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Psalms 111-118     Listen Podcast

 

Praise the Lord (Psalm 111)

1 ¶ Praise the LORD!
I will praise the LORD with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
2 The works of the LORD are great,
Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
3 His work is honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.
4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered;
The LORD is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
6 He has declared to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 The works of His hands are verity and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
8 They stand fast forever and ever,
And are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He has sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever:
Holy and awesome is His name.
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.

We don't know who wrote this Psalm, but it seems to be the same author who wrote this and Psalm 112. It opens and closes with a call to praise God. Verse 5 says, "...He will ever be mindful of His covenant." He says again in verse 9, "He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever:" It's not clear to which covenant he refers, but it is likely the covenant God made with Abraham that is in view here (see Abrahamic Covenant). One thing is for certain; the Psalmist knows the value of a covenant with God.

Except for the introduction, "Praise the LORD," this is an acrostic Psalm. Each verse has two or three phrases - each beginning with the next successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This was an oft-used poetic writing style in Hebrew.

The attributes of a righteous man (Psalm 112)

1 ¶ Praise the LORD!
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.
2 His descendants will be mighty on earth;
The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches will be in his house,
And his righteousness endures forever.
4 Unto the upright there arises light in the darkness;
He is gracious, and full of compassion, and righteous.
5 A good man deals graciously and lends;
He will guide his affairs with discretion.
6 Surely he will never be shaken;
The righteous will be in everlasting remembrance.
7 He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
8 His heart is established;
He will not be afraid,
Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.
9 He has dispersed abroad,
He has given to the poor;
His righteousness endures forever;
His horn will be exalted with honor.
10 The wicked will see it and be grieved;
He will gnash his teeth and melt away;
The desire of the wicked shall perish.

Probably written by the same author as Psalm 111, here's a comparison between the righteous and the wicked. It's also written in an acrostic poetry style (see notes on Psalm 111, above). We see in verse 1 the primary characteristic of the righteous, "Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, Who delights greatly in His commandments." In the last verse (10) we see the consequence of the wicked, "The wicked will see it and be grieved; He will gnash his teeth and melt away; The desire of the wicked shall perish."

In making his appeal about being generous in giving of one's resources, Paul quotes most of verse 9 in II Corinthians 9:9 (see notes), "As it is written: “He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever."

About Psalms 113-118
We are told that Psalms 113-118 were sung before and after the passover feast each year - 113 and 114 before the meal and the remaining four afterward. Mark 14:26 (see notes) says, "And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." This hymn that Jesus and his disciples sang just prior to his crucifixion was likely taken from Psalms 113-118. The identity of the author of these six Psalms is not known.

Praise the LORD. (Psalm 113)

1 ¶ Praise the LORD!
Praise, O servants of the LORD,
Praise the name of the LORD!
2 Blessed be the name of the LORD
From this time forth and forevermore!
3 From the rising of the sun to its going down
The LORD’S name is to be praised.
4 The LORD is high above all nations,
His glory above the heavens.
5 Who is like the LORD our God,
Who dwells on high,
6 Who humbles Himself to behold
The things that are in the heavens and in the earth?
7 He raises the poor out of the dust,
And lifts the needy out of the ash heap,
8 That He may seat him with princes—
With the princes of His people.
9 He grants the barren woman a home,
Like a joyful mother of children.
Praise the LORD!

Author unknown - this Psalm begins with, "Praise the LORD." It ends with the same phrase. All the verses in between demonstrate to us why the righteous should do so.

See note on Psalms 113-118 above for the special usage of this Psalm.

A little refresher history (Psalm 114)

1 ¶ When Israel went out of Egypt,
The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became His sanctuary,
And Israel His dominion.
3 The sea saw it and fled;
Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams,
The little hills like lambs.
5 What ails you, O sea, that you fled?
O Jordan, that you turned back?
6 O mountains, that you skipped like rams?
O little hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
At the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 Who turned the rock into a pool of water,
The flint into a fountain of waters.

This Psalm isn't long, but it reminds the readers of God's manifestation to Israel in their deliverance from Egyptian captivity - the miraculous crossings of the Red Sea and Jordan, along with water from the rock. We aren't given the identity of the author for this Psalm.

See note on Psalms 113-118 above for the special usage of this Psalm.

Sometimes the heathen can be irritating (Psalm 115)

1 ¶ Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
2 Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
3 But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
5 They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
6 They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
7 They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
8 Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
9 O Israel, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD;
He is their help and their shield.
12 The LORD has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the LORD,
Both small and great.
14 May the LORD give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the LORD,
Who made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
17 The dead do not praise the LORD,
Nor any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the LORD
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the LORD!

Our God is in Heaven. When the heathen question his presence, this unknown Psalmist simply points to the ridiculous notion that their lifeless idols have any god value whatsoever; they are powerless.

See note on Psalms 113-118 above for the special usage of this Psalm.

Our relationship with God is a great comfort (Psalm 116)

1 ¶ I love the LORD, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
2 Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.
3 The pains of death surrounded me,
And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me;
I found trouble and sorrow.
4 Then I called upon the name of the LORD:
“O LORD, I implore You, deliver my soul!”
5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous;
Yes, our God is merciful.
6 The LORD preserves the simple;
I was brought low, and He saved me.
7 Return to your rest, O my soul,
For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.
8 For You have delivered my soul from death,
My eyes from tears,
And my feet from falling.
9 I will walk before the LORD
In the land of the living.
10 I believed, therefore I spoke,
“I am greatly afflicted.”
11 I said in my haste,
“All men are liars.”
12 What shall I render to the LORD
For all His benefits toward me?
13 I will take up the cup of salvation,
And call upon the name of the LORD.
14 I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people.
15 Precious in the sight of the LORD
Is the death of His saints.
16 O LORD, truly I am Your servant;
I am Your servant, the son of Your maidservant;
You have loosed my bonds.
17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
And will call upon the name of the LORD.
18 I will pay my vows to the LORD
Now in the presence of all His people,
19 In the courts of the LORD’S house,
In the midst of you, O Jerusalem.
Praise the LORD!

The author here is unknown. He points out that the relationship we have with God is our greatest asset. Look at the way he starts this Psalm, "I love the LORD, because He has heard My voice and my supplications." It's a father-child relationship where God is intent on meeting our needs. Notice the confidence of the Psalmist in his eternal destiny with the Lord in verse 15, "Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints."

Incidentally, Paul quotes verse 10 in II Corinthians 4:13 (see notes) to make the point that he is speaking by the same Spirit as this Psalmist.

See note on Psalms 113-118 above for the special usage of this Psalm.

The LORD endures forever (Psalm 117)

1 ¶ Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles!
Laud Him, all you peoples!
2 For His merciful kindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the LORD endures forever.
Praise the LORD!

Paul quotes verse 1 in Romans 15:11 (see notes), "And again: “Praise the LORD, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!" Note: Old Testament "nations" is synonymous with New Testament "Gentiles." There he seeks to demonstrate this unknown Psalmists invitation for Gentiles to rejoice in the One True God. This Psalm is short, but the theme is long; God is eternal. Notice what he says about truth in verse 2, "the truth of the LORD endures forever." Truth is a constant; it does not change.

See note on Psalms 113-118 above for the special usage of this Psalm.

Confidence in God is better (Psalm 118)

1 ¶ Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
2 Let Israel now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
3 Let the house of Aaron now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
4 Let those who fear the LORD now say,
“His mercy endures forever.”
5 I called on the LORD in distress;
The LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.
6 The LORD is on my side;
I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
7 The LORD is for me among those who help me;
Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me.
8 It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in man.
9 It is better to trust in the LORD
Than to put confidence in princes.
10 All nations surrounded me,
But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
11 They surrounded me,
Yes, they surrounded me;
But in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
12 They surrounded me like bees;
They were quenched like a fire of thorns;
For in the name of the LORD I will destroy them.
13 You pushed me violently, that I might fall,
But the LORD helped me.
14 The LORD is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation.
15 The voice of rejoicing and salvation
Is in the tents of the righteous;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
16 The right hand of the LORD is exalted;
The right hand of the LORD does valiantly.
17 I shall not die, but live,
And declare the works of the LORD.
18 The LORD has chastened me severely,
But He has not given me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness;
I will go through them,
And I will praise the LORD.
20 This is the gate of the LORD,
Through which the righteous shall enter.
21 I will praise You,
For You have answered me,
And have become my salvation.
22 The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This was the LORD’S doing;
It is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day the LORD has made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save now, I pray, O LORD;
O LORD, I pray, send now prosperity.
26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!
We have blessed you from the house of the LORD.
27 God is the LORD,
And He has given us light;
Bind the sacrifice with cords to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will praise You;
You are my God, I will exalt You.
29 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.

Although the author is unknown, here's a very quotable Psalm. Verse 8 says, "It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man." You gotta love that verse. This Psalm becomes very notable because of verse 22, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone." That's the verse Peter quoted in Acts 4:11 (see notes). However, notice that it is used in a prophetic context in Isaiah 28:16 (see notes), "Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily." Jesus is the cornerstone who was rejected. This verse is also used by Jesus himself in a parable to the Jewish leaders regarding his imminent crucifixion in Matthew 21:42/Mark 12:10/Luke 20:17 (see notes). Then we see it quoted two more times by Paul and Peter in Romans 9:33 (see notes) and I Peter 2:6 (see notes).

Jesus also quotes verse 26 in Matthew 23:39 (see notes). In that passage, Jesus proclaims with that quote that the Messianic requirement will be fulfilled after his resurrection.

See note on Psalms 113-118 above for the special usage of this Psalm.