Psalm 111

PSALM 111^{^[1]}

Hallelujah

1 Praise Yah! (Hallelujah!)[2]

Aleph I will give thanks to Yahweh Beth with all my heart,		In the company of the upright and in the assembly.
2 Gimel Great are the works (ma`aseh) of Yahweh; [3]		Daleth They are studied by all who delight in them.
3 He Splendid and majestic is His work (po`al),		Vav And His righteousness endures forever. [4]
4 Zayin He has made His wonders (pala’) to be remembered;		Yahweh is Heth gracious and compassionate.
5 Teth He has given food to those who fear Him;		Yodh He will remember His covenant forever.
6 Kaph He has made known to His people the power of His works (ma`aseh),		Lamedh In giving them the heritage of the nations.
7 Mem The works (ma`aseh)of His hands are Nun truth (aman) and justice;		All His precepts are sure (emeth). [5]
8 Samekh They are upheld forever and ever;		Ayin They are performed in truth (aman) and uprightness.
9 Pe He has sent redemption to His people;	Tsadhe He has ordained His covenant forever;		Qoph Holy and awesome is His name.
10 Resh The fear of Yahweh[6] is the beginning of wisdom;	Sin/ Shin A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;		Tav His praise endures forever.[7]

[1] Psalm 111 is an alphabetic acrostic Psalm. The following are also alphabetic acrostics: Psalm 9; 10; 25; 34; 37; 112; 119; 145; Prov.31:10-31; Lamentations 3; Nahum 1.

[2] YAH, a contracted form of Yahweh, occurs 50x in the Hebrew Scriptures, 43 of which are in the Psalms. 26 of the 43 occurrences of “YAH” in the Psalms are in connection with the Hebrew word for praise – Hallelujah! Hallelujah occurs only in the Psalms and only at the beginning and/or end of a Psalm (see also Revelation 19:1,3,4,6). It typically occurs in Psalm units: 104-106 [concluding Psalms of Book IV]; 111-118; 120-136; 146-150. These units are sometimes referred to as Hallel (Hebrew for praise) Psalms.

[3] Creation and Providence are not the work of Allah, Brahman, Krishna, Raam, Akal Purakh, Ek Onkar, Aten, Ahura Mazda, Zeus, etc. They are the works of Yahweh whose Name is stressed throughout Psalm 111.

[4] “What is a more glorious deed than to justify the ungodly? [Romans 4:5]” (Augustine, Expositions on the Book of Psalms, Psalm 111:3)

[5] The words “truth” and “sure” in v.7 are related in Hebrew.

[6] The fear of Yahweh is a common theme in many acrostics: Psalm 25:12,14; 34:7,9,11; 111:5,10; 112:1; 145:19; Proverbs 31:30; cf. Psalm 119:63,74,79. In fact, a careful study of the following acrostics will give the ABCs of biblical child rearing: Psalm 25; 34; 37; 111-112; 119; Prov.31:10-31 (cf. Proverbs 2).

[7] Psalm 111 ends with a “terminative term” – forever.