Psalms 111 – Praise

¹ Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

²The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.

Praise = the offering of grateful homage as an act of worship

Notice that praise is an act of will – Will you choose to praise the LORD?

What has the LORD done for you?

What reasons do you have to praise the LORD?

Do you look for God’s hand in your circumstances? What do you see?

Who the LORD is and what He does

³His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth forever.

⁴He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.

⁵He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.

⁶He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.

⁷The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.

⁸They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.

⁹He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant forever: holy and reverend is his name.

¹⁰The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth forever.

Gracious = giving us what we do not deserve

Compassion = a feeling of deep sympathy accompanied by a desire to alleviate the suffering

Which of the LORD’s works do you most enjoy? Flowers? Birds? How He orchestrates circumstances? The night sky? Clouds? Rainbows? Seasons?

What power do you see in His works?

What does the righteousness of the LORD enduring forever mean to you?

What does it matter to you that the LORD is mindful of His covenant?

Do you fear the LORD?

Verity = quality of being true, in accordance with fact and reality

Fear = reverential trust

Redemption = deliverance and rescue

Wisdom = knowledge of what is true coupled with just discernment

What do you know of the New Covenant He makes with everyone who receives Jesus as Lord and Savior? (Hebrews 8)

the New Covenant is better

the New Covenant is established on better promises

the New Covenant provides Jesus as Mediator

The Lord promises to put His laws into our minds

The Lord promises to write His laws in our hearts

The Lord promises to be our God and to have us for His people

The Lord promises each of us shall know Him

The Lord promises He will be merciful to our unrighteousness

The Lord promises to remember our sins and iniquities no more

Our focus = Hebrews 12:¹Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

² Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Our challenge = Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you, has uniquely designed and created only one you, has a good plan for your life, runs with you and will accomplish His purposes for you and through  you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti