Additional thoughts on Psalm 111

January 5, 2020.

A fresh reading of Psalm 111 yesterday morning brought such renewed joy, perhaps related to the new year.  I feel compelled to share this with you.  We will return tomorrow, Lord willing, to Matthew.  Here are some reflections.

“It is true, Father.  Your works are …

1.     v2: great, worthy to be studied, meaning to seek out, enquire about.

2.     v3: perfect in character.  They are honorable (majestic), glorious, righteous.

3.     v4: wonderful, worthy to be remembered, memorized, retold.  They are reflections of Your name (gracious, full of compassion comes from the name of God in Exodus 34:6-7). 

4.     v5: the fulfillment of your word.  You made a covenant; You keep that covenant through your great works.

5.     v6: powerful.  Again, it’s not just words or promises of power; Your works demonstrate or show or reveal and fulfill Your power.

6.     v7: true (verity, Heb. “emeth”, the term used many times with “checed”, Your faithfulness and lovingkindness).  In other words, in all ways they are according to Your own laws.  They are true to the need.  They are NEVER mythological. 

7.     v8a: enduring.  What your works say and do has lasting/eternal value.  To this day even!  And into eternity.

8.     v8b: all done with a proper motivation.  You were never conflicted about sending Your Son.  You never needed to ask Him for forgiveness (as one man once said in a Bible study where the man told us things God told him; he clearly did not get them from the Bible).  You were never mean and cruel to Your Son, the terrible father beating his son (as we actually heard someone preach).  Your motivations were true (again, “emeth”) and upright all across the infinite breadth of who You are. 

9.     v9ab: the source of redemption (ransom; used in Ex. 8:23, You treated Israel in Egypt differently; Ps. 130:7: with You is abundant redemption; Isa. 50:2, Your hand is never too short to redeem, even me).  Amen and amen!!!

10. v9c: what separate You from all other so-called “god.”  There is none like You!  You are holy and awesome!

My response is first a sense of shame.  Oh, my Father, why have I not and why do I not fear You?  May it be different from this moment.  May I produce works, through Your Spirit and Your grace, that contribute to You great works.  

Then I also see the blessing of confidence in You, Lord.  My confidence in You means I have understanding, in so far as I study and remember Your works and DO Your will.  Jesus said this, more than once, that His disciples are those who do the Father's will (Matt. 12:50; Jn. 15:14).  By Your Spirit and by Your grace!

In my additional reading today, I also came to Psalm 143 where David, in his distress (v4), remembered Your works (v5-6).  I trust in You (v7-8).  Lead me today (v9-10).  Revive me (v11); be my life, make me alive with the life of Christ.