I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;
they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever!Teaching us to praise God.
As we begin a New Year, let us not forget to praise the Lord every day. He has brought us through some tough times and continues to do so. We may think we get through by our own grit and determination, by our own strength and perseverance, by the blessings of modern science and medicine, but this Psalm reminds us that the Lord God Almighty rules and reigns in us and in our world.
Psalm 111 is an acrostic. Each line in the Hebrew text begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The Psalmist did this so that people could memorize and recite the words more easily in public worship. The Psalm is one of praise for it enumerates the great works of our Lord God. The Lord has provided for the needs of all creation. He has helped His people time and again. Especially worthy of praise are the facts that the Lord is utterly true to His word and so has provided redemption for His people. He has taken away their sins so they may dwell with Him forever. Therefore we have nothing to worry or fret about. The Lord has taken care of it all.
This Psalm should remind us that when we worship, we too ought to praise the Lord for the great things He has done in the created world as well as the blessings He has given us as individuals and corporately as the Body of Christ. As we mediate on such wonderful blessings, we are humbled. Our worship will remind us that we are to follow what He commands and that He enables us to do so. Faith helps us as we realize that, although He is concerned with our cares, desires and needs, these are minor compared with what He wants us to do and what He wants to give us. As we allow His desires to overshadow our own we will find that He grants us the godly wisdom and spiritual strength we need to carry out His work and to live in righteousness.