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No. 54Psalms of Praise
Psalm 111
The works of the LORD are studied by all who delight in them
StatusEssential
Read2 min
Study5 min
DifficultyBeginner
Psalm 111 · Unattributed · Israel; the congregation
The Point
Psalm 111 says something unusual about God's works: they are studied by those who delight in them. Not just admired, studied. The psalm treats what God has done as material worth examining closely, and it ends where wisdom literature always ends, with the fear of the LORD as the beginning of wisdom, followed by a line that keeps it from being abstract, those who do His will have good understanding.
Story Snapshot
The psalm gives thanks to the LORD with a whole heart in the assembly of the upright. It declares God's works great and studied by all who delight in them, full of honor and majesty, with His righteousness enduring forever. It says God has made His wonders to be remembered, gives food to those who fear Him, and remembers His covenant. It closes calling the fear of the LORD the beginning of wisdom.
Main Characters
| Character | Role | Key Trait | Why They Matter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Psalmist | The grateful student | Wholehearted, attentive | Gives thanks and studies God's works |
| The LORD | The gracious worker | Righteous, merciful, faithful | Does works worth studying and keeps His covenant |
| The Upright | The assembled congregation | Delighting | The company in which thanks is given |
Story Summary
The psalm, an acrostic in Hebrew, opens with wholehearted thanks given in the company of the upright and in the congregation. Its first claim about God's works is that they are great, sought out or studied by all who delight in them. His work is honorable and glorious and His righteousness endures forever. He has caused His wonderful works to be remembered, meaning He built memory into the life of His people, and the LORD is gracious and merciful. He has given food to those who fear Him and will remember His covenant forever. He showed His people the power of His works in giving them the heritage of the nations. The works of His hands are truth and justice, and all His precepts are trustworthy, established forever and ever, performed in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption to His people and commanded His covenant forever, and holy and awesome is His name. The psalm closes with the classic wisdom formula: the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and all those who do His work have a good understanding, ending with praise that endures forever.
Timeline
- Wholehearted ThanksGiven in the assembly of the upright.
- Works Worth StudyingSought out by all who delight in them.
- Wonders RememberedGod built memory into His people's life.
- Food and CovenantHe provides and remembers His promises.
- Truth and JusticeHis precepts are trustworthy and established.
- Redemption SentHis covenant commanded forever.
- Fear of the LORDThe beginning of wisdom; understanding in doing.
Themes
PraiseWisdomFaithfulnessMemoryCovenant
What This Story Means
Psalm 111 is built as an acrostic, each line beginning with a successive Hebrew letter, which is itself a claim about order and completeness, praising God from A to Z. The verse that stands out theologically is the second: God's works are sought out, examined, studied by those who take pleasure in them. That places curiosity inside worship rather than opposite to it. The psalm also notes that God caused His wonders to be remembered, which points to the festivals, sabbaths, and recitations that Israel built into its calendar precisely because people forget. The closing line joins wisdom to obedience: understanding belongs not to those who merely know about God's works but to those who do them. Psalm 112 follows immediately and mirrors this one, describing the person who lives that way.
Bringing It Home
- God's works reward study, not just admiration.
- Curiosity belongs inside worship rather than opposed to it.
- Remembering is built into worship because forgetting is our default.
- Understanding comes through doing God's will, not only knowing it.
Key Verse
Psalm 111:10
“The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. All those who do his work have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
Did You Know?
- Psalm 111 is an acrostic, each line beginning with a successive Hebrew letter.
- It is paired with Psalm 112, which mirrors its structure and describes the godly person.
- 'Studied' or 'sought out' pictures deliberate examination, not casual notice.
- The closing line is the standard wisdom formula also found in Proverbs 9:10.
Read Next
Psalm 112:1-3Job 28:28Deuteronomy 6:20-25
What This Shows Us About God
- God's works are worth deliberate study.
- God deliberately builds remembrance into worship.
- God keeps covenant across generations.
What This Shows Us About People
- We skim past what deserves examination.
- We forget quickly and need structured remembering.
- We understand God's ways best by doing them.
A Question to Sit With
Do I study what God has done, or only glance at it and move on?
Prayer
LORD, Your works are great, and I have barely looked at them. Give me delight enough to study what You have done rather than skim past it. Thank You that You built remembering into the life of Your people, because You know how quickly I forget. Let the fear of You be where my wisdom starts. Amen.