Psalm 111:2 

“Great are the works of Yahweh; they are to be pondered by all who delight in them.” (Psalm 111:2). 

Herein the psalmist praises God for His unfailing righteousness in keeping His promises made to His people.  In common English, we could say that the psalmist is celebrating God’s saving acts on behalf of His people. 

Not only are the LORD’s works good or decent, they are “great.”  In fact, they are so amazingly great that the psalmist starts the sentence out with the word, defying regular Hebrew syntax to emphasize just how awesome are God’s works. 

But what are these “works”?  

Of course, they certainly can refer to creation.  Perhaps the psalmist was overwhelmed one day just looking at the stars or the sun or the moon.  Indeed, the Psalms are filled with praises to God for His marvelous creation (e.g. Psa. 104), and we as Christians especially must meditate upon the handiworks of our Creator. 

However, in light of the context, the psalmist is more likely singing praises for the overwhelmingly awesome saving acts of his faithful God, Yahweh.  This seems so, chiefly because of the covenantal language used throughout the psalm.  Words like “faithfulness” (tm,a/) and “compassionate” (~Wxr;) immediately recall the language Yahweh used in forging His covenant with His people Israel in passages like Exodus 34.  Besides this, the psalmist uses the phrase “eternal covenant” (At*yrIB. ~l'äA[l.) twice in this passage, which shows us that the “great deeds” of God are to be equivalent to the salvation of His people from their enemies. 

But what is to be our response to Yahweh’s saving acts of His people?  If they are so breathtakingly awesome, what are we to do? 

The psalmist says that God’s demonstrated faithfulness in the saving acts of redeeming His people is to be “pondered” upon.  An even better translation of the word vr;D' is “studied”, as it implies a greater amount of ‘struggle’ for us.  Not only are we to reflect now and then upon all that God has done for us, we are to actively study out this “so great a salvation.”  This calls for diligence on our part to get into God's Word and study especially how He has saved us, namely through the obedient life, death, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (i.e. the 'gospel').

Even more, the psalmist employs a participle to emphasize the constant necessity of doing so.  Studying out the LORD’s great works is not to be a once-a-week thingy whenever we get a fuzzy feeling inside.  No, this is to be our meat and drink, our life-long pursuit.  Is this not why God has saved us in the first place? 

Finally, we are told that those who study these great works out are “those who delight in them.”  But before we delight in them, we must experience them.  And so again, I would encourage us all to again take up God’s holy Word and study it, especially the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of all God’s redemptive purposes to save His people.  Truly, Jesus Christ is the epitome of God’s covenant faithfulness which endures forever.  

As you study Christ’s great love for you, you will indeed attain a great delight in His awesome work, and understand more and more how awesome His awesome sacrifice truly was that has purchased your pardon.  The psalmist praised God for being delivered from his enemies.  Indeed, we must praise Him for the ultimate deliverance of His people from their true enemies: sin, death, and the Devil. 

So let us get into the Word daily, study it, and find Christ in it.  Glorify your Creator not only for His first creation, but the Christ who has effected the glorious second creation.  Indeed, through Jesus, God has truly “provided redemption for His people” (v. 9).  Never tire of pursuing the gospel, for it is the power of God that saves, and continues to save, His people (cf. Romans 1:16).  The gospel is not just a one-time belief that saves us.  It is the bread that not only gives, but also sustains the Christian's life.

Even so, Spirit take Your Word and give us life by it. 

For the glory of God, through Jesus Christ,

Pastor Ryan.

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