Psalms 111 and 112 are a pair. While the first describes God, the second is about godliness. Psalm 111 tells us what God is like, and Psalm 112 tells us how we can become like Him, reflecting back to God His own character. Both are acrostic poems, as each of their twenty-two lines begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The theme of Psalm 111 is the goodness of God as displayed in His “works.” After beginning with a shout of “Hallelujah!” (“Praise the LORD!”), the psalmist declares his commitment to praise God wholeheartedly. It is not surprising that those who do not know God will not praise Him at all. What is surprising is that people who do know Him often offer half-hearted praise. To know God at all is to know that He is worthy of our utmost devotion (v 1a). A wholehearted worshiper of Christ will love to praise Him with both the “company” and the “congregation.” While the first word describes a small group of friends, the second refers to the wider assembly. In a larger church you won’t be close to everyone. But it’s still important to build relationships, connect to a small group, and grow with others in a social network (v 1b). As we praise God together, it won’t be hard to find reasons to do so. For those who know God, evidence of His glory is obvious everywhere. His works are “studied by all who delight in them.” These words would be fitting on the title page of every science textbook! The wonders of God are brilliantly on display throughout creation, from vast galaxy clusters far away to subatomic particles that make up matter. The unbeliever can look at these things and ponder them. But when a believer studies them, it leads to a personal delight in the God who designed and made these things. From all that He has created, we see God’s splendor, majesty, and righteousness—along with His grace and mercy for allowing us to live in a world of such beauty (v 2-4). Praise for God’s general works turns more specific as the psalmist considers how the LORD has saved His people. We worship a faithful God, who fulfills His promises, provides for our needs, and speaks through His Word (v 5-8). Since God has redeemed us, purchasing our freedom through the death of His own Son, we bow in reverent awe, saying, “Holy and awesome is His name!” True wisdom cannot be found by turning our backs on God and pursuing our own understanding apart from Him. Rather, we start to figure out what life is all about when we fear the One who does all these wondrous works (v 9-10). For further meditation: