God’s Word for You
Psalm 111:1-3 Study the deeds of the Lord
by Pastor Timothy Smith on Saturday, December 18, 2021
Psalms 111 and 112 are twins, written in a similar style by the same author. They are both ten verses long, and both are quick acrostic or alphabetic psalms, with each phrase (half-verse) beginning with successive letters of the entire Hebrew alphabet except for the first shout of both Psalms, Hallelujah! (Psalm 111:1, 112:1). To accommodate the 22 letters of the alphabet, verses 9 and 10 of both Psalms have three phrases rather than just two. Verse 3b in both Psalms is identical: “and his righteousness stands forever,” but in Psalm 111:3 this is about God, and in Psalm 112:3 this is about the Christian. Psalm 111 praises God for his works (Psalm 111:1-6) and his word (Psalm 111:7-10). Psalm 112 praises the Lord and describes the godly man for the way he blesses his family (Psalm 112:1-4), the way he blesses those around him (Psalm 112:5-9), and the way he is blessed in contrast to the judgment and punishment of the ungodly and the wicked (Psalm 112:10). Psalms 111-112 may also be seen as a meditation expanding on the thoughts of Psalm 1.
God’s Works and God’s Word
Opening Praise
1 Praise the LORD.
I will thank the LORD with all my heart
in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
“Praise the Lord” is the translation of Hallelujah, and actually means “We praise” or “are praising the LORD.” The -jah (-yah) is the beginning of God’s covenant name, Yahweh, which is why it is placed in all capitals even though it is not spelled out in its entirety in the opening phrase. It is spoken in the present tense, an ongoing action throughout the life of the believer. Every act done in faith is also an act of praise to God.
Praise to God begins in the heart but then extends outward to benefit the people of God. Job’s friend asked, “Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty?” (Job 11:7). If I, in my meditation on the word of God and my study, have discovered something, then I should share it. If I have done nothing more than found an elegant way of expressing the simplest truth that everyone knows, I should share that, too. With his “tulip” illustration, John Calvin spread a doctrine that was part Bible and part heresy, but which was beautifully simple to remember. Sometimes a layman will have the desire to express his faith in a hidden way, like J.R.R. Tolkien’s massive Lord of the Rings. But blessed is the Christian who finds a simple way to teach either children or adults the truths of God’s word in a way they will remember all their lives.
God’s Works
2 Great are the deeds of the LORD.
They are studied by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic is his work,
and his righteousness stands forever.
The deeds of God, and his word as well, should be studied by us all. And how can we truly ponder, contemplate and study his deeds apart from his holy word? The foolish man explores the creation without acknowledging the Creator. What does it matter what anyone says about plants and trees and rocks and things if they do not know about the third day of creation? Or outer space, if they do not know about the fourth day? Or about spiritual matters, if they do not know anything about God, his angels, his Holy Spirit, the devil, or, most important of all, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, and what he accomplished on our behalf?
God invites us to study, by ourselves if we must, but together whenever we can. Study his word. If your pastor doesn’t lead a Bible study these days, ask him to start. Offer to make the coffee and to call people to invite them. Learning about the Lord with a group can benefit everyone, most especially the one who leads the study. Remember: The things that God’s ministers preach in the world are things that even angels long to look into (1 Peter 1:12). “Let us learn together what is good” (Job 34:4). God commands his ministers: “Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform” (Exodus 18:20). And God commands parents: “Teach these things to your children and to their children after them” (Deuteronomy 4:9), and the Christian responds, turning to his little loved ones, and saying: “Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord” (Psalm 34:11).
This is a Psalm to remember in our hardest, most difficult days. On the one hand, it urges us back into the word of God, to read about God’s wonderful works and his eternal wisdom. But it also urges us to trust in God our Savior. Without this comfort and benefit of the forgiveness of our sins, our lives would be an overwhelming burden. Who could bear any of the many burdens that we have (this what Hamlet means when he asks, “Who would fardels bear?”), without the help of God along every step of the way? Luther says: “He is a true God, and he performs great, right, and divine works for you. Why, then, should he not impose something big upon you (such as dying), as long as he adds to it great benefits, help, and strength, and thereby wants to test the power of his grace” (LW 42:114). By his mercy, we bypass hell and eternal suffering and are brought by the hand of God into eternal bliss, with the green carpet of heaven’s lawn between our toes, the fresh breeze of paradise in our faces, and the voices of all believers, of our friends, of the apostles, and of Jesus himself in our ears. Praise God for all his wonderful acts. Even death can be faced with confidence and peace rather than with fear or dread, on account of Jesus our Redeemer. Because “his righteousness stands forever,” we know that we, too, will stand, for his righteousness is ours by faith (Romans 1:17).
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in New Ulm, Minnesota. To receive God’s Word for You via e-mail, please visit the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church website.