Praise to God for His Faithfulness and Justice
My Thoughts
This Psalm celebrates God’s faithfulness and justice, emphasizing the importance of knowing God, which transforms into genuine worship. The psalmist highlights God’s great works, encouraging remembrance and appreciation among His people. Ultimately, it concludes by stating that the fear of the Lord is to take God seriously and have a clear understanding of how to obey the Lord in every situation, giving us a deeper understanding and adoration of God …….. Bill
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Introductions of Psalm 111:
Charles Spurgeon
There is no title to this psalm, but it is an alphabetical hymn of praise, having for its subject the works of the Lord in creation, providence, and grace. The sweet singer dwells upon the one idea that God should be known by his people and that this knowledge, when turned into practical piety, is man’s true wisdom and the certain cause of lasting adoration. Many are ignorant of what their Creator has done, and hence they are foolish in heart, and silent as to the praises of God: this evil can only be removed by a remembrance of God’s works, and a diligent study of them; to this, therefore, the psalm is meant to arouse us. It may be called THE PSALM OF GOD’S WORKS, intended to excite us to the work of praise.
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Enduring Word
This is another of the acrostic psalms, arranged according to the Hebrew alphabet. Except for the opening line of “Praise the Lord” (Hallelujah), each of the 22 lines of Psalm 111 begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. (Guzik)
“The great art used in the composure of this and some other psalms (after the order of the Hebrew alphabet) serveth both to set forth their excellence and for the help of memory” (John Trapp)
Many commentators note the connection between Psalms 111-112. James Montgomery Boice observed, “The two psalms are an obviously matched pair. The first is an acrostic poem about God; the second is an acrostic poem about the godly man.”
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Barnes
The author of this psalm is unknown, as is the occasion on which it was composed. It is one of the psalms, of which there are in all ten in number, that commence with the phrase “Hallelu-jah” in the Hebrew; in our version rendered, “Praise ye the Lord.” Those psalms are Psalms 106:0; Psalms 111:1-10; Psalms 112:1-10; Psalms 113:1-9; Psalms 135:0; Psalms 146:1-10; Psalms 147:0; Psalms 148:1-14; Psalms 149:1-9; and Psalms 150:1-6. The use of this phrase shows that the psalms where it is found were designed for public worship. It is probable that this was one of the later psalms – a fact that might be indicated by the very use of this phrase “Hallelujah.” Venema supposes that it was composed in the time of the Maccabees, but of this, there is no evidence.
This is one of the alphabetical psalms. In that class of psalms, there is considerable variety. In some a letter of the Hebrew alphabet commences each verse in the psalm; in others, the successive letters of the alphabet begin each two or three verses in succession, or, as in Psalms 119:0; eight verses in succession; in others, the successive letters of the alphabet are used in the beginning of separate clauses of the “verses” of a psalm.
The peculiarity of this psalm is that the first eight verses of the psalm contain “two” clauses, beginning with the letters of the alphabet taken in their order; the last two verses, “three”. Why this arrangement was adopted, it is impossible now to determine – as it is in regard to “many” things which are thought to be beauties in poetry. There is very much in the measure, the rhythm, the rhyme, of modern poetry, that is quite as artificial, and quite as inexplicable, as this.
The psalm is a call to the praise of God on account of his “works” and is designed to suggest grounds of confidence in him as drawn “from” those works. It is, therefore, of universal applicability and may be used in any nation, at any time, and among any people. It is a psalm which may be translated into all the languages of the world, and whatever language people may speak, it would express in their own tongue what they have occasion to give thanks for in the various lands where they dwell.
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John Gill
This psalm, though without a name, is thought to be penned by David; it is composed in an artificial manner, in an alphabetical order, each clause or sentence beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet in course, till the whole is finished; this perhaps was done to recommend the psalm, to make it more observed, and to help the memory; the general design of it is to excite to praise the Lord, from the consideration of his great and wonderful works.
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Matthew Henry
This and divers of the psalms that follow it seem to have been penned by David for the service of the church in their solemn feasts and not upon any particular occasion. This is a psalm of praise. The title of it is “Hallelujah-Praise you the Lord,” intimating that we must address ourselves to the use of this psalm with hearts disposed to praise God. It is composed alphabetically, each sentence beginning with several letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order exactly, two sentences to each verse, and three a piece to the last two. The psalmist, exhorting to praise God,
I. Sets himself for an example (v. 1).
II. Furnishes us with matter for praise from the works of God.
1. The greatness of his works and the glory of them.
2. The righteousness of them.
3. The goodness of them.
4. The power of them.
5. The conformity of them to his word of promise.
6. The perpetuity of them. These observations are intermixed (v. 2-9).
III. He recommends the holy fear of God and conscientious obedience to his commands as the most acceptable way of praising God (v. 10).
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Clarke
This is one of the alphabetical or acrostic Psalms, but it is rather different from those we have already seen, as the first eight verses contain each two members, and each member commences with a consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. But the two last verses are composed of three members each, characterized the same way, making twenty-two members or hemistichs in the whole, to each of which a consecutive letter of the alphabet is prefixed. But this division is not proper: it should follow the arrangement in the Hebrew poetry, where every hemistich stands by itself, and each contains a complete sense. The Psalm has no title in the Hebrew, unless the word Hallelujah be considered as such, and the thanksgivings which it contains were probably composed for the benefit of the Jews after their return from captivity.
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Tony Evans
111:1–9 To declare hallelujah is to bestow boasting and honor on the Lord. The psalmist praises God publicly and wholeheartedly (not merely externally or ritualistically) (111:1). God’s mighty works are splendid and majestic—they are even worthy of being studied for both their power and purpose (111:2–3). The psalmist recounts God’s wondrous works among his covenant members, including providing for them, giving them the inheritance of the nations, and redeeming them (111:4–9). The Lord is holy and awe-inspiring (111:9). He’s in a class by Himself.
111:10 In light of the glory of God, the psalmist concludes by describing the disposition that should characterize all true worshipers: the fear of the Lord. To take God seriously is the foundation of wisdom. To be wise is to have a clear understanding of how to obey God’s commands in specific situations. Exercising such wisdom leads us to experience God at a deeper level, which should lead to even more praise.
Tony Evans, The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2019), 563–564.
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1
Praise the Lord!
I will praise the Lord with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
2
The works of the Lord are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
3
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.
4
He has made His wonderful works to be remembered;
The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5
He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
6
He has declared to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7
The works of His hands are verity and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
8
They stand fast forever and ever,
And are done in truth and uprightness.
9
He has sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever:
Holy and awesome is His name.
10
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.
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You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Isaiah 26:3 NKJV
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