Psalm 111 Devotional

Works Worth Pondering

“He has caused His wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate.”Psalm 111:4 (BSB)

This psalm opens with a resolve to give thanks wholeheartedly among God's people (111:1), and then it sets God's works on display for anyone willing to look closely. They are great, and those who delight in them study them (111:2). God has made his wonders memorable, so his people will not forget that he is gracious and compassionate (111:4). He feeds those who fear him and never forgets his covenant (111:5). His works are faithful and just, and his instructions can be trusted (111:7).

Verse 9 gathers it up. He has sent redemption, rescue, to his people, and fixed his covenant forever. Only after all this does the psalm speak of wisdom. The fear of the LORD, a reverent awe that takes him seriously, is where wisdom begins (111:10). Wisdom grows from looking at what God has done, not from looking inward. The greatest redemption he has sent came in Jesus, and it rewards a lifetime of pondering. Delighting in God's works is the soil where wise living takes root.

To think about: What work of God, in Scripture or in your own life, could you slow down and ponder today?