God’s Word for You

Psalm 111:4-10 sin, grace, and the resurrection

by Pastor Timothy Smith on Saturday, December 25, 2021

4 He has set up a memorial to his wonders.
  Gracious and compassionate is the LORD.

How many wonderful reasons we have to thank and praise God! In verse 4, God has made a memorial for them, a way for mankind to remember them all. For his Old Testament church, these memorials were especially the great festivals like Passover, Pentecost and the Day of Atonement. For his New Testament church, Pentecost remains (Acts 2:1, 20:16; 1 Corinthians 16:8), but added to it are Easter,  Christmas,  the Transfiguration, and other observances. But even more, what else could this memorial be but God’s holy Word, where the magnificent things God has done are recorded for us. His book proclaims “his glorious and awesome name—the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 28:58).

5 He gives food to those who fear him.
  He remembers his covenant forever.

Verse 5 pictures God like a wild animal, hunting prey for his children. The word translated “food” is tereph, usually translated “prey” as in Genesis 49:9; Job 4:11; Job 38:39; Psalm 104:21; Nahum 2:13 and 14, and many other places. The word-picture is not meant to frighten, but to reassure and comfort us. We are his cubs, and our heavenly Father supplies all we need. He will not fail.

6 He has declared the power of his deeds to his people,
  to give them the nations as their possession.
7 The works of his hands are truth and justice.

The nations are the possession of God’s people. In what way is this possible? The first rule of possession is responsibility. The very wealthy and greedy would disagree, claiming, “If it’s mine, I get to do whatever I want with it.” But this is not what God teaches us, for example, in the Ninth and Tenth Commandments. God wants us to use what is ours and even to help our neighbor with those things that are his, for the local good of the community, for the lasting good of neighborly friendship, and for the eternal good of the kingdom of God. Luther urges this in his explanations to the Commandments with phrases like, “Do all we can to help him (our neighbor) keep it,” and, “Do not force or entice away our neighbor’s spouse, workers, or animals, but urge them to stay and do their duty” (Small Catechism). Therefore, if the nations are our possession, we have the responsibility of taking care of them. Think of this like the oath that parents and godparents take when a baby is baptized. We have the responsibility to carry the gospel to the world, and since even an e-mail devotion cannot touch the hearts of everyone in the world, we must begin close to home, within the home, and then work our way outward for as long as the Lord gives us breath.

  All his precepts are trustworthy,
8 steadfast forever and ever,
  done in truth and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption for his people.
  He commanded his covenant forever.
  Holy and awesome is his name.

Here the word of God is held up with great and memorable words: “trustworthy,” “steadfast,” and “forever.” The key to understanding the whole word of God is to know the three great doctrines preached in these verses: Sin, grace, and the resurrection of the body.

First of all, God’s precepts are his laws. The law of God shows us our sin and our need for a Savior. It reminds us that we should fear and love God, and exposes us for sinners who do not fear him, respect him, put our full and complete trust in him, and are not worthy of any of the things he offers. Anyone who reads Romans 3 will be blessed in their understanding of our sinful status under the law.

Second, God’s redemption is the salvation won by Christ for all mankind. While the facts of Christ’s life and death are known and are historical facts, as is even his famous resurrection, witnessed at one point by more than five hundred people at once (1 Corinthians 15:6), the meaning of it all cannot be comprehended without being revealed by God (1 Corinthians 2:9-12). For this reason, God has given mankind the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ, to turn our hearts from unbelief to faith, This is “the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:19). In fact, anyone who reads 2 Corinthians 5 will be blessed in their understanding of Christ’s atoning sacrifice for our sins through no merits of ours, but as a free gift and a gracious, loving act.

Third, this is forever. That is to say, there is something beyond death. For the people of God who have faith in Christ, this something is the resurrection to eternal and everlasting life. The fullest explanation and proclamation of the resurrection in the Scriptures is in 1 Corinthians 15, and anyone who reads Paul’s inspired words there will be blessed in their understanding of the resurrection and of eternal life. But the resurrection is preached everywhere in the Bible, for wherever forgiveness is mentioned, there the resurrection is preached. Since the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and death came through sin (Romans 5:12), then the forgiveness of sins wipes out the penalty of death, and there is the resurrection for all with faith in Christ, when God will wipe away every tear from our eyes (Revelation 7:17, 21:4).

10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.
  All who do his precepts have good understanding.
  His praise stands forever.

These words, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” is a refrain that we hear three times in the Scriptures (see Proverbs 1:7 and 9:10) and in many variations (Job 28:28; Psalm 34:11; Proverbs 2:5; Isaiah 11:3; Jeremiah 5:24; Acts 9:31). But the fear of the Lord is not only the beginning, but the core of trust and faith. “It does not imply that this is some sort of kindergarten, elementary knowledge from which we can progress to higher things. Rather, it is the prerequisite and chief point of wisdom. Fear of the Lord is reverent trust in his promises” (Dr. John Brug, Psalms Vol. II, p. 296). Trust in Jesus your Savior. Through him, our sins are forgiven, and we have the promise and the certainty of the resurrection. Through him, our sin-stained deeds are held to be righteous for his sake. Through him, we please God our heavenly Father. This is also what it means to have good understanding.

In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith

 

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