His Praise Endures Forever
BRD REFLECTIONS
1 Thessalonians 3 and Psalm 111 (NIV)
(Esther Wong, Zone 12 Core Team Member, Small Group Ministry)
READ:
Psalm 111 (NKJV)
OBSERVE:
Focus verses:
1 Praise the LORD!
4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; The Lord is gracious and full of compassion. 5 He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant. 6 He has declared to His people the power of His works, In giving them the heritage of the nations.
9 He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: Holy and awesome is His name. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.
“Hallelu-Yah” is a Hebrew expression translated as “Praise the LORD”. Yah, Yahweh, YHWH = LORD is His personal covenant name, by which God reveals himself intimately to His covenantal people who know Him.
This acrostic psalm of praise is thought to be penned by David, composed in an alphabetical order with each of the 22 clauses beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet; excellently crafted and albeit easily remembered. In fact, “to be remembered” (v4) is a Hebrew noun “zeker” which connotates the act of ‘proclamation’ of the wondrous works of God; these marvellous, surpassing, extraordinary miracles that only God can do, are displayed through His grace and compassionate character.
As part of “His covenant”, the psalmist writes of three miracles:
In verse 5, the LORD has given: He gave the people food (“manna”) from heaven when they travelled out from Egypt in to their Promised Land in Canaan (present day “Israel”; Exodus 16).
In verse 6, the LORD has declared or demonstrated the powerful outworking of His works in giving of the promised land: He enabled the Jews to win wars and conquer the lands He had promised to them (Book of Joshua). The LORD appoints kings and the times. He bestows the kingdom heritage of the nations. He rules and reigns as Sovereign King!
In verse 9, the LORD has sent redemption to His people; God redeemed His people from slavery in Egypt and made them a free people (Exodus Chapters 1-15). He is El Olam, His covenantal promise is commanded in His WORD forever-lasting. Permanence. In His Holy and awesome name, people are freed to be holy, set apart to revere His name.
Finally, verse 10 calls for a response. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (also found in Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). This kind of reverential fear is the same as “awe”. The “beginning” denotes the first, principal, best, choice part. Wisdom is skill, shrewdness and prudence in one’s ways; those who have a good understanding and insight to obey and accomplish His commandments, gain wisdom. The fear of the LORD is evident in them.
APPLY:
What struck me in this reading is God being ever mindful of His covenant (v5). In covenants, the parties give themselves to each other fully, and we see the description of the LORD giving Himself to us, through His Name, His Divine Nature. The LORD has done great things! May I have the eyes of faith to see, to remember, to proclaim (give thanks!) the daily miracles that the LORD is doing in my life — His Provision, His Protection, His Redemption. His Love, His Grace, His Mercy. I can be hopeful in hard times because of His Righteousness and His Faithfulness. The praise of His Name stands forever.
God is intentional and faithful in keeping His promise. Likened to a marriage (as a covenant), what is my commitment to God in this covenantal relationship? Do I have active obedience to His precepts? Do I fear the LORD and seek foremost ‘the wisdom that is from above’ (James 3:17-18); or rely on my own limiting perception and finite strength even as I try to make wise choices and navigate in life?
DO:
I am challenged to be intentional and immediate in my obedience of God’s WORD, especially in times of weakness and double-mindedness. To “zeker” the goodness of God at all times, especially challenging ones. The Name of the LORD is a strong tower, the righteous run to it and are safe (Proverbs 18:10). In His Name, I am emboldened to fear the LORD than to fear men in compelling or compromising situations; even to fear displeasing God than be fearful of displeasing men. To begin to have a sound understanding and be discerning of the things of God is to start by taking active steps of obedience to the precepts of the LORD.
PRAY:
Lord, You are El Olam, the Everlasting God. You were before the beginning, and in You there is no end. All power and authority are in Your Hands. There are times more often than not, I start to doubt your presence, power , even protection over the reality before my eyes. Forgive me LORD, for my passivity, feeble faith, attempting the easier option to run away from Your Holy presence, even pride of life gets in the way. May I tread steadily in the fear of the LORD. You will not let my foot slip. Open my spiritual eyes to see and to remember the wondrous works of Your Hands, to perceive and trust in Your good and perfect plan for my life. Thank You that each Holy Communion is a renewal of Your ever-lasting covenant, one where I can partake of Your kingdom heritage, forgiveness, mercy and sanctifying grace. Hallelu-Yah!
In the Almighty Name of Christ, Amen.
