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Old Testament Lite Commentary

Psalm 111

Psalms Psalm 111 PSA_111 Poetry

Main point: Psalm 111 calls God’s people to wholehearted public praise because the LORD’s works, covenant faithfulness, and commands are great, trustworthy, and enduring. The psalm moves from worship to remembrance to wisdom: true understanding begins with reverent fear of the LORD.

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Lite commentary

Psalm 111 is a hymn of praise, formed as a Hebrew acrostic. It moves through the alphabet as an ordered and full expression of worship. It is also closely paired with Psalm 112. Psalm 111 praises the LORD’s works, covenant faithfulness, and precepts; Psalm 112 then portrays the blessed life of the person who fears the LORD.

The psalm begins with “Praise the LORD” and with the psalmist’s personal resolve to thank the LORD with his whole heart. Yet this praise is not merely private. It is offered “in the assembly” and “the congregation,” among God’s gathered covenant people.

The psalm celebrates the LORD’s works. His deeds are great, majestic, glorious, righteous, merciful, and compassionate. They are not random displays of power, but covenant acts meant to be remembered. The psalm recalls God’s provision of food for those who fear him, his remembrance of his covenant, his redemption of his people, and his gift of land. It does not name only one event, but its language clearly echoes Israel’s history of deliverance, provision, and inheritance under the covenant.

The psalm also joins God’s deeds to God’s words. The same LORD who redeems and provides also gives precepts that are reliable, firm, and righteous. His commands are not arbitrary rules; they express his faithful and just character. Therefore they are to be carried out faithfully and uprightly.

The final verse gives the psalm its wisdom conclusion: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” This does not mean reverent fear is only the first step and then left behind. It means that awe-filled submission to the holy LORD is the foundation and governing principle of true understanding. Wisdom is not merely intelligence or practical skill. It is moral and covenantal, growing as people practice the LORD’s trustworthy precepts. The psalm ends where it began, with praise that endures forever.

Key truths

  • The LORD’s works are great, glorious, righteous, merciful, and worthy of public praise.
  • God’s remembered deeds are covenant acts, especially his redemption, provision, and gift of land to Israel.
  • The LORD’s commands are as trustworthy as his saving works because both reveal his faithful and just character.
  • True wisdom begins with reverent fear of the LORD, not with human autonomy or self-help technique.
  • Praise, remembrance, obedience, and wisdom belong together in the life of God’s people.
  • Psalm 111 and Psalm 112 belong together: the first praises the LORD’s works and precepts, and the second describes the life shaped by fearing him.

Warnings, promises, and commands

  • Praise the LORD with wholehearted thanks among his gathered people.
  • Remember the LORD’s works and covenant faithfulness.
  • Carry out his precepts faithfully and uprightly.
  • Fear the LORD as the beginning and foundation of wisdom.
  • Do not separate true insight from obedience to the LORD’s revealed commands.

Biblical theology

Psalm 111 stands within Israel’s covenant life and looks back on the LORD’s saving deeds, provision, covenant remembrance, and gift of the land. It shows that the God who redeems is also the God who commands, and his holy name is to be feared. In its pairing with Psalm 112, the canon places praise for the LORD’s faithful works beside the blessed life of reverent obedience. Within the wider canon, the psalm contributes to the Bible’s witness that wisdom begins with reverent submission to the LORD and that God’s saving character is revealed through his faithful acts and enduring word. It anticipates the fuller revelation of God’s saving rule without functioning as a direct messianic prophecy.

Reflection and application

  • Our praise should be wholehearted and communal, not merely casual or private, because God’s works are worthy of public thanksgiving.
  • We should rehearse God’s past mercies, since remembering his faithfulness strengthens trust and obedience.
  • We must not reduce this psalm to generic gratitude; its praise is rooted in the LORD’s covenant dealings with Israel.
  • We should receive God’s commands as reliable expressions of his righteous character, not as burdens detached from his grace.
  • We should seek wisdom by fearing the LORD and practicing his precepts, not by treating wisdom as mere information or self-improvement.
  • Psalm 111 should lead naturally into the concern of Psalm 112: praise for the LORD’s works should produce a life shaped by reverent fear and obedient wisdom.
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