Psalm 111
EasyEnglish Bible
The Lord does great things[a]
111 Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!
I will thank the Lord with all that I am,
when we, his people, meet together.
2 The Lord does great things!
People who enjoy them,
think carefully about them.
3 Everything that he does
shows that he is a very great king!
He will always do what is completely right.
4 The Lord causes us to remember his miracles.
He is kind and he forgives people.
5 He gives food to the people who serve him.
He always remembers the covenant
that he made with his people.
6 He said that he would use his great power
to help his people.
He has given to them
the lands where other nations lived.
7 He is always honest and fair
in the things that he does.
His rules help people to live well.
8 They will continue to be right for all time.
People should trust those rules and obey them.
9 He rescued his people
so that they became free.
He made his covenant with them
so that it would continue for ever.
His name is holy,
and people should respect him with fear.
10 If you want to live in a wise way,
respect and obey the Lord.[b]
Everyone who lives in the way that he teaches
will understand what is right.
People should praise the Lord for ever!
Footnotes
- 111:1 Psalm 111 is one of the alphabet psalms. That means that the first sentence begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The second sentence begins with the second letter, and so on. We have not made it an alphabet poem in English.
- 111:10 See Proverbs 1:7; 9:10.
Psalm 111
New English Translation
Psalm 111[a]
111 Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the assembly of the godly and the congregation.
2 The Lord’s deeds are great,
eagerly awaited[b] by all who desire them.
3 His work is majestic and glorious,[c]
and his faithfulness endures[d] forever.
4 He does[e] amazing things that will be remembered;[f]
the Lord is merciful and compassionate.
5 He gives[g] food to his faithful followers;[h]
he always remembers his covenant.[i]
6 He announced that he would do mighty deeds for his people,
giving them a land that belonged to other nations.[j]
7 His acts are characterized by[k] faithfulness and justice;
all his precepts are reliable.[l]
8 They are forever firm,
and should be faithfully and properly carried out.[m]
9 He delivered his people;[n]
he ordained that his covenant be observed forever.[o]
His name is holy and awesome.
10 To obey the Lord is the fundamental principle for wise living;[p]
all who carry out his precepts acquire good moral insight.[q]
He will receive praise forever.[r]
Footnotes
- Psalm 111:1 sn Psalm 111. The psalmist praises God for his marvelous deeds, especially the way in which he provides for and delivers his people. The psalm is an acrostic. After the introductory call to praise, every poetic line (twenty-two in all) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 111:2 tn Heb “sought out.”
- Psalm 111:3 tn For other uses of the Hebrew phrase וְהָדָרהוֹד (hod vehadar, “majesty and splendor”) see 1 Chr 16:27; Job 40:10; Pss 21:5; 96:6; 104:1.
- Psalm 111:3 tn Or “stands.”
- Psalm 111:4 tn Or “did,” if this refers primarily to the events of the exodus and conquest period (see vv. 6, 9).
- Psalm 111:4 tn Heb “a memorial he had made for his amazing deeds.”
- Psalm 111:5 tn Or “gave,” if the events of the exodus and conquest period (see v. 6, 9) are primarily in view.
- Psalm 111:5 tn Heb “those who fear him.”
- Psalm 111:5 tn Or “he remembers his covenant forever” (see Ps 105:8).
- Psalm 111:6 tn Heb “the strength of his deeds he proclaimed to his people, to give to them an inheritance of nations.”
- Psalm 111:7 tn Heb “the deeds of his hands [are].”
- Psalm 111:7 tn That is, fair and for man’s good.
- Psalm 111:8 tn Heb “done in faithfulness and uprightness.” The passive participle probably has the force of a gerund. See L. C. Allen, Psalms 101-150 (WBC), 89.
- Psalm 111:9 tn Heb “redemption he sent for his people.”
- Psalm 111:9 tn Heb “he commanded forever his covenant.”
- Psalm 111:10 tn Heb “the beginning of wisdom [is] the fear of the Lord.”
- Psalm 111:10 tn Heb “good sense [is] to all who do them.” The third masculine plural pronominal suffix must refer back to the “precepts” mentioned in v. 7. In the translation the referent has been specified for clarity. The phrase שֵׂכֶל טוֹב (sekhel tov) also occurs in Prov 3:4; 13:15 and 2 Chr 30:22.
- Psalm 111:10 tn Heb “his praise stands forever.”
Psalm 111
New King James Version
Praise to God for His Faithfulness and Justice
111 Praise[a] the Lord!
(A)I will praise the Lord with my whole heart,
In the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.
2 (B)The works of the Lord are great,
(C)Studied by all who have pleasure in them.
3 His work is (D)honorable and glorious,
And His righteousness endures forever.
4 He has made His wonderful works to be remembered;
(E)The Lord is gracious and full of compassion.
5 He has given food to those who fear Him;
He will ever be mindful of His covenant.
6 He has declared to His people the power of His works,
In giving them the [b]heritage of the nations.
7 The works of His hands are (F)verity[c] and justice;
All His precepts are sure.
8 (G)They stand fast forever and ever,
And are (H)done in truth and uprightness.
9 (I)He has sent redemption to His people;
He has commanded His covenant forever:
(J)Holy and awesome is His name.
10 (K)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments.
His praise endures forever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 111:1 Heb. Hallelujah
- Psalm 111:6 inheritance
- Psalm 111:7 truth
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
