John Calvin Commentary Psalms 112:4

"Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness: [He is] gracious, and merciful, and righteous." — Psalms 112:4 (ASV)

Light ariseth: The Hebrew verb זרח, zarach, may be taken intransitively, as I have inserted it in the text, or transitively, as in the marginal reading; in either way, the meaning is the same. Whichever of these translations you adopt, the words are open to a twofold interpretation: either, that as the sun shines on one part of the earth and all the other parts of it are enveloped in darkness, so God exempts the righteous from the common calamities of human life; or, that as day succeeds night, so God, though He allows the hearts of His servants to be in heaviness for a season, will cause a time of calmness and clearness to return to them.

If the latter interpretation is adopted, then by darkness, or by the cloudy, rainy, or stormy season, the prophet means the afflictions to which God subjects His servants for the trial of their patience. The former interpretation appears to be more appropriate: that when the whole world is overwhelmed with troubles, God’s grace shines upon the faithful, who feel comfortable and happy because He is gracious to them.

This is how their condition is properly distinguished from that which forms the common lot of other men. For the ungodly, however they may exult in prosperity, are nevertheless blind in the midst of light, because they are strangers to God’s paternal kindness; and, in adversity, they are plunged into the darkness of death. Consequently, they never enjoy a season of calm repose.

On the contrary, the godly, upon whom the favor of God constantly shines, though liable to the ills incident to humanity, are never overwhelmed with darkness, and hence the appropriateness of what is stated here: light ariseth to them in darkness. If we give the Hebrew verb an active meaning, then, in one respect, the construction of the words will be preferable.

For I have no doubt that the prophet intends the epithets gracious, merciful, and just as applicable to God. Therefore, if we read it as a neuter verb, light ariseth, then the latter clause of the verse will be the reason for the statement made in the former clause. As to the interpretation that the righteous and humane do not diffuse darkness over the world as the unrighteous and wicked do; that they do not extract smoke from light, but light from smoke; it must be viewed as nothing other than a perversion of the prophet’s language.