“Holy and Reverend is His Name” (Ps 111)

“The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: holy and reverend is His name” (vs7-9)

Praise Him both publicly and scripturally, no matter the costs, worshiping the Lord OPENLY as He declares fitting. He says, “Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation” (vs1). Some may not like your teaching, even brethren, but praise the Lord by proclaiming the truth in your life. He says, “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says”, and we're to practice it, even if many do not (1 Cor 14:34). It takes courage, but God will give it, and He is your Rewarder, for you praise Him for saving your sinful soul, dying in your place.

Secondly, His righteousness endures forever (vs2-3). “The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them. His work is honorable and glorious, and His righteousness endures forever”. God's righteousness is the gospel whereby He saves us JUSTLY by the merits of Christ dying in our place. We are sinners who cannot improve ourselves nor change what we have been, “for all have sinned (past, in Adam) and fall short of the glory of God (presently in our everyday life), being justified freely (without a cause in us) by His grace through the redemption (atoning work of Christ our substitute) that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation (place of appeasement through His blood) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness... to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifer (the One who makes us righteous in a righteous fashion) of the one who has faith in Jesus”. This EVERLASTING righteousness is forever and will never lose power. Throw against it what you will and bring your sins boldly to His throne, and you'll find God's righteousness forever able to justify them that believe, to put our sins away justly and to make us righteous before Him forever. Never will a time come in eternity that we'll be declared unjust, when God has made us righteous by faith in His Son's blood - what He suffered for us! “He has made His wonderful works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and full of compassion. He has given food to those who fear Him; He will ever be mindful of His covenant. He has declared to His people the power of His works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations” (vs4-6).

Thirdly, the Lord is to be reverenced and feared, as we worship Him uprightly on His terms. He says, “The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are sure. They stand fast forever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness. He has sent redemption to His people; He has commanded His covenant forever: holy and reverend is His name” (vs7-9). He is not a God who changes opinion at human whim, nor does He ever command things unrighteous from us. The loving relationship between husbands and wives, the obedient order of families, and the truth of Christ, lived out, are all GOOD THINGS from the hand of Christ, delightful to all who practice them. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever” (vs10).

If your eyes have been opened by grace, then you know the goodness of God and the uprightness of His character. You search Him out in the scriptures because you are pleased by the joys of salvation, and you know, by experience, that obedience isn't only right but good, pleasing, and more delightful than the temporary pleasures of sin. Worship on His terms, fearing evil, confessing your sins quickly, and trusting the Lord's grace and compassion to change you. Praise Him in holy behavior.