Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 111:4

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 111:4. He hath made his wonderful works — He who seeks them out will never forget them; and every thing of God's framing is done in such a way, as to strike the imagination, interest the senses, and charm and edify the intellect. But the psalmist may here intend principally the works of God in behalf of the Jewish people; and particularly in their deliverance from the Babylonish captivity, which this Psalm is supposed to celebrate.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 111-112 God and his godly people

Equal in length and similar in form, these two psalms can be read as a pair. Both are acrostics (see note preceding Psalms 9:0). The former considers the greatness of God, the latter the character of his godly people.

God’s wonderful works, both in creation and in history, are a cause for praise by all his worshipping people (111:1-3). In his sovereign power he took the agriculturally productive land of Canaan from its heathen inhabitants and gave it to the Israelite people according to the covenant he had made with them (4-6). His desire is that they rule themselves according to his just law (7-8). He is the mighty and holy covenant-redeemer of his people, and they should fear him, honour him, obey him and praise him (9-10).
When people respond to God in such a way, God blesses them with a respected, upright and prosperous line of descendants (112:1-3). God looks after those who are fair in their treatment of others and generous with their money (4-6). Their lives will be enriched with a sense of security and confidence, so that they fear nothing (7-8). The satisfaction that comes from such lives is in sharp contrast to the envy and hopelessness of the wicked (9-10).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

“He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: Jehovah is gracious and merciful. He hath given food to them that fear him: He will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath showed his people the power of his works, In giving them the heritage of the nations.”

“Wonderful works” We agree with Miller that both here and in Psalms 111:9, below, “There is a reference to the exodus.”C. M. Miller, co-author with Anthony L. Ash, p. 370. Delitzsch noted that, “Here there are glances back at the deliverance from Egypt.”F. Delitzsch, op. cit., p. 199.

“He hath given food for them that fear him… mindful of his covenant” Just as Psalms 111:4 speaks of the “remembrance” of God’s mighty works in Egypt (etc.), this verse stresses the “bread of that remembrance,” the feast of unleavened bread and the Passover. “Even from the times of Theodoret and Augustine, the thought of the Eucharist has been connected with this Psalms 111:5; consequently, this psalm has become the psalm of the church at the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.”Ibid., p. 198. The “church” referred to here by Delitzsch is the historical church.

“In giving them the heritage of the nations” “Probably the writer refers to the conquest by Joshua.”J. R. Dummelow, p. 371. We consider the reference as certain instead of `probable.’ The conquest of Canaan is the only time known when God gave to Israel the “heritage of the nations.”

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

He hath made his wonderful works - In heaven and in earth.

To be remembered - literally, “Memory hath he made for his wonderful works.” “They” are so made, that man may remember them; the memory of man, also, is so made, that it may retain them. The highest and most appropriate exercise of memory is to retain the lessons which the works of God inculcate; to treasure up for gratitude and for use what he teaches his intelligent creation through those works. Memory can never be better employed than in treasuring up the truths which the Creator teaches in his providential dealings with us, and in his word. How much better would it be for man if he labored more to “remember” these things; if he sought to forget many of those things which he is so careful now to retain in his recollection.

The Lord is gracious ... - See the notes at Psalms 86:5. This is stated here as the result of the careful study of the doings of God; as the conclusion to which all will come who carefully study his works. “Illustrations” of what God has done that deserves to be remembered occupy the remainder of the psalm, except the last verse.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 111:1-10 has twenty-two lines. It is known as an acrostic psalm; each line in this psalm begins with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet. And so the first line of the psalm in Hebrew begins with Aleph, the second line in Hebrew begins with Beyth, the third line begins with Giymel, and the fourth Daleth, and so forth through the Hebrew alphabet, each line. And this is true also of Psalms 112:1-10 , another psalm of twenty-two lines. They are called acrostic because of the alphabet is used in a succeeding way throughout the psalm. It begins with Hallelujah.

Praise unto the LORD [Hallelujah]. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation. The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all of them that have pleasure therein. His work is honorable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever. He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion ( Psalms 111:1-4 ).

Again, how wrong it is to picture the God of the Old Testament as the God of judgment and wrath and all. Void of love. Here again the psalmist declares, "The Lord is gracious, full of compassion."

He hath given meat to them that reverence him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant. He hath showed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen. The works of his hands are truth and judgment; and all of his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name ( Psalms 111:5-9 ).

Don't call me Reverend. There is nothing reverend about the name of Chuck or Smith. I refuse the title. It is used in the scripture only of the name of the Lord. To me it would be almost blasphemous to tag that title onto me or onto my name. In fact, I don't like any titles. But I always wonder about the person who tacks a Reverend on his signature when it is a title that is ascribed only to that holy name of Yahweh. That is the name that is reverend or to be reverenced.

But man in seeking the honor of man and the glory from man takes that title to himself because he wants man to give him prestige and glory and honor. And so somewhere along the line back in history, ministers began to take the tag of Reverend So-and-so. Reverend, and then their name. And then the Right Reverend. And then the Most Right Reverend. And then the Most Holy Right Reverend. And I'm sure that God looks down and says, (Raspberries). No, He doesn't say that, honey? No, He doesn't say that. But I'm sure He's disgusted with it, however He expresses His disgust. That men should seek to exalt their name. Oh God, help us. Let us exalt the name of Jesus. "God has given Him a name that is above all names: that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess" ( Philippians 2:9-11 ). But as far as man, we're all dust. We're all flesh. We're all corrupt. And titles by which men try to elevate themselves above others are a curse. They're a sign of pride, and Reverend is a sign of spiritual pride which is the worst kind ever. "Holy and reverend is His name." For any man to take the title of Reverend, there has got to be something wrong with his theology.

The fear of the LORD ( Psalms 111:10 ):

Or the reverence of the Lord. And actually the word fear is reverence. The reverence of Yahweh. "Holy and reverenced is His name. And the reverence of Yahweh,"

is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever ( Psalms 111:10 ).

Now let me say this. I believe that there are many men who have taken the title of Reverend in sheer ignorance. I mean, I don't think that they are really trying to exalt themselves. Or every man that signs it Reverend Whoever is trying to exalt themselves and has a pride problem. And that I believe that there are some that just follow tradition and haven't even thought the thing through and haven't even gone to the scriptures. And thus, you know, I put it down not to a real pride problem. I just put it down to stupidity. So it would be wrong if you get a letter from Reverend Ike. What is so reverend about the name Ike, pray tell? Icky Ike. We better move on into Psalms 112:1-10 . "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 111

This is one of the acrostic psalms (cf. Psalms 9, 10; Psalms 25; Psalms 34; Psalms 37; Psalms 112; Psalms 119; Psalms , 145). Each successive line in the Hebrew text begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The writer evidently expressed his thoughts this way so the Israelites could memorize and recite the psalm easily. He recounted the Lord’s great works of redemption that should draw out His people’s praise.

"Acrostic poems in general do not show logical development because of the arbitrary imposition of the alphabetic form." [Note: VanGemeren, p. 700.]

"Psalms 111-113 all begin with Hallelujah, and there is a specially close bond between 111 and 112. These two are . . . a matched pair in their subject-matter, which tells of God in this psalm, and of the man of God in the next, even sharing the same or similar phrases in one or two verses." [Note: Kidner, Psalms 73-150, p. 396.]

"But Psalms 111, 112 are treated separately because they have a slightly different accent, an unqualified statement that the world is ruled by God with moral symmetry. That symmetry in the world is reflected in the disciplined acrostic structure of these two psalms. The world works so that persons receive the consequences of their actions (Galatians 6:7); this statement entertains no doubt about it." [Note: Brueggemann, p. 45.]

This author called these psalms "songs of retribution." [Note: Ibid.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Praise for specific works 111:4-9

Psalms 111:4 states the theme of this section. God graciously helped His people, and consequently they remember to praise Him. Psalms 111:5-6 cite examples of God’s goodness. In Psalms 111:7-9, the writer praised God further for His redemption and His faithfulness.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered,.... All his works are marvellous ones; his works of creation, that they should rise out of nothing at a word of command; his works of providence, which have such a depth of wisdom and knowledge in them, are unsearchable and past finding out; and his works of redemption and grace; and these are so wrought by him, and such methods taken to continue the memory of them, that they cannot well be forgotten: all things in nature are as they were from the beginning; the sun, moon, and stars, keep their course and station; cold and heat, summer and winter, seedtime and harvest, are as they always were; remarkable providences have been carefully recorded, and memorials of them handed down to posterity. The deliverance of Israel out of Egypt was annually remembered in the passover; the feeding of them with manna in the wilderness was caused to be remembered by a pot of manna preserved in the tabernacle and temple; and the great work of our redemption by Christ is brought to remembrance in the ordinance of the Lord's supper, appointed for that purpose.

The Lord is gracious and full of compassion; so he was in eternity, and is in time; this appears in all his works, and especially in our salvation by Jesus Christ; see Psalms 86:5.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Praise ye 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, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.   3 His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.   4 He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.   5 He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

      The title of the psalm being Hallelujah, the psalmist (as every author ought to have) has an eye to his title, and keeps to his text.

      I. He resolves to praise God himself, Psalms 111:1; Psalms 111:1. What duty we call others to we must oblige and excite ourselves to; nay, whatever others do, whether they will praise God or no, we and our houses must determine to do it, we and our hearts; for such is the psalmist's resolution here: I will praise the Lord with my whole heart. My heart, my whole heart, being devoted to his honour, shall be employed in this work; and this in the assembly, or secret, of the upright, in the cabinet-council, and in the congregation of Israelites. Note, We must praise God both in private and in public, in less and greater assemblies, in our own families and in the courts of the Lord's house; but in both it is most comfortable to do it in concert with the upright, who will heartily join in it. Private meetings for devotion should be kept up as well as more public and promiscuous assemblies.

      II. He recommends to us the works of the Lord as the proper subject of our meditations when we are praising him--the dispensations of his providence towards the world, towards the church, and towards particular persons. 1. God's works are very magnificent, great like himself; there is nothing in them that is mean or trifling: they are the products of infinite wisdom and power, and we must say this upon the first view of them, before we come to enquire more particularly into them, that the works of the Lord are great,Psalms 111:2; Psalms 111:2. There is something in them surprising, and that strikes an awe upon us. All the works of the Lord are spoken of as one (Psalms 111:3; Psalms 111:3); it is his work, such is the beauty and harmony of Providence and so admirably do all its dispensations centre in one design; it was cried to the wheels, O wheel!Ezekiel 10:13. Take all together, and it is honourable and glorious, and such as becomes him. 2. They are entertaining and exercising to the inquisitive--sought out of all those that have pleasure therein. Note, (1.) All that truly love God have pleasure in his works, and reckon all well that he does; nor do their thoughts dwell upon any subject with more delight than on the works of God, which the more they are looked into the more they give us of a pleasing surprise. (2.) Those that have pleasure in the works of God will not take up with a superficial transient view of them, but will diligently search into them and observe them. In studying both natural and political history we should have this in our eye, to discover the greatness and glory of God's works. (3.) These works of God, that are humbly and diligently sought into, shall be sought out; those that seek shall find (so some read); they are found of all those that have pleasure in them, or found in all their parts, designs, purposes, and several concernments (so Dr. Hammond), for the secret of the Lord is with those that fear him,Psalms 25:14. 3. They are all justly and holy; His righteousness endures for ever. Whatever he does, he never did, nor ever will do, any wrong to any of his creatures; and therefore his works endure for ever (Ecclesiastes 3:14) because the righteousness of them endures. 4. They are admirable and memorable, fit to be registered and kept on record. Much that we do is so trifling that it is not fit to be spoken of or told again; the greatest kindness is to forget it. But notice is to be taken of God's works, and an account to be kept of them (Psalms 111:4; Psalms 111:4). He has made his wonderful works to be remembered; he has done that which is worthy to be remembered, which cannot but be remembered, and he has instituted ways and means for the keeping of some of them in remembrance, as the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt by the passover. He has made himself a memorial by his wonderful works (so some read it); see Isaiah 63:10. By that which God did with his glorious arm he made himself an everlasting name. 5. They are very kind. In them the Lord shows that he is gracious and full of compassion. As of the works of creation, so of the works of providence, we must say, They are not only all very great, but all very good. Dr. Hammond takes this to be the name which God has made to himself by his wonderful works, the same with that which he proclaimed to Moses, The Lord God is gracious and merciful,Exodus 24:6. God's pardoning sin is the most wonderful of all his works and which ought to be remembered to his glory. It is a further instance of his grace and compassion that he has given meat to those that fear him,Psalms 111:5; Psalms 111:5. He gives them their daily bread, food convenient for them; so he does to others by common providence, but to those that fear him he gives it by covenant and in pursuance of the promise, for it follows, He will be ever mindful of his covenant; so that they can taste covenant-love even in common mercies. Some refer this to the manna with which God fed his people Israel in the wilderness, others to the spoil they got from the Egyptians when they came out with great substance, according to the promise, Genesis 15:14. When God broke the heads of leviathan he gave him to be meat to his people,Psalms 74:14. He has given prey to those that fear him (so the margin has it), not only fed them, but enriched them, and given their enemies to be a prey to them. 6. They are earnests of what he will do, according to his promise: He will ever be mindful of his covenant, for he has ever been so; and, as he never did, so he never will, let one jot or tittle of it fall to the ground. Though God's people have their infirmities, and are often unmindful of his commands, yet he will ever be mindful of his covenant.