Psalms 111

Psalms 111:1-5

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; the title of it is Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord. It is compelled alphabetically, each sentence beginning with a several letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The psalmist rebenting to praise God, 1. Sets himself for an example, ver. 1. 2. Purposes 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 uniformity of them to his word of promise. (6.) The perpetuity of them. They observations are intertwined, ver. 2—9. 3. He recommends the holy fear of God, and a conscientious obedience to his commands, as the most acceptable way of praying God, ver. 10.

PRAISE ye 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, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. 3. His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. 4. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: 5. The LORD is gracious and full of compassion. 6. He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

According to the title, Hallelujah, we find the psalmist.

1. Protesting his purpose to praise God with his whole heart, with unbiqued sincerity, and warm affection, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation, in social worship, or the courts of the sanctuary.

2. He would take the matter of his song from the works of the Lord, the works of creation, providence, and redemption, which are each of them to great and wonderful, and fought out of all them that have pleasure therein; who make these the delightful subject of their contemplation, and long to increase their knowledge of them, that they may be more enlarged in love and praise. His work is honourable and glorious in itself, and hinted to exalt the glory of the Divine artifice: his righteousness endureth for ever; all the dispositions of his providence and grace are altogether and everlastingly righteous and true, and especially that Divine righteousness which Jesus wrought out

for his people abideth eternally the same, to justify all that truth in it from every condemnation. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered; they will deliver to be treasured up in our memories; and God hath graciously been pleased to transmit to us, in his word, his wonders of old time, to excite still our wonder and praise: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion, as sinners, to their unutterable comfort, experience in the salvation of Jesus Christ, and the great and precious promises that are in him; and as appears also in all the instances of his providential care: for he hath given meat to those that fear them, or a pray; the spoil of the Egyptians, and rather than they should want, hath provided in the wilderness, for Israel, bread from heaven; and still he continues to feed his choice daily with that better bread from heaven, which giveth life unto the world: he will ever be mindful of his covenant, none of the promises of it shall ever fail, nor any of the holdings of it be with-held from his people; and therefore they are bound to say Hallelujah, for mercies so inestimably precious, and so so veritably free.

6. He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. 7. The works of his hands are verity and judgment; 8. All his commandments are sure. 8. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. 9. He sent redemption unto his people; he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and revered it his name. 10. 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 111:6-10

The psalmist instances various other particulars of God’s works, which should be matter of his people’s praise.

1. The miracles he shewed them in their journey to the promised land, and his wonders in dispossessing the heathen to make room for them, v. 6.

2. Herein he acted with the highest equity and judgment, as he doth in all his works; the measure of iniquity of these nations being full, and the time arrived to fulfil the promises he made unto Abraham and his seed. Note, In all God’s works he will magnify his own justice and truth.

3. Immutable are all his counsels, unchangeable his word. All his commandments are sure; whatever he commands must be accomplished, whatever he promises he fulfilled. They stand fast for ever and ever, both his law and gospel, and all the precepts and promises contained in them, and are done in truth and uprightness; they are consonant to the rules of eternal righteousness, and will be obeyed in simplicity by all that truly serve him.

4. He hath sent redemption unto his people, delivered them from Egypt, and repeatedly rescued them by their judges from the hands of their oppressors; and, above all, hath sent that eternal redemption unto them which was wrought out by Jesus Christ in the fulness of time: he hath commanded his covenant for ever; it is everlasting, ordered in all things, and sure to all the spiritual seed of David. Holy and revered it his name; so it appears in all his works and ways, and worthy to be reverenced and adored by saints on earth, and angels in heaven.

5. For all these works of power he hath shewed, God is to be feared; and this is our highest wisdom and bounden duty. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a reverential, vital fear of offending a God so great, and withal so gracious, in the beginning, on the summit, of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: this proves them indeed wise unto salvation; and by obedience to his will, as far as it is revealed to them, they arrive at higher degrees of spiritual knowledge and understanding: his praise, the Lord’s, or its praise, i. e. of such a conversation, endureth for ever; God will appear everlastingly glorious; and all his faithful people, who have approved themselves to him, shall have praise of him. Note, (1.) They are the truly wise who fear God and keep his commandments. (2.) Though the best we can do is unworthy of God, yet, when done in faith and love, he is not unrighteous to forget our works, nor will fail to reward us accordingly.