Chapter 111
Great Are the Lord's Works
Praise for God's works and the fear of the Lord
"Praise the Lord!"
Psalm 111:1
Chapter Overview
Psalms chapter 111, "Great Are the Lord's Works," stands at the heart of the honest dialogue between the human soul and its Creator. Praise for God's works and the fear of the Lord. Here the reader encounters not merely ancient history or religious instruction, but the living word of a God who speaks with purpose — weaving themes of praise and thanks into a narrative that addresses both its original audience and every generation since.
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. This poetic form communicates depths of spiritual experience that prose could never fully capture, employing imagery, rhythm, and honest emotion to draw the reader into authentic encounter with God. The structure itself is part of the message.
The theme of praise is not incidental here — it is the load-bearing pillar of the chapter's argument or story. Alongside it, thanks operates as a clarifying lens, sharpening the reader's understanding of what God is accomplishing and why it matters beyond the immediate circumstances.
Looking across the wider biblical landscape, Psalms 111 does not stand alone. The interplay between praise and wisdom appears at critical junctures throughout Scripture — moments when God reshapes his people's self-understanding and renews his covenant claims on their lives. This chapter is precisely such a moment: a turning point where the reader is invited to see with fresh eyes what it means to be formed and held by God.
Chapter Outline
Opening Address: Praise
vv. 1–7This section of Psalms 111 focuses on praise — opening the reader to a fresh encounter with this truth.
The Honest Lament: Thanks
vv. 8–14This section of Psalms 111 focuses on thanks — pressing the implications into concrete human experience.
Memory of God's Faithfulness: Fear of Lord
vv. 15–21This section of Psalms 111 focuses on fear of lord — revealing the divine perspective behind the human events.
The Turning Point of Trust: Wisdom
vv. 22–30This section of Psalms 111 focuses on wisdom — showing how this theme reshapes the community of faith.
Key Verses
"Praise the Lord!"
Psalm 111:1
"I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation."
Psalm 111:10
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding."
Psalm 111:10
Poetic Text
Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.
Study Notes
Praise in Psalms 111: Praise for God's works and the fear of the Lord (see Psalm 111:1). This theme does not merely describe events — it is the theological lens through which the author invites us to interpret everything that happens here. To understand praise in its biblical context is to understand something essential about the God who orchestrates both history and human hearts.
Thanks in Psalms 111: Praise for God's works and the fear of the Lord (see Psalm 111:10). This theme does not merely describe events — it is the theological lens through which the author invites us to interpret everything that happens here. To understand thanks in its biblical context is to understand something essential about the God who orchestrates both history and human hearts.
Fear of Lord in Psalms 111: Praise for God's works and the fear of the Lord (see Psalm 111:10). This theme does not merely describe events — it is the theological lens through which the author invites us to interpret everything that happens here. To understand fear of lord in its biblical context is to understand something essential about the God who orchestrates both history and human hearts.
Wisdom in Psalms 111: Praise for God's works and the fear of the Lord. This theme does not merely describe events — it is the theological lens through which the author invites us to interpret everything that happens here. To understand wisdom in its biblical context is to understand something essential about the God who orchestrates both history and human hearts.
Life Application
In the light of praise in Psalms 111: ask how you are actively engaging with this theme in your own life — not as a distant theological concept, but as a living reality that shapes your decisions, relationships, and worship today.
In the light of thanks in Psalms 111: ask how you are actively engaging with this theme in your own life — not as a distant theological concept, but as a living reality that shapes your decisions, relationships, and worship today.
In the light of fear of lord in Psalms 111: ask how you are actively engaging with this theme in your own life — not as a distant theological concept, but as a living reality that shapes your decisions, relationships, and worship today.
Reflection Questions
What specific aspect of "Great Are the Lord's Works" in Psalms 111 challenges or confirms your current understanding of God?
How does the theme of praise in this chapter connect to your own experience of faith — where have you seen or struggled with this theme in your own life?
In what ways do praise and thanks work together in this passage, and what does that relationship reveal about God's purposes?
If the original audience of Psalms heard this chapter in their historical context, what would have been their most immediate reaction — and what can that response teach us about how we should receive these words today?
Cross-References
Ask God who gives wisdom generously
Christ is our wisdom from God
All wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ
A Prayer Response
Lord, as we have studied Psalms chapter 111, "Great Are the Lord's Works," we come before you with open hands and honest hearts. May the truth of praise that runs through this passage not remain only in our minds, but take root in our lives. We confess that we often settle for a shallow grasp of your word — let this chapter disturb our complacency and deepen our longing for you. Thank you that your word is living and active, and that you speak through it across every generation. Amen.