Psalm 111 Part 1

Many of the psalms seem to have been penned for Israel’s solemn feasts and not for any particular occasion. This would have been Ezra’s purpose for including them in his anthology.
Psalm 111 & 112 are a matched pair. The first is an acrostic poem about God; the second is an acrostic poem about the godly man. Acrostics are arranged according to the Hebrew alphabet as an aid to memorization. Except for the opening line, each of the 22 lines begins with a successive letter of the alphabet.

This is a psalm of praise. It’s title, ‘Hallelujah,’ means ‘Praise Yahweh’’ intimating that we must address ourselves to the use of this psalm with hearts prepared to praise God. Praising with the whole heart means nothing will be held back, both privately and publically.
God should be praised for who He is, but what He has done (v2) is also worthy of praise. Here the emphasis is on His creation, and these ‘works’ are ‘great’ in their number and in their significance.

The greatness of God’s work invites close study by the scientist, the historian, and the theologian. Their findings will lead them to do their work with all their strength and take ‘delight’ in how God’s revealed wisdom and power. From the glory and order of the cosmos to the mind boggling complexity of the human cell, the works (wonders NASB) of God are awesome.

The more one gazes, the more one sees. When we give our contemplation to His works with humility, diligence, faith and devotion we will ‘delight’ in them and the gate of true Science will open to us the mysteries of creation, providence and redemption. Those who seek will find the ‘splendid and majestic’ (v3) treasures of eternal wisdom. (Ref for parable of finding treasure.)

Kepler, when he first turned his telescope to clustered stars, exclaimed, ‘I am thinking over again the first thoughts of God.’ Would that the ecstasy of the ardent student of nature be filled with the same wonder of the great works of our saviour God. (V10 reminds me of Rom1:18-23). This contemplation will follow us into eternity.