Psalms 62:10
10. Not only are oppression and robbery, which are wicked means of wealth, no grounds of boasting; but even wealth, increasing lawfully, ought not to engross the heart.
1 Timothy 6:17-18
17. Resuming the subject from above, 1Ti 6:5, 10. The immortality of God, alone rich in glory, and of His people through Him, is opposed to the lust of money (compare 1Ti 6:14-16). From speaking of the desire to be rich, he here passes to those who are rich: (1) What ought to be their disposition; (2) What use they ought to make of their riches, and, (3) The consequences of their so using them.
rich in this world—contrasted with the riches of the future kingdom to be the portion of believers at Christ's "appearing," 1Ti 6:14. high-minded—often the character of the rich (see Ro 12:16). trust—Greek, "to have their trust resting." in . . . in—rather, "upon . . . upon," as the oldest manuscripts. uncertain riches—rather as Greek, "the uncertainty of riches." They who rest their trust on riches, rest trust on uncertainty itself (Pr 23:5). Now they belong to one person, now to another, and that which has many masters is possessed by none [THEODORET]. living God—The best manuscripts and versions omit "living." He who trusts in riches transfers to them the duty he owes to God [CALVIN]. who giveth—Greek, "affordeth." all things richly—temporal and eternal, for the body and for the soul. In order to be truly rich, seek to be blessed of, and in, God (Pr 10:22; 2Pe 1:3). to enjoy—Greek, "for enjoyment." Not that the heart may cleave to them as its idol and trust (1Ti 4:3). Enjoyment consists in giving, not in holding fast. Non-employment should be far removed, as from man, so from his resources (Jas 5:2, 3) [BENGEL].18. do good—like God Himself (Ps 119:68; Ac 14:17) and Christ (Ac 10:38). TITTMANN translates, "to do," or "act well"; as the Greek for "to be beneficent" is a distinct word, agathopoiein.
rich in good works—so "rich in faith," which produces good works (Jas 2:5). Contrasted with "rich in this world," 1Ti 6:17. Literally, it is "rich in honorable (right) works." Greek, "kalois," "ergois," are works good or right in themselves: "agathois," good to another. ready to distribute—free givers [ALFORD]; the heart not cleaving to possessions, but ready to impart to others. willing to communicate—ready contributors [ALFORD]: liberal in admitting others to share our goods in common with ourselves (Ga 6:6; Heb 13:16).