A Psalm of David.
1 Praise the LORD!
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the LORD,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the LORD is gracious and merciful.
5 He provides food for those who fear him;
he remembers his covenant forever.
6 He has shown his people the power of his works,
in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy;
8 they are established forever and ever,
to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption to his people;
he has commanded his covenant forever.
Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
all those who practice it have a good understanding.
His praise endures forever! – Psalm 111:1-10 ESV
This psalm opens with the Hebrew word hālal, which is translated as “praise.” It is where we get our English word, hallelujah. This succinct and straightforward psalm calls for the people of Israel to boast in the glory and majesty of their God. The psalmist himself declares his intent to thank God for all He has done. His praise will be continual because God's acts of goodness and greatness are limitless and show up in new ways every day.
Yahweh is worthy of our praise because His works are great and demand our attention. If we would simply stop and consider all He has done, we, too, would be motivated to sing His praises nonstop.
Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty.
His righteousness never fails.
He causes us to remember his wonderful works. – Psalm 111:3-4 NLT
But how quickly we forget and easily overlook God's gracious provision and protection. Many of us find it challenging to find things to praise God for. Part of the problem is that we take so much for granted, like food, the air we breathe, and life itself. Sadly, some of us take personal credit for many of His blessings. Food and shelter become the byproduct of our own efforts rather than the gracious provision of the LORD. We take responsibility for our success and credit for our good health. Our homes are the results of hard work and determination. But the psalmist reminds us that God “gives food to those who fear him” (Psalm 111:5 NLT).
The Book of Nehemiah records another declaration concerning God's praiseworthiness. It was a prayer spoken before the assembled people of Israel. They had just confessed their corporate sins and stood for three solid hours as “the Book of the Law of the LORD their God was read aloud to them. Then for three more hours they confessed their sins and worshiped the Lord their God” (Nehemiah 9:3 NLT). This was followed by a call for praise and a prayer.
“May your glorious name be praised! May it be exalted above all blessing and praise!
“You alone are the LORD. You made the skies and the heavens and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas and everything in them. You preserve them all, and the angels of heaven worship you.” – Nehemiah 9:5-6 NLT
This prayer contained a lengthy list of God's past accomplishments on Israel's behalf, including everything from the spectacular to the seemingly superficial. It recalls God's call of Abraham, their deliverance from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and Yahweh's appearance on Mount Sinai. But it also mentions His provision of food and water.
“You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them.” – Nehemiah 9:15 NLT
But rather than praise God for His goodness, they complained and disobeyed. Yet, despite their ungratefulness, God did not abandon them to die in the wilderness.
“…you did not stop giving them manna from heaven or water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness, and they lacked nothing. Their clothes did not wear out, and their feet did not swell!” – Nehemiah 9:20-21 NLT
The people of Israel were quick to complain and slow to praise. They found it hard to recognize God's blessings but were adept at blaming Him for all their problems. If you're like me, you probably have no trouble coming up with things to complain to God about. There is no shortage of issues we feel compelled to blame God for and demand that He change. But why can't we come up with anything to praise Him for?
The author of this psalm didn't seem to have that problem. He overflowed with praise as he recalled all that God had done in his life and the corporate life of the people of God. He said, "How amazing are the deeds of the LORD! All who delight in him should ponder them" (Psalms 111:2 NLT). That seems to be the key. We need to ponder and think about what God has done – take the time to dwell on all the great things He has done and is doing in and around our lives. But this is not something that comes naturally for most of us.
The psalmist dwells on every act of God, from the mundane to the miraculous. God is the one who divided the Red Sea and allowed the people to cross on dry land. But He is also the one who provided them with food each day. A byproduct of praising the LORD is a growing fear and reverence for Him. As we recognize and dwell on the many things He does that are worthy of our praise, we grow in our admiration of and reverence for Him. That produces a more willing desire to obey and serve Him. This idea is picked up in the very next psalm in the psalter.
Praise the Lord!
How joyful are those who fear the Lord
and delight in obeying his commands. – Psalm 112:1 NLT
Obedience brings blessing. In God's grand economy, it seems that the more we praise Him, the more we are blessed by Him. As we praise God, we discover just how incomparable He is. There is no one and nothing else like Him. Our praise of Him increases our admiration for Him. His worth increases in our eyes as we concentrate on all He is and all that He does. But that takes time. It takes concentrated effort.
It might be wise to regularly sit down and write out all the things you have to praise God for. Make a list. Start with the simple, then move on to the more spectacular. When we begin to realize that EVERYTHING we have that is of any value comes from Him, we might start to understand just how great He is and how blessed we are.
Contemplating God's many blessings will increase our gratitude and awe of Him. It will remind us how good and great He is and produce a reverent fear of His power and amazement that this majestic God has chosen to bless us with His presence and provision.
What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has!
Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom.
All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. – Psalm 111:9-10 NLT
Father, forgive me for failing to praise You. I seem to have no problem complaining to You or demanding that You fix all my problems, according to my plan and my time frame. But then, even when You do, instead of praising You, I either take it for granted or take credit for it myself. Help me to see all that You do and praise You as You deserve. You are truly a great God and worthy of my praise. Amen
English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.