The Great Works of God: Psalm 111

What’s your greatest achievement this year?

It might be that you got that certificate at school. It might be that you’ve broken through, resolved a hard problem at work. Great achievements are worth celebrating.

The Olympics recently finished, and there we saw athletes at the top of their game. They did amazing things, breaking records and personal bests. It is right to celebrate great achievements, no matter what form they take.

One great act that has stood out to me recently, is the young man Teddy Sheean who served on the HMAS Armidale in WW2. Sheean his ship was bombed, and started to sink, he was wounded.

Instead of abandoning ship, Sheean went to help free a life boat. He then went back to a canon to protect the lifeboats in the water, shooting down a Japanese plane. Sheean died as the ship went into the water. He recently was awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery.

There are many great deeds, many great acts, many great acheivments, many great works in our world.

Psalm 111 is about praising God for his great works.

We praise people for the things that people do, and we give out medals and awards. Yet, how much more should we praise God for his great works of creation, redemption and salvation?

The question we need to ask ourselves is this: do we praise God for his great works? For when we consider what God has done for us, if we’re honest, we may not be moved by that. Your heart, your affections may not be stirred. We can all find praise difficult. We can all struggle to be moved with wonder at God and his works.

We need to ask God to work the truth of this Psalm deep into our hearts.

We need God to create in us hearts which see his works and be moved to awe and praise. For he has done the greatest of all works in the cross of Christ. The cross is the most wondrous work of all.

Praise the Lord.

I will extol the Lord with all my heart
    in the council of the upright and in the assembly.

² Great are the works of the Lord;
    they are pondered by all who delight in them.
³ Glorious and majestic are his deeds,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
⁴ He has caused his wonders to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and compassionate.
⁵ He provides food for those who fear him;
    he remembers his covenant forever.

⁶ He has shown his people the power of his works,
    giving them the lands of other nations.
⁷ The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy.
⁸ They are established for ever and ever,
    enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.
⁹ He provided redemption for his people;
    he ordained his covenant forever—
    holy and awesome is his name.

¹⁰ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
    To him belongs eternal praise.