Psalm 111
1 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: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.
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; 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 reverend is 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.
Psalm 111 Commentary
Overview
Psalm 111 is a carefully ordered hymn of praise. It opens with “Praise ye the Lord,” or Hallelujah, and then turns that public summons into a personal promise: “I will praise the Lord with my whole heart.” The worshiper does not praise in isolation but among the upright and in the congregation. Private devotion and gathered worship belong together because God’s works deserve both personal reflection and public testimony.
The psalm moves through God’s works, character, covenant, commandments, redemption, and wisdom. Its Hebrew lines form an acrostic, proceeding through the letters of the alphabet in sequence. That structure gives the song a sense of completeness and makes its truths easier to remember. The companion Psalm 112 uses a similar form to describe the person who fears the Lord, showing that the God praised in Psalm 111 shapes the character celebrated in the next psalm.
Psalm 111 refuses to separate admiration from obedience. God’s works are to be studied, his compassion remembered, his covenant trusted, and his commandments practiced. The chapter ends by declaring that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Biblical wisdom is therefore more than collecting information; it is a reverent, obedient response to the God who has already acted graciously for his people.
Key Themes
Praise begins with a summons and a decision. “Praise ye the Lord” calls the whole community to worship, while “I will praise” expresses individual resolve. The psalmist does not wait for a stronger mood or easier circumstances. He directs his heart toward God because the Lord’s character and works remain worthy of praise.
Wholehearted praise is undivided worship. Praising with the whole heart does not claim flawless emotion or perfect concentration. It means approaching God sincerely rather than offering outward words while inward loyalty belongs elsewhere. The worshiper brings thought, affection, gratitude, and will together before the Lord.
Worship belongs in the assembly of God’s people. The psalmist praises both “in the assembly of the upright” and “in the congregation.” Faith is personal, but it is not designed to remain private. Gathered praise teaches the community, strengthens memory, gives testimony to God’s faithfulness, and joins individual gratitude to the larger story of his people.
God’s works deserve careful study. Verse 2 says the Lord’s works are “sought out” by those who delight in them. Wonder does not discourage investigation; it invites it. Readers may examine creation, providence, redemption, answered prayer, and biblical history, not to master God, but to understand more fully what his actions reveal about him.
God’s works display glory and enduring righteousness. His actions are “honourable and glorious” because they reveal majesty rather than selfish ambition. His righteousness endures because he never becomes unjust, dishonest, or morally inconsistent. Even when a particular act is difficult to understand, the psalm anchors interpretation in God’s settled character.
God intends his wonders to be remembered. The Lord made his mighty acts memorable, and Scripture repeatedly calls his people to recount them. Biblical remembrance is more than recalling information; it brings past grace into present faith. Israel remembered the exodus, covenant, wilderness provision, and gift of the land so that later generations would know whom to trust.
Grace and compassion explain God’s dealings with his people. Verse 4 echoes the revelation of God’s character in Exodus 34: he is gracious and full of compassion. His mighty works are not displays of raw power detached from goodness. He acts toward needy people with undeserved favor and tender concern.
God’s provision is tied to covenant faithfulness. “He hath given meat unto them that fear him” may recall food in the wilderness and also expresses God’s wider care for his people. The verse does not promise luxury or freedom from every season of want. It teaches that provision is not forgotten by the God who remains mindful of his covenant, as Deuteronomy 8 also emphasizes.
The gift of the land demonstrated God’s power and promise. By giving Israel “the heritage of the heathen,” the Lord fulfilled promises made to the patriarchs and judged entrenched wickedness in Canaan. This historical statement must not be turned into a general right for modern believers to seize land or possessions. The event belonged to Israel’s unique covenant history and divine commission.
God’s actions and commands agree with each other. The works of his hands are truth and judgment, and all his commandments are sure. God does not act one way and command another. His law reflects his faithful and just character, so obedience is not submission to arbitrary rules but trust in the wisdom of the Lawgiver. Because they are established in truth and uprightness, cultural change cannot make God’s moral character obsolete.
Redemption is something God sends. Verse 9 presents deliverance as divine initiative: “He sent redemption unto his people.” Israel could not rescue itself from Egypt, and sinners cannot manufacture reconciliation with God. The Lord acts first, establishes covenant, and creates the possibility of grateful obedience.
God’s covenant expresses enduring commitment. He “commanded his covenant for ever,” meaning that his covenant purpose rests on his authoritative and faithful word. Psalm 111 looks back especially to God’s dealings with Israel, while the New Testament proclaims redemption through Christ and the better covenant secured by his sacrifice in Hebrews 9.
God’s name is holy and awesome. The King James wording says “holy and reverend is his name.” Here “reverend” means awe-inspiring or worthy of deep reverence. The point is not mainly a debate about human titles; it is a declaration that God’s revealed name must never be treated casually, manipulatively, or as a tool for selfish claims.
The fear of the Lord begins true wisdom. This fear is not cringing terror before a cruel deity. It is reverent awe that recognizes God’s holiness, authority, knowledge, and mercy. Proverbs 1 repeats the same foundation: wisdom begins when God, rather than the self, becomes the reference point for life.
Obedience deepens understanding. “A good understanding have all they that do his commandments” teaches that wisdom grows through practice. Some truths become clearer only as they are lived. Obedience does not earn redemption, but it trains judgment, exposes false desires, and shows that the learner has taken God’s word seriously.
God’s praise outlasts every generation. The psalm begins and ends with praise. Human achievements fade, kingdoms pass, and individual worshipers die, but God remains worthy. Each generation receives the privilege of joining praise that began before it and will continue after it.
Important Verse Explanations
Why is Psalm 111 arranged as an acrostic? In Hebrew, successive phrases begin with successive letters of the alphabet. The structure suggests order and completeness, as though praise moves from beginning to end through the full range of language. It also serves memory, helping worshipers retain a compact summary of God’s works, covenant, commands, and wisdom.
What does it mean that God’s works are “sought out”? The phrase describes intentional examination. God’s works are not merely noticed in passing; they are investigated by people who delight in them. This supports careful Bible study and thoughtful attention to creation and providence, while humility remembers that investigation should lead to worship rather than intellectual pride.
What is the “meat” given to those who fear God? “Meat” in older English means food generally, not only animal flesh. The line may recall manna and other wilderness provision, though its principle is broader. God sustains his covenant people. The verse should not be used to shame believers experiencing hunger or hardship, since Scripture also calls God’s community to become instruments of his provision.
What does “the heritage of the heathen” mean? “Heathen” here refers to the nations, especially the peoples of Canaan whose land became Israel’s inheritance. The verse celebrates God’s fulfillment of a historical promise. It does not teach ethnic superiority, unlimited conquest, or a standing command for the church to dispossess other peoples.
Does “holy and reverend is his name” forbid calling a minister Reverend? The verse’s direct purpose is to describe God’s name as holy and awe-inspiring. Christians differ over whether “Reverend” should be used as a ministerial title, but Psalm 111 is not primarily establishing a naming rule. Its unmistakable command is that God alone deserves ultimate reverence and that no spiritual leader should receive honor that competes with him.
How can doing the commandments produce understanding? Obedience places a person inside the moral reality Scripture describes. Forgiving, telling the truth, practicing generosity, resisting temptation, and worshiping faithfully teach lessons that observation alone cannot supply. This does not make experience superior to revelation; it means practiced revelation forms discernment.
Practical Applications
Bring deliberate praise into gathered worship. Prepare the heart before meeting with other believers by recalling specific works of God. Sing, pray, listen, and speak with sincere attention rather than treating worship as a passive performance. Wholehearted praise grows when the congregation’s words are joined to remembered grace.
Study what gives you delight in God. Choose one work of God—a biblical event, an aspect of creation, a promise fulfilled, or a pattern of providence—and examine it carefully. Ask what it reveals about his power, righteousness, compassion, and faithfulness. Let study end in thanksgiving rather than mere information.
Create practices of remembrance. Record answers to prayer, rehearse the gospel, tell younger believers what God has done, and use the Lord’s Supper as Christ intended: in remembrance of him, as seen in Luke 22. Forgetfulness feeds fear and ingratitude; disciplined remembrance strengthens trust.
Trust God’s commands when they conflict with convenience. Psalm 111 calls the commandments sure, true, and upright. When obedience seems costly, remember that God’s instructions arise from the same character displayed in his gracious works. The one who commands is also the one who provides and redeems.
Practice the fear of the Lord through concrete obedience. Reverence becomes visible in choices: truthful speech, sexual integrity, fair treatment, generous giving, humble prayer, and refusal to use God’s name carelessly. Wisdom grows as reverence moves from an idea into a pattern of life.
Let redemption produce praise rather than self-congratulation. God sent redemption; his people did not invent it. Christian confidence therefore rests in Christ’s work, not personal achievement. Gratitude replaces boasting, and obedience becomes a response to grace. The final word belongs to God’s enduring praise.