Psalms 111

Life was not easy for the Jewish remnant that returned to Jerusalem after their exile in Babylon. Their neighbors were often hostile, the Persian officials were not always cooperative, and the economic situation was difficult. Ezra the scribe and the prophet Haggai describe some of these problems in their books and point out that the Jewish people were not always faithful to the Lord or generous to each other. This was why God withheld His blessing. This psalm may have been written by one of the Levites to remind the people to put the Lord first and trust Him to meet every need. The next psalm describes the blessings God will give to those who truly fear Him and do His will. Both psalms are acrostics with each line beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Other acrostic psalms are 9, 10, 24, 34, 37, 119, and 145. This was a special style of writing and perhaps the arrangement helped the people to memorize God’s Word. The writer gives us four instructions to follow if we would enjoy the help and blessing of the Lord in the difficult situations of life.

Psalms 111 and 112, along with 115–117, are “hallelujah” psalms that either begin or end with “Praise the Lord!” If we cannot rejoice in our circumstances, we can always rejoice in the Lord (Phil. 4:4). This opening verse is actually a vow; the writer is determined to praise God no matter what happens. Sometimes we simply need to get ourselves by the nape of the neck and decide to do what is right no matter how we feel! But he does not stay at home and worship in private, as important as that is; he goes to the sanctuary and joins in with others, for we encourage one another as we praise God together. The “company [assembly, council] of the upright” is a smaller group of the psalmist’s friends who, like him, are a part of the larger “congregation.” All of us have people in church who are very special to us, and as long as we do not form an exclusive clique, there is nothing wrong with worshipping God with your close friends. The “growth group” movement in the church today has proven very helpful, especially in larger congregations. But the important thing is that we are wholehearted in our worship, giving God our very best.

God’s people do not live in the past, but they know how to use the past to give them encouragement in the present and hope for the future. The celebrating of special days and weeks as commanded in Leviticus 23 was one way the Lord helped His people recall His great deeds on their behalf. But even more, His works reveal His attributes, for like Him they are great (v. 2), glorious, majestic and righteous (v. 3), wonderful, gracious and compassionate (v. 4), powerful (v. 6), faithful, just and trustworthy (v. 7), and holy and awesome (v. 9). Who could not trust a God with that kind of character!

In reviewing the kinds of works God did, the psalmist also reminded us of what some of those works were. He provided food for His people after they left Egypt and gave them His covenant at Sinai (v. 5). He helped them conquer the nations in Canaan (v. 6; Deut. 4:35–40) and delivered them from bondage in Babylon (v. 9). As A. T. Pierson used to say, “History is His story,” and we should read it with that in mind. We should delight in pondering the record of God’s works and learn more about the Lord from our study, but we should also review how He has worked in our own lives. The word “remembered” in verse 4 is “memorial.” We may read it, “He has caused His wonders to be a memorial.” In fact, Israel itself is a memorial to the power and grace of God. As Abraham went from place to place, he left behind altars and wells as memorials that God had brought him that way, and the Jewish nation left “memorial stones” after they entered Canaan (Josh. 4:1–7) and during their passage through the land. Jewish parents were commanded to teach their children the meaning of the special days and the memorial stones (Ex. 13:3–10; Deut. 6:4–9; Josh. 4:4–7). There are no “sacred places” where God dwells in some unique way, but there are special places where God can bring edifying memories to mind that will help us remember His greatness and grace.

From the works of God it was an easy transition to the Word of God, for it is God’s Word that brought all things into being and that keeps things together (33:6–11). God gave His law to His people so that they might enjoy His blessings. His righteousness is forever (v. 3), but so are His covenants (vv. 5, 9) and His precepts (v. 8). God’s Word is trustworthy and we can rely on it. His precepts are given in love and His promises never fail. As for the covenant He made with Israel, He has been faithful to keep it even when Israel was not faithful to obey it. If we obey His Word, He is faithful to bless; if we disobey, He is just to chasten us in love. As the people of God, we bear His name and want to glorify His name in all that we say and do. “Reverend is his name,” says the kjv (v. 9), meaning “His name should be revered and held in honor.” The word “reverend” is usually applied to the clergy, but there is no biblical basis for this. Both the NIV and NASB use “awesome.” To the Jewish people, God’s name was so awesome that they would not speak the name “Jehovah” but substituted “Adonai” lest they would inadvertently blaspheme His holy name. Would that God’s people today had such reverence for the name of the Lord!

The awesomeness of God’s name leads to the importance of fearing the Lord and obeying His will. The fear of the Lord is a topic mentioned frequently in Scripture, especially in the book of Proverbs. It is not the slavish fear of a criminal before a judge but the loving and reverential fear of a child for his or her parents. If we want to understand God’s works and God’s Word, we must maintain this reverential fear of the Lord, for this attitude is the basis for receiving spiritual wisdom and understanding. (See Job 28:28; Prov. 1: and 9:10.) The word “beginning” means “the principal part,” and without this we are unprepared to learn God’s truth. But fearing the Lord leads to obeying the Lord, and obedience is important to spiritual understanding (John 7:17). How all of this works out in our practical daily life is explained in the next psalm.