A good man deals graciously and lends; He will guide his affairs with discretion.
Parallel translations
- WEB It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment.
- KJV A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.
- BSB It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.
- NASB It goes well for a person who is gracious and lends; He will maintain his cause in judgment.
- NLT Good comes to those who lend money generously and conduct their business fairly.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
It goes well with the person who is generous, lends freely, and conducts his affairs justly. Gracious generosity and integrity bring blessing.
Overview
The righteous person is marked by open-handed lending and fairness, reflecting God's own grace. Such a life is established and vindicated 'in judgment.' The verse commends generosity and justice as fruits of true faith, virtues that echo Christ's call to give freely and act with integrity (Luke 6:35).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Ps 37:21The wicked borrow, and don’t pay back, but the righteous give generously.
- Eph 5:15Therefore watch carefully how you walk, not as unwise, but as wise;
- Prov 2:20that you may walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
- Phil 1:9This I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and all discernment;
- Ps 37:25–26I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging for bread.
- Deut 15:7–10If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not harden your heart, nor shut your hand from your poor brother;
- John 6:12When they were filled, he said to his disciples, “Gather up the broken pieces which are left over, that nothing be lost.”
- Prov 24:30–34I went by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of the man void of understanding;
- Rom 12:11not lagging in diligence; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
- Luke 23:50Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man
- Prov 22:26–27Don’t you be one of those who strike hands, of those who are collateral for debts.
- Rom 5:7For one will hardly die for a righteous man. Yet perhaps for a righteous person someone would even dare to die.
- Prov 17:18A man void of understanding strikes hands, and becomes collateral in the presence of his neighbor.
- Luke 6:35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.
- Prov 12:2A good man shall obtain favor from Yahweh, but he will condemn a man of wicked devices.
- Prov 24:27Prepare your work outside, and get your fields ready. Afterwards, build your house.
- Prov 18:9One who is slack in his work is brother to him who is a master of destruction.
- Col 4:5Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time.
- Acts 11:24For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and many people were added to the Lord.
- Job 31:16–20“If I have withheld the poor from their desire, or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail,
- Prov 27:23–27Know well the state of your flocks, and pay attention to your herds:
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 112:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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