ChristadelphianBooksOnline
George Booker
Psalms Studies - Book 5

Psalm 111

1. Structure

There can be no doubt at all that the Hallelujah at the beginning of Psalm 112 is really the conclusion to Psalm 111. On this see “The Hallelujah Psalms” (Psalms Studies, Intro., Part 6).

Between this beginning and ending is a complete acrostic, each half-verse taking a letter of the Hebrew alphabet (in vv. 9 and 10 there are three letters, not two). (For other acrostic psalms, see Psalms Studies, Intro., Part 4.)

Apart from the Hallelujahs, Psalm 112 has the same literary features. Psalm 111 describes the graciousness and power of God exercised on behalf of His people. It is easy to see, therefore, why the Hallelujahs are appropriate here. On the other hand, Psalm 112 describes, often in similar terms, the true man of God, reflecting the character of the God he serves. Phrase for phrase, and verse for verse, from beginning to end, the two psalms correspond:

Psalm 111 (Subject: God)		Psalm 112 (Subject: the man of God)
1.	I will praise God	1.	Blessed is the man who fears Him
2.	Great are His works	2.	This man’s seed shall be great
3.	His righteousness endures	3.	His righteousness shall endure
4.	He is gracious and full of compassion	4.	He is gracious and full of compassion
5.	He gives food to those who fear Him	5.	He shows favor and is gracious
6.	He has showed His people His power	6.	He shall not be moved for ever
7.	His works... in truth and justice	7.	His heart is steadfast, trusting in God
8.	His works are strongly based;	8.	His confidence is “strongly based”
	their fabric goodness and truth”		there is no fear of defeat
9.	Redemption to His people;	9.	He has given to those in need;
	His Name is to be revered		His honor shall be exalted
10.	Those who fear Him and follow his way shall grow; and praise Him for ever	10.	Those who do not fear Him shall “melt away”, and they shall perish

These two psalms immediately precede 113-118, called in Temple days the “Hallel”. They were used specially, but not exclusively, for the Passover.

2. A Passover psalm

There is no lack of Passover phraseology and allusion here.

1.	Assembly and congregation are words especially appropriate to a feast of the Lord — particularly the Passover (cp. “holy convocation”: Exod. 12:16). The “assembly” is the smaller, family-type unit gathered around one lamb; the “congregation”, the whole nation of Israel.
2.	The works of the Lord. Note the repetition in vv. 2,3,4,6, and 7 and the distinction between works and work; the former with allusion to the plagues in Egypt, and the latter to the deliverance of Israel from bondage.
	Sought out (“studied”: RSV, NEB; “pondered”: NIV) of all them that have pleasure therein. “Sought out” implies painstaking attention to all the details of the Exodus story, with particular reference to the *Haggadah* (the “showing forth”: Exod. 12:26-28; Rom. 3:25; 1 Cor. 11:26).
3.	His righteousness endureth for ever. Of course it does! But here is meant the celebration of God’s glory and righteousness, which likewise will endure for ever (Exod. 12:14; cp. vv. 8,10 here).
4.	He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered, as a memorial to all generations. “He has won a name by marvellous deeds” (NEB). Or, “He has made a memorial of his wonders.” Compare Exod. 13:9,10.
	The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. This is the motive for God’s deliverance of Israel in captivity:
		“And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob. And God looked upon the children of Israel, and God had respect unto them” (Exod. 2:24,25; cp. 34:6,7).
5.	He hath given meat (food: RSV, NEB, NIV) unto them that fear him. This refers to the Passover meal; possibly, also, the manna in the wilderness (Exod. 16; Num. 11).
	He will ever be mindful of his covenant: “And this day shall be unto you for a memorial; and ye shall keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations; ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever” (Exod. 12:14).
6.	He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. The land of the Canaanites, promised to Abraham and to Israel (Gen. 15:14,16,18-21).
7.	His commandments are either the instructions about Passover observance, or the Ten Commandments; they are the works of his hands, being written with the finger of God (Exod. 32:16).
8.	They... are done is truth. Num. 9:2 (and the LXX) has the phrase: “keep [or ‘do’] the Passover”; so also in Luke 22:19: “This do in remembrance of me.” Truth nearly always refers to the fulfillment of God’s promise; in this case it is His assurance to Moses that He would give Israel freedom from bondage (Exod. 3:15-17).
9.	Redemption is another work specially appropriate to Passover deliverance: Exod. 8:23 (“division” = “redemption”: mg.); 13:13; Deut. 7:8; 13:5.
10.	The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Job 28:28; Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 15:33; Eccl. 12:13). This perhaps alludes to Passover month being “the beginning of months” (Exod. 12:2), and the first of the feasts, when Israel renewed their fear of the Lord.

3. Hezekiah’s Passover

Not only the context of Psalm 111 in the Book of Psalms, but also a remarkable collection of similarities of phrase and idea with Hezekiah’s special Passover (2 Chron. 30) point to the likelihood that Psalm 111 belongs to that specific occasion.

Psalm 111		2 Chronicles 30
1 (and 112:1)	Praise	21
1	With the whole heart	19
1	Assembly, congregation	4,23
2	Seeking God	19
3,5,8,9,10	For ever	8
4	Gracious, full of compassion	9
5	Food provided / Passover eaten	13,18
6	Deliverance from captivity	9
7	Commandments	12
7,8	Sure, stand fast / established	5
9	Holy, reverend (inspiring awe) / sanctified	8,17
10	Good understanding / knowledge	22

This correspondence now identifies the “I” of v. 1 as Hezekiah.

4. Messianic reference

Several Isaiah passages indicate that the Second Coming is closely associated with Passover (Isa. 26:20,21; 30:29-31; 31:5; 33:20; cp. Psa. 102:13).

1.	Hallelujah. Compare the four-fold *Alleluia* (no H in Greek) in Rev. 19:3-6 (the Marriage of the Lamb).
	I will praise the Lord with my whole heart (Psa. 86:12). In this mighty acclaim, Christ leads the assembly of the upright, and the great congregation (Psa. 22:25; cp. 109:30).
2.	The works of the Lord are... sought out, not only in retrospect, but also in eager anticipation (1 Pet. 1:10-12). The works of the Lord have to do with the “New Creation” of men and women in Christ (Psa. 102:18, and the references there; 103:22; 104:31; 145:5,9,10). These works are truly “great and marvellous” (Rev. 15:3; cp. v. 3 here).
3.	His righteousness (and Jesus, who shares it!) endureth for ever.
4.	He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered, not only through two millennia, in the Memorial of the death of Christ (1 Cor. 11:23-26), but also in the age to come (Luke 22:16-18). Hence...
5.	He hath given meat (food) unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. Compare v. 9 and Heb. 13:20: “the blood of the everlasting covenant”.
6.	That he may give them the heritage of the heathen. This is, of course, the Kingdom established. What Christ will receive from the Father (Psa. 2:8) he will also give to his brethren. How well all these phrases cluster together in their meaning!
8.	How true it will be that then, as at no time in human history, His commandments... will stand fast for ever and ever. For then God has...
9.	Sent redemption unto his people.
10.	The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. This verse, true now in only a very limited sense, will come to a fullness of meaning for all them that do keep the Passover of Christ (Luke 22:15: “this Passover”).

5. “Reverend” used of men?

“How good men can endure to be called ‘Reverend’ [Psa. 111:9] we know not. Being unable to discover any reason why our fellow-men should reverence us, we half suspect that in other men there is not very much which can entitle them to be called ‘Reverend’, ‘Very Reverend’, ‘Right Reverend’, and so on. It may seem a trifling matter, but for that very reason we would urge that the foolish custom should be allowed to fall into disuse.”

C.H. Spurgeon

6. An English acrostic

The following, a rather free translation, enables us to appreciate the alphabetical character of this and other psalms.

All my heart shall praise Jehovah,	1
Before the congregation of the righteous.
Deeds of goodness are the deeds of Jehovah,	2
Earnestly desired of all them that have pleasure therein.
For his righteousness endureth for ever,	3
Glorious and honourable is his work.
He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered;	4
In Yahweh is compassion and goodness.
Jehovah hath given meat to them that fear him,	5
Keeping his covenant for ever,
Letting his people know the power of his works,	6
Making them to possess the heritage of the heathen.
Nought save truth and equity are the works of his hands;	7
Ordered and sure are his commands,
Planted fast for ever and ever,	8
Righteous and true are his testimonies.
Salvation hath he sent unto his people;	9
Their covenant hath he made fast for ever.
Upright and holy is his name.
Verily, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;	10
Yea, a good understanding have all they that seek thereafter;
Zealously shall he be praised for ever.

(Anonymous, and revised)