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by Gary Sims
08/12/03
Not For Sale
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The Psalms
Psalm 111 – Praise the Lord!
Key Verses:

1: “Praise the Lord!” – Psalm 111 is the first of 8 Psalms that are referred to as the Hallelujah psalms. “Praise the Lord!” expresses the excitement and up-lifting tone of these songs.
1b: “I will give thanks with my whole heart…” – It does not work to be lukewarm about praising God. Praise is only praise when you put everything, heart and soul, into the effort.
2: “Great are the works of the Lord.” – Delight in studying what God has created.
5: “He is ever mindful of His covenant.” – All of God’s creation and the promises He has made to His people have been consistent since the very beginning of time. His plans and His actions never vary.
8: “…to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.” – Following God’s laws requires steadfastness.
9: “He sent redemption to His people.” – Redemption is to pay the required price to secure the release or recovery of something. The redemption God sends is to free us from our bondage to sin.
10: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” – The only way to become truly wise is to revere God.

Points to Contemplate:

Do you “Praise the Lord”? Can you stand up “in the congregation” and “give thanks to the Lord with your whole heart?” Do you hold anything back? Why? Are you afraid what others might think? How often do you find yourself praising the Lord? Is it only on special occasions or do you praise with your every action and with every breath you take?
Take a moment to think about God’s creation and how “majestic is His work.” Think of pictures you have seen from the Hubble telescope that show us the enormity of His creation. Now consider the detail of His creation we discover with the microscope, perhaps the abundance of life found in a drop of pond water or the complexity of the human gene. Do you “delight” in His works? Do they give you cause to praise Him?
Now consider His love for mankind. Consider the food and water He provided the Israelites while they were in the desert. Think about His covenant with Abraham where He promised to bless his people and make his name great. Do you see that that promise still exists for you? That He blesses you so that you too, can be a blessing in the world around you? Do you see that through His Law and through the Bible He has provided us the guidance and wisdom we need to live lives that are “faithful and upright?”
What does redemption mean to you? Consider more than just the definition of the word. Where has His redemption made an impact in your life? How are you changed by His love? He loves you so much that He sacrificed His Son in your behalf. Your redemption was a gift from God that you could have never earned. What will you do with this gift? Is it sufficient cause to take a moment and “Praise the Lord” right now?
Do you fear the Lord? Do you understand that the use of the word fear means to revere and love God? That it is a fear designed to draw you ever closer to Him? Do you see this fear as the “beginning of wisdom?” Can you truly become wise without acknowledging that God is the foundation of all wisdom? Do you see how the process to wisdom is outlined in this psalm?
- Everything begins with praising God. As we become mindful of His glory, He leads us to understanding and creates within us a willingness to follow His laws and guidance. As we draw closer and closer to Him our lives become aligned to His perfect will. Through this foundation all the world opens before us and His awesome holiness is furthered revealed. And then, in the presence of His Glory, we, once again, lift up our hearts in praise: “Praise the Lord.”

Promise of the Gospel:

All of God’s creation reveals His majesty. His love for us is never ending. When we turn to Him, study His Word, pray for guidance and support, and honor Him with our praise we begin a journey towards true wisdom. His gift of redemption and His loving presence in our life through the Holy Spirit empowers us to become true reflections of His majesty, creators of His Kingdom. HALLELUJAH!

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