Reflections on Psalm 111

 

Psalm 111 (Contemporary English Version)


1. Shout praises to the LORD! With all my heart I will thank the LORD when his people meet.
   
2. The LORD has done many wonderful things! Everyone who is pleased with God's marvelous deeds will keep them in mind.
   
3. Everything the LORD does is glorious and majestic, and his power to bring justice will never end.
   
4. The LORD God is famous for his wonderful deeds, and he is kind and merciful.
   
5. He gives food to his worshipers and always keeps his agreement with them.
   
6. He has shown his mighty power to his people and has given them the lands of other nations.
   
7. God is always honest and fair, and his laws can be trusted.
   
8. They are true and right and will stand forever.
   
9. God rescued his people, and he will never break his agreement with them. He is fearsome and holy.
   
10. Respect and obey the LORD! This is the first step to wisdom and good sense. God will always be respected.

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This is one of ten psalms that begin with "Hallelujah!" which is considered an indication of its intent to be used for public worship. Its poetic design is lost in English, but in Hebrew it is designed with two phrases per verse and each phrase beginning with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Reason is given in the first four verses for the Hallelujah at the beginning. His works are great, all He does is splendid, His righteousness endures forever, and He is gracious and compassionate.

These are reason enough to give the Lord praise, but there is more. Verses 5-8 tell of the Lord's provision to those who follow Him. He has provided His people sustenance by giving them food. He has provided them hope by remembering His promises to them. He has provided His people a place and a name by giving them the inheritance of the nations. And He has provided them protection by establishing truth and justice.

To this point we are given reason to praise the Lord for His works in the past and the present. Now the psalmist looks to the future. We can praise the Lord because "He has sent redemption to His people. He has ordained His covenant forever." And then, in the last verse comes the psalmist's counsel to the people and to us. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." None of the above are available to those who do not fear the Lord and follow Him. It is foolishness to think that any of this can be found from any other source. Particularly when one considers that the Lord is the creator who has made it all. It would seem that everything goes back to Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning." Accepting God as the creator is the foundation for everything relating to our worldview and to life itself. Dismiss that and we have dismissed reality and all that goes with it. This dismissal of God is really unwise. The fact that many intelligent and learned people discount God is strong indication that wisdom and intelligence are not synonymous.