Pilgrim Worship: Thursday Psalms: Holy and Awesome!

Psalm 111 is recommended for this coming Sunday, the first Sunday after Christmas.  Most certainly this is a psalm of praise and glory to the Lord, who is majestic and righteous and gracious and merciful.  The verses below are packed full of reasons and justifications for us to Praise the Lord!

PSALM 111 1 Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation. 2 Great are the works of the Lord, studied by all who delight in them. 3 Full of splendor and majesty is His work, and His righteousness endures forever. 4 He has caused His wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful. 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, in giving them the inheritance of the nations. 7 The works of His hands are faithful and just; all His precepts are trustworthy; 8 they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness. 9 He 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; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! I'd like to focus on two verses, which highlight this psalm's use during Christmastide, or the Twelve Days of Christmas. Consider verse six, that the Lord gives to His people the inheritance of the nations. We can consider things like peace, comfort, protection from enemies as benefits or inheritances of nations. We certainly have been and are still blessed with these and many other inheritances living in these United States. Verse six is also a wonderful Gospel statement, that the Lord has defeated our ultimate enemy (the devil) and forgives your sins against Him. There is no greater inheritance! Praise the Lord! Holy and awesome is His name! Consider also verse nine, which gives us direct affirmation of our inheritance from the Lord. God sent Jesus His Son, whose virgin birth we just celebrated, to redeem His people from their sins. This fulfilled the covenant promise God made to Adam and Eve and continued through all God's works throughout history. You and I have been saved and redeemed and will live forever in the splendor and majesty of the Lord! There is no greater inheritance! Praise the Lord! Holy and awesome is His name! It is our honor and privilege to give thanks to the Lord with our whole heart!