Psalms 111:1
Psalms 111:1-2 says, “Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my
whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have
pleasure therein.”
Why should we praise the Lord? Well to
praise the Lord means to say good things about Him. God is good and therefore
there are only good things to say about God. When people say things about God
that are not good they are lying. When we consider this
we realize there is no other option than to praise the Lord unless you want to
lie.
Two more important details are given in verse one about praising the
Lord. The first is the praise Him with the whole heart. This ties in with the
greatest commandment which Jesus said in Mark 12:29-30 is, “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is,
Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy
God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with
all thy strength: this is the first commandment.”
There is always a tremendous difference between doing something half
heartily and doing something whole heartily. Go build two building and build
one half heartily and one whole heartily go run a race and do the same and you
will see the difference and you will understand. Why God demands the whole
heart.
It is a fair demand. God gave us His whole heart. He gave us His whole
world. He didn’t’ half die on the cross. Is it so
heart to praise the Lord with the whole heart?
The second important detail given in verse 1 about praising the Lord
says, in
the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.
These words tie in with two other important principles of the Bible.
Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpeneth Iron; so a man
sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.”
Hebrews
It’s important to praise God when fellowshipping with other believers. Most
people that are Christians will do some praising when they go to church. But
church is not a building the church is the body of believers and Jesus said
where two or three are gathered together there He is in the midst. Do you
praise God only when you go to church. Or do you
praise him whenever you are around other Christians? It is important to praise
God for the edification of other believers.
This does not mean we should not praise God among lost people. But it
is different around other believers because they are believers they are your
family. They will rejoice without and praise with you. It creates an important
fellowship. Often when you praise God around the heathen it results in them
scorning you. Sometimes on rare occasions it might result in them having in
Christ.
But these verses are emphasizing the important of praising God around
your fellow Christians.
If we
are going to praise God what should we praise Him for? Psalms 111:2 tells us.
It says, The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all
them that have pleasure therein.”
We should praise God for His Works. God has done many great works.
Many of His works are recorded for us in the Bible. The greatest work of all of
course is when God
sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins and to rise from the great
defeating death and giving us the hope of eternal life.
Even thought he Bible is completely written God is still doing great
works today. The great work of God is in the hearts of men. The Spirit of God
touches the hearts of men using His word and brings the lost to repentance of
their sins. This is the great and marvelous work of God.
If God
is doing such a great work today why do some men not praise him for His great works. The works of the LORD are
great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.” Because they have no pleasure therein. In otherwords this
verse is indicating there is great pleasure in the works of God. We hear a lot
about the word pleasure from the world. But it should be revealed there is
greater pleasure in the works of God. What greater pleasure can there be than
to see a soul lost in its sins become redeemed through the blood of the Lamb.
What greater pleasure can there be than to see the heathen come to Christ and
to a man have the opportunity to become all that he was meant to be in Jesus.
There is great pleasure in
righteousness. There is great pleasure in the great works of God.
Psalms 111:3-4 says, “His work is
honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made
his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of
compassion.”
Two important details are given to us in verse 3 about the great works
of God. His works are honourable and glorious. What does it mean for something
to be honorable? It means there is a power and a
beauty to it. It is like saying marriage is honorable or feeding the poor is
honorable. Ever work that God does is great and honorable. It’s honorable so
there is something imposing about it, something that demands respect and
admiration. His works are works of power.
Also his works are glorious. Glory has the idea of a manifestation of
splendor and majesticness. God’s works are glorious therefore it gets noticed
in the world when God does something whether it is the saving of a soul from
sin or the rising or casting down of a nation.
The last part of verse 3 is perhaps the most important it says, his righteousness endureth for ever. This implies
that all the works that God does are righteousness. Because that is what these
verses are talking about, the great works of God.
God’s righteousness endures forever and so those that have the
righteousness of Christ will also live forever. What a blessing and privilege
it is to be part of the work of God.
He hath made his
wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of
compassion.”
Of all the great works that God has done which one is most remembered,
which one is most important? Is it the parting of the red sea? Is it God
judging
Notice the connection between remembering the works of God and grace
and compassion. Where is grace and compassion found? Why it comes from God. It’s source is at the cross. In a way you could be poetic
and say grace is a shadow that ever outlines the cross. If we need anything we
need more grace and compassion. We need grace because we are sinners and fail
so easily. And we need compassion because they are many lost in this world and
many people who suffer a great many things. You can have grace and compassion
by coming to Jesus, by repenting of your sins and accepting His love. In so
doing your heart can become a heart filled with grace and compassion and your
life can become a life filled with grace and compassion.
Psalms 111:5-6 says, “He hath given meat
unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath
shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of
the heathen.”
Jesus said in Luke 4:4, “And Jesus
answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall
not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.”
When the Bible talks about food is it talking about spiritual food or
physical food. More often than not its talking about spiritual food. God created the world and
He made it a plenteous world. He provides food for human beings in his grace.
God created food and the need to eat to symbolize our spiritual need
to feed on His truth daily. This is a very interesting verse because it says, He hath given meat unto
them that fear him. Why do some people not get the word of God. Why do some people not have good solid bible teaching
or a preacher who preaches the word instead of his own ideas or traditions of
men? This verse says God feeds those that fear Him. Perhaps some people are not
even given the opportunity to hear a good sermon because they have no fear of
God.
Proverbs 1:7 says, “The fear of the LORD is
the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
To Fear God means many things. To fear God means to fear His ability
to punish sin. To fear God means to understand there are consequences for sin
and punishment for sin. To fear God also means to awe at God’s glorious power
and to have the utmost respect for His name.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. He hath given meat
unto them that fear Him. This verse does not say he hath given milk but meat.
The meat of the word the deep spiritual truths the profound explanations of the
gospel of Jesus Christ like the difference between law and grace or how it is
that A Holy Christ could become sin for us.
It would seem to few in this world fear the
Lord because very few people in this world receive pure bible teachings that
are not tainted by traditions of men, false teachings and the wisdom of the
world. If you are a person who receives the meat of the word and understands it
then you have a fear of the Lord.
How wonderful it is to fear the Lord. To fear the Lord is part of
worshiping God.
Psalms 111:5-6 says, “He hath given meat
unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath
shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of
the heathen.”
God has a covenant that he made. The covenant, the testament is the
blood of Jesus Christ. The judgment of God placed upon Jesus in our stead that
we who are unrighteous might become righteous through the righteousness of
Christ. To be declared righteous is the greatest thing that can happen to a
person; to become Holy, to become a saint. This covenant that God made when
Jesus hung on the cross is something that He always thinks about in His mind.
If you want to know what God is thinking about He is thinking about
the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is what fills God’s thoughts. He is ever
mindful of his covenant.
What a wonderful truth to know that God is always thinking about what
Jesus has done for me. His suffering, His death, His resurrection, the promise that one day I too will be like Jesus and defeat
death thought the power of God and live forever in righteousness.
When I fail through the weakness of my flesh God is still thinking
about His covenant.
Psalms 111:6, “He hath shewed his people
the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.”
What is a heritage? A heritage is a portion, a possession an
inheritance. In other words this verse is saying that all the things that God
would have done for and given to the heathen He will give to his children. Why?
God does not cast his pearls before swine. Those that turn away from the Lord
Jesus Christ turn away from all the things that God would give them. So God
gives them to someone else; his children.
A perfect example of this Judas who betrayed
Jesus and the apostle Paul. Judas
turned away. Judas could have been one of the twelve apostles. Judas could have
had his name written in precious stone upon the foundation of New Jersualem the
city that will be the greatest city in all of eternity. But he turned away and so his opportunities
and his inheritance was given unto another Paul the
apostle.
Just think of all the people that turn away from the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Just think about all the wasted opportunities to share the gospel with
other people and to earn those eternal rewards in heavens. Billions are turning
away from Jesus. Billions are throwing away their opportunities in the gospel.
Those opportunities and rewards will be given unto others. Perhaps unto you if
you seek them. Psalms 111:6, “He hath shewed his
people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the
heathen.”
Psalms 111:7-10 says, “The works of his
hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and
uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant
for ever: holy and reverend is his name. The fear of the LORD is
the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his
commandments: his praise endureth for ever.”
Psalms 111 is all about praising God for his works and then explaining
what his works are. It certainly is easier to praise God properly if we
understand His works.
In the first couple verses of Psalms 111 we were told that His works
were great, and honourable, and glorious. Now we are told that His works are
verity and judgment. Verity means truth. Judgment means discerning between
right and wrong and handing rewards or punishments for actions done. The Bible
says in Psalms 37:28, “For the LORD loveth judgment.”
The Bible also says in Ezekiel
The Lord has no pleasure in the death of those that die unrepentant of
their sins but even so the Lord loveth judgment and God does have pleasure in
His judgment. The works of the Lord are great, honorable, glorious, verity, and
judgment. Anyone who says the way of the Lord is not equal, anyone who says,
God is unjust, anyone who accuses God’s anger of being evil is a fool and in
danger of judgment for that very accusation.
Psalms 111 is an amazing Psalms. It tells to praise the Lord for his
Work then it goes on to describe the works of God. Then of all the works of God
that could be mentioned only one is mentioned. Which work is that? Psalms 111:9
says, “He sent redemption unto His people. He hat
commanded his covenant forever. Holy and reverend is His name.”
There are not thousands, not ten’s of thousands, not millions, not
billions, not trillions, but innumerable and uncountable are the works of God.
God created the world. God God gave man life and freedom. God parted the
If you are going to praise God for anything or if you are only going
to praise God for one thing be sure to praise Him for His Son Jesus Christ and
to thank Jesus for suffering in your place for your sins when He hung on the
cross 2000 years ago.
Jesus did a work that no man could do not the mightiest men nor the
wisest men. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God except for
Jesus. He lived a life without sin on this earth for 33 years perfectly
fulfilling the law of God. Then He hung on a tree and became a curse for us
that we might have the righteousness of God imputed unto us for ever. If you
want righteousness, if you want purity and holiness then come to Jesus. There
is no other way to become pure and holy except through the blood of Jesus
Christ.
If you have never turned from your sins then do so today. Today is the
day of salvation. Today is your opportunity to be saved and to find
forgiveness. For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son. Please
pray to Jesus right now and ask Him to be your Savior.
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Copyright; 2017 by Bruce
Creech
All Rights Reserved