Psalm 111 Part 2

Vs4-6 is a description of the great and wonderful works of God. These are to ‘be remembered’. ‘Remembered’ is a noun in Hebrew.  First and foremost are the great saving acts of God. He is ‘gracious and full of compassion’ His whole being is full of grace and love towards His people. He is sparing, pardoning and restoring; preserving them and us, when we and they deserve the wages of sin, which is death (Rom6:23). V6 tells us that, then and now, attention needs to be paid to this.

Our God is a sovereign of truth and justice (v7), and now the inspired author brings out a coherence between His words and His acts. He is the Father-King in relationship to His children-subjects. His precepts (words) remain absolutely unaltered, their necessity equally unquestionable, their excellence permanently proven, and their reward eternally secure. One of God’s greatest works is rescuing His people from their oppression and sin,(the Exodus) and doing it in the context of ‘His covenant.’ Notice the last line of v9. 

So what should we learn from all this (v10): Recognizing the greatness of God’s works, one should appropriately ‘fear’ Him. God should be regarded with respect, reverence, and awe. This proper attitude of the creature toward the Creator is ‘the beginning of wisdom.’ How interesting that this is part of the last message to a soon-to-end world (Rev14:6-7). Wisdom cannot advance further until this starting point is established. The pursuit of wisdom is not a popular ideal today.

Fearing God is not only the beginning of wisdom but the middle and the end. It is the Alpha and Omega, the essence, the body and the soul, the sum and substance. He that has the fear of God is truly wise. Obedience shows our understanding of the greatness of His works. 
Taking into account the greatness of God’s works, one should praise Him and never stop praising Him. The angels surrounding God’s throne see His greatness and the greatness of His works, and they never stop praising Him (Rev4:8). ‘His praise endures forever,’ throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. May it be so with you!