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Psalm 111
Many people face some life's challenges that never go away.
Chronic illnesses or disabilities, the death of a child or other loved one, or the impact of a traumatic encounter are just a few types of life-altering events.
Thankfully, the majority of the difficulties we endure in life are just momentary.
But, especially if the season is long, we will often battle discouragement, doubt, and the urge to give up.
We need to learn to encourage ourselves in the Lord during such times.
How are we going to do it?
When we are undergoing a long hardship, Psalm 111 outlines some practical steps we can take to spiritually strengthen ourselves.
The author of this psalm is unknown, and there is no mention of the event or circumstances that motivated its composition in Scripture.
Most academics believe it was composed after the Babylonian Captivity, when the remnant returned to Jerusalem.
As a result, God's faithful people were naturally distressed during this time.
Jerusalem has been in ruins for seventy years after being cruelly devastated by Babylonian invaders.
It was hardly a task for the faint of heart to rebuild a civilization.
It took a long time and a lot of effort to make headway.
Many of the difficulties that God's people experienced in reconstructing their city were detailed by Nehemiah.
They must have really considered giving up and returning to Babylon on several occasions.
To do the difficult work, they required a lot of support, spiritual strength, and unwavering faith.
The mission would fail if the people refused to commit to this massive endeavour, to be vigilant regardless of the conditions.
Psalms 111 and 112 are twin psalms written to encourage God's people who are going through a tough time.
Both psalms are acrostics, with twenty-two lines in order, each beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
As acrostics were frequently employed to assist commit Scripture to memory, this shows that these psalms were extensively utilized and designed for memorization.
God's faithfulness to His people is emphasized in Psalm 111, while the rewards of those who are faithful to God are emphasized in Psalm 112.
The lessons from these uplifting psalms are still current and relevant today for anybody attempting to persevere in the face of long-term hardships.
So when trials seem to have no end...
I. Praise the Lord Openly
(111:1)
Psalm 111 begins with an exclamation of praise to the Lord.
Praise ye the Lord (halal Yah) is the Hebrew phrase that forms the word hallelujah.
It also introduces Psalms 112 and 113.
A. With Your Whole Heart
(v 1a).
The psalmist encouraged God's people to praise the Lord with all their hearts—everything they had (Deut 6:5).
For a God as big and loving as ours, half-hearted, casual praise will not do!
The Word praise, yadah) means "To acknowledge or declare God's character and works."
It comes from the Hebrew word for hand (yad), and it refers to body motions like lifting or waving the hands in worship of the Lord.
Have you ever been so overcome with praise that your hands seem to lift themselves?
B. Everywhere You Go
(v 1b).
While personally worshipping God is always good, we should also publicly declare God's glory as well!
In both small and big settings, we should proclaim our Lord's glory and kindness.
In the assembly of the upright, the psalmist vowed that he would thank the Lord unreservedly.
The word assembly (sode) is usually interpreted as secret and refers to private, confidential discussions.
It refers to a person's trustworthy friends and advisors in this context.
Even when we are trekking through a dark valley in our life, we should never complain about or talk against God in our personal discussions with people closest to us.
Instead, we must demonstrate God's strength and unwavering love to them.
We should also sing praises to God in front of the congregation (edah), which refers to big groups of God's people.
This group is the church for us.
Publicly proclaiming God's faithfulness and kindness not only exalts the Lord, but it also encourages and raises people up.
And when we thank God in the midst of hardship, the impact is much greater.
We must worship God completely in every event and condition of our life.
We allow our hardships to eclipse God's unchanging love and gifts far too frequently.
In difficult circumstances, we should resolve in our hearts to adopt a praise-oriented attitude rather than a complaint-oriented one.
When life throws us a curve ball, we must remember God's constancy, sustaining grace, and unchanging love.
Our praise may be the spark that ignites a fire in the hearts of others, stirring them to trust God's strength and unchanging love even in their darkest moments.
II.
Acknowledge His Works
(111:2–9)
As the Lord’s people wrestled daily with adversity, the psalmist led them to recall God’s great works.
Throughout Israel’s history, the Lord had done wonders for His people.
Acknowledging God’s amazing feats would encourage them to press on in their difficult days.
A. Meditate and Remember
(vv 2–4).
When we examine God's wonderful works, we can't help but praise Him (v 2).
God has done wonderful things that we can't comprehend through His limitless power.
Our spirits should be delighted by the Lord's magnificent works!
Consider the awe-inspiring events recounted in the pages of Scripture, such as...
creation
the plagues upon Egypt
the parting of the Red Sea
God’s miraculous provision for Israel in the wilderness
the destruction of the walls of Jericho
the preservation of the Hebrew young men in the fiery furnace
the preservation of Daniel in the lions’ den
the preservation of Jonah in the belly of the great fish
many miracles of Jesus
The list of God's amazing deeds in the Bible is endless.
God continues to work in our world today.
He continues to heal, grant supernatural power, deliver, miraculously supply, and transform lives.
People have sought out or pondered (darash)—examined, asked about, and studied— God's incomprehensible miracles throughout history.
(v2b)
However, they are simply beyond our comprehension, displaying the Lord's splendor, majesty, and righteousness to all humanity (v 3).
Moreover, God utilizes His tremendous works to remind people of Him.
We are reminded of the Lord's graciousness and compassion as we consider the magnificent things He has done for His chosen people.
In times of greatest need, God exhibits His power most visibly in our lives, confirming to us that He is loyal and that His love never fails.
B. Trust His Record
(vv 5–9).
The psalmist called God's suffering workers' attention to the wonderful works the Lord had done for Israel.
When His people needed support, God had always come through for them.
The remnant was reminded of eight of the Lord's dependable supplies by the psalmist:
First, God had supplied sustenance for His faithful people (v 5a).
The psalmist was most likely referring the remaining Israelites to God's supply of manna and quail after they fled Egypt (Psalm 78:23–24; 105:40).
Since their return to Jerusalem, which had been in ruins for seventy years, he had diligently nourished the survivors.
Second, God had always maintained His commitment to His people, the covenant He had made with them (v 5b).
God remained faithful to the Hebrews even though they were unfaithful to him.
Because Israel had frequently broken God's promise, the Lord had disciplined them by permitting the Babylonians to capture them.
Despite this, the Lord never abandoned His people.
He remembered His vow after seventy years, freeing them from captivity and bringing the faithful back to their country.
Third, God has frequently shown His might through miraculous acts performed on behalf of His people (v 7).
Fourth, God had given His people an inheritance in the form of the promised land.
He had mercifully given Abraham's descendants the land.
Furthermore, the Lord had restored and reestablished anyone who wished to return to the land from Babylon.
Fifth, in all of His dealings with His people, God has always proven to be trustworthy and righteous (v 7a).
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