his oppressors.

ASV: His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, Until he see his desire upon his adversaries.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

His heart  [is] established,  he shall not be afraid,  until he see  [his desire] upon his enemies. 

What does Psalms 112:8 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 112:8 mean?

[is] established His heart not he will be afraid until that He sees [his desire] upon his enemies
סָמ֣וּךְ לִ֭בּוֹ לֹ֣א יִירָ֑א עַ֖ד אֲשֶׁר־ יִרְאֶ֣ה בְצָרָֽיו

סָמ֣וּךְ  [is]  established 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: סָמַךְ  
Sense: to lean, lay, rest, support, put, uphold, lean upon.
לִ֭בּוֹ  His  heart 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לֵב 
Sense: inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding.
יִירָ֑א  he  will  be  afraid 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרֵא 
Sense: to fear, revere, be afraid.
עַ֖ד  until 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
אֲשֶׁר־  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יִרְאֶ֣ה  He  sees  [his  desire] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בְצָרָֽיו  upon  his  enemies 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: צַר 
Sense: narrow, tight.