3
His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.
My Thoughts
Today’s verse in Psalm 111:3 captures the honorable and glorious nature of God’s work, particularly regarding the salvation of His people. The commentaries that follow highlight the uniqueness of divine salvation, showcasing its magnificence and the righteousness inherent within God’s plans. God’s righteousness is eternal and unwavering, standing firm through examinations and hardships. Here in this verse, the need of believers to praise God for His works, which, when explored deeply, reveal infinite honor and majesty characteristic of the divine is a call for us to Praise HIM who is our everything……Bill
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Commentaries:
Charles Spurgeon
“His work is honorable and glorious.” His one special work, the salvation of his people, is here mentioned as distinguished from his many other works. This reflects honor and glory upon him. It is deservedly the theme of the highest praise and compels those who understand it and experience it to ascribe all honor and glory unto the Lord. Its conception, its sure foundations, its gracious purpose, its wise arrangements, its gift of Jesus as Redeemer, its application of redemption by the Holy Ghost in regeneration and sanctification, and all else which make up the one glorious whole, all redound to the infinite honor of Him who contrived and carried out so astounding a method of salvation. No other work can be compared with it: it honors both the Savior and the saved, and while it brings glory to God, it also brings us to glory. There is none like the God of Jeshurun, and there is no salvation like that which he has wrought for his people.
“And his righteousness endureth for ever.” In the work of grace, righteousness is not forgotten, nor deprived of its glory; rather, it is honored in the eyes of the intelligent universe. The bearing of guilt by our great Substitute proved that not even to effect the purposes of his grace would the Lord forget his righteousness; no future strain upon his justice can ever be equal to that which it has already sustained in the bruising of his dear Son; it must henceforth assuredly endure forever. Moreover, the righteousness of God in the whole plan can never now be suspected of failure, for all that it requires is already performed, its demands are satisfied by the double deed of our Lord in enduring the vengeance due, and in rendering perfect obedience to the law. Caprice (sudden, impulsive) does not enter into the government of the Lord; the rectitude of it is and must forever be beyond all question. In no single deed of God can unrighteousness be found, nor shall there ever be: this is the very glory of his work, and even its adversaries cannot gainsay it. Let believers, therefore, praise him evermore, and never blush to speak of that work which is so honorable and glorious.
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Enduring Word
His work is honorable and glorious: Not only are God’s works in creation great, but so is His work of guiding and arranging all things, His work of providence.
i. Kidner notes that a different Hebrew word is translated work in Psalm 111:3: “Here God’s work (poal) is more likely to mean his providential acts, as in, e.g., Deuteronomy 32:4 [His work is perfect].” (Guzik)
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Barnes
His work is honorable and glorious – literally, “Honor and glory is his work;” that is, all that he does is honorable and glorious. The language would cover all that God does in the works of creation, providence, and redemption. There is honor – there is majesty – in “everything” that he does.
And his righteousness endureth for ever – That is, it will be found in all the investigations of his works that he is unchangeably righteous or just. All that he has done, or that he now does, goes to demonstrate this. There are doings of people – even of good people – which will not bear investigation, but there are no such acts of God. There are things that people do which excite admiration only when there is no investigation in regard to them, but the works of God are admired the more, the more they are studied. There are things which appear beautiful or appear sweet only when they are not shaken; a collection of perfumes will give out sweets the more it is stirred.
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Matthew Henry
All the works of the Lord are spoken of as one (v. 3); it is his work, such is the beauty and harmony of Providence and so admirably do all its dispensations centre in one design; it was cried to the wheels, O wheel! Eze. 10:13. Take all together, and it is honorable and glorious, and such as becomes him.
They are entertaining and exercising to the inquisitive-sought out of all those that have pleasure therein. Note,
(1.) All that truly love God have pleasure in his works, and reckon all well that he does; nor do their thoughts dwell upon any subject with more delight than on the works of God, which the more they are looked into the more they give us of a pleasing surprise.
(2.) Those that have pleasure in the works of God will not take up with a superficial transient view of them, but will diligently search into them and observe them. In studying both natural and political history, we should have this in our eye, to discover the greatness and glory of God’s works.
(3.) These works of God, that are humbly and diligently sought into, shall be sought out; those that seek shall find (so some read); they are found of all those that have pleasure in them, or found in all their parts, designs, purposes, and several concernments (so Dr. Hammond), for the secret of the Lord is with those that fear him, Ps. 25:14.
They are all justly and holy; His righteousness endures forever. Whatever he does, he never did, nor ever will do, any wrong to any of his creatures; and therefore his works endure forever (Eccl. 3:14) because the righteousness of them endures.
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Robert Jamieson
3, 4. honorable and glorious—literally, “honor and majesty,” which illustrate His glorious perfections.
righteousness—(Ps 7:17; 31:1), which He has made memorable by wonders of love and mercy, in supplying the wants of His people according to covenant engagements.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 1 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 380.
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John D. Barry
111:3 his righteousness, God’s tsedaqah is a central characteristic of His glory.
forever The Hebrew word used here, ad (which refers to “a lasting future time”), is synonymous with olam (“long time” or “future time”; vv. 5, 9). In Psa 111, these terms convey the meaning of “forever.” God’s righteousness is unending.
John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Ps 111:3.
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Matthew Poole
3 His work is honorable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth forever.
His work; either all his works, of which see the note on ver. 2; or that eminent branch of those works, his providence towards his people, as it is expressed afterwards. Honorable and glorious; becoming the Divine Majesty, and bringing glory to him from all that observe and consider it. His righteousness; his justice or faithfulness in performing his word. Endureth forever; hath always been, and will still be, evident to his people in all generations, and in all conditions, even when he afflicts them, and seems to deal most severely, and to break his promise with them.
Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible, vol. 2 (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1853), 175.
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Cross References
3 Wealth and riches shall be in his house:
And his righteousness endureth for ever.
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Psalm 112:3.
5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty,
And of thy wondrous works.
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Psalm 145:5.
6 Honour and majesty are before him:
Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
The Holy Bible: King James Version, Psalm 96:6.
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KJV W/Strongs Bible
111:3 His work 6467 [is] honourable 1935 and glorious 1926: and his righteousness 6666 endureth 5975 8802 for ever 5703.
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Geneva Bible 1560
Psalm 111:3
3 His work is beautiful and glorious, and his righteousness endureth for ever.
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Psalm 55:
16 As for me, I will call upon GOD and the LORD shall save me.
17 Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
18 He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me,
22 Cast your burden on the LORD, And He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved.
23 ….But I will Trust in YOU
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