God’s Faithfulness
Opening Prayer
Lord, I revel in Your faithfulness and in the assurance that You will never leave nor forsake me.
Read Psalm 111
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
1 Praise the Lord.
I will extol the Lord with all my heart
in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Great are the works of the Lord;
they are pondered by all who delight in them.
3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
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,
giving them the lands of other nations.
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just;
all his precepts are trustworthy.
8 They are established for ever and ever,
enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
9 He provided redemption for his people;
he ordained his covenant forever—
holy and awesome is his name.
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
“As much as we worship God from Monday to Saturday is as much as we worship God” (Andrew Maries).
This psalm is an acrostic. Each half verse begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The psalm divides neatly into two themes. Verses 2–7a praise God for his actions in Israel’s history, which reveal his character. Verses 7b–10 praise him for the wisdom of his commands, so that his people’s lives can reflect his character. Like many hymns, the psalm is about God and is addressed also to our fellow worshipers (2). “Praise the Lord” (1) is shorthand for “praise ye the Lord.” It is a mutual encouragement to worship and honor God.
Worship is to be wholehearted (1) because God is so great, not just in theological theory but in his dealings with his people. Verses 4–7 recall the Exodus, God’s provision in the wilderness and the entry into the Promised Land. These great actions showed God’s people what their God is
like. They show that God’s continuing treatment of his people will also be “faithful and just” (7), because “his righteousness endures forever” (3). Such honor and majesty of God invoke true worship.
However, worship “in the council” (1) only has integrity if it is complemented by worship in our daily lives. The faithfulness of God is honored by following his precepts with faithfulness. This way of life is intended for our good. It is “trustworthy” (7). The appropriate way to live before a “holy and awesome” God (9) is with wisdom rooted in the fear of the Lord: that is the reverent respect for a great God. This “awesome” God is our Redeemer (4–7). He has established a covenant of grace with us, so we have no need to be afraid. The psalm invites us to praise God for his faithfulness from A to Z.
Apply
What would you include in an A–Z list of God’s faithfulness to you? In what ways are you faithful in return?
Closing prayer
Lord, the psalmist says that You are ever mindful of Your covenant, that You have commanded it forever (9). Thank You for my inclusion in Your covenant.
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