Click here to read PSALM 111 in poetic form.
Background
Psalm 111 is in the Deuteronomy Book of the Psalms (Psalms 107-150). These 44 Psalms, like the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, show God’s Word as the source of salvation, deliverance, and healing. This would be fully carried out in the life of the coming Messiah, the living Word, Jesus Christ. Psalm 111 declares the Messiah’s great love for God and His Word.
This is an acrostic Psalm with the first eight verses beginning with two subsequent letters of the alphabet, and the final two verses beginning with three subsequent letters of the alphabet. All 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet are used in proper order.
Structure
(Verse 1) Praise the Lord with the whole heart in the assembly of the upright
(Verses 2-6) God’s great works, being mindful of His covenant regarding the Messiah
(Verses 7-9) God’s great Word, being mindful of His covenant regarding the Messiah
(Verse 10) Praise the Lord with respect (fear) with those who do His commandments
Key Scriptures
Verse 1—“Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart.” The phrase “whole heart” (in the King James Version of the Bible) is used in the Psalms concerning praising or seeking the Lord here, Psalm 9:1, seven times in Psalm 119 (verses 2, 10, 34, 58, 69, and 145), and Psalm 138:1. It is used negatively in Isaiah 1:5 and Jeremiah 3:10. Jeremiah 24:7 says that the people will turn to God with their whole heart. Jeremiah 32:41 says that God “will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.” When used as a positive expression, it shows the absolute in loving commitment, most vividly seen in Jesus Christ’s love and commitment to his heavenly Father.
Verse 9—“He sent redemption unto His people.” Zacharias prophesies by the holy spirit after his tongue is loosed. He opens by quoting this scripture. Luke 1:67-69: “And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people. And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.”
He goes on to speak of God’s covenant to Abraham and that his own son, John the Baptist, would go before the Lord’s Messiah. Jesus Christ is the great redeemer (Titus 2:14) who bought us back from the deceit and violence of the Devil. The Hebrew word for “redeem” refers to a next of kin in Eastern culture. This person could buy back land, carry on a relative’s family (as Boaz did in Ruth), avenge wrongdoing, and save those under duress as in Ruth 4:14.
Verses 9,10—“holy and reverend is his name. The fear [respect] of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The Hebrew word for “reverend” means to be worthy of awe or respect. There is a double emphasis here that God is to be respected, and that respect is where true wisdom begins. This idea of respecting God to attain wisdom is also found in Proverbs 9:10. Jesus Christ had the greatest respect for his Father, and therefore he became the wisest of all. And now we have wisdom through Christ (I Corinthians 1:30).
FOR FURTHER STUDY
All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader. Also available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy!
The entire blog series is now available in the publication The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.
One reply on “Psalms in Poetic Form: PSALM 111”
Thank you, Gene. I have read all of these posts since Psalms 87. Having read most of Psalms throughout my lifetime, it is obvious I missed so many details. I am thankful for the light you revealed in each of these. Yet I know there is so much more. I am confident you will continue to reveal the sweet truths of these Psalms and I’m so thankful you put it in book form. What a privilege to see the depths of God’s plan for the prevailing grace and mercy He has shown. Thank you, Gene.