Psalms 111:5

THIS verse occurs in one of the Hallelujah Psalms, that is, those commencing with "Praise you the Lord." We often find the Psalmist praising and extolling God—let us imitate his example. Let us do so because we shall find it very pleasant and profitable and because, also, it is our bounden duty. One of the highest exercises of the new life is praising God! Our doubts and fears are indications of life, for the dead man neither doubts nor fears. But our songs of praise are far higher demonstrations of the life within and are more worthy fruits of a soil which has been the subject of God's husbandry, which has been plowed by the agonies of the Savior and made fertile through His precious blood. My Brothers and Sisters, our life should be one continuous Psalm with here and there a note descending very deep! Yet we should always seek to sing as we live. The stars sing as they shine and they sing by shining. Let us sing while we live and live by singing—and let our life be perpetually singing one great Psalm! There are many ways of praising God. We should do it with the lips and grateful is the voice of song in the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth. We should do it by our daily conversation—let our acts be acts of praise, as well as our words be words of praise. We should do it even by the very look of our eyes and by the appearance of our countenance. Let not your face be sad, let your countenance be joyous! Sing wherever you go, yes, when you are laden with trouble, let no man see it. "You, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face." Be you always glad, for it is God's commandment, through His servant, the Apostle Paul, "Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, Rejoice." And yet once more he says, "Rejoice evermore." That we may have themes for song, David has in this Psalm mentioned many subjects.

THIS verse occurs in one of the Hallelujah Psalms, that is, those commencing with "Praise you the Lord." We often find the Psalmist praising and extolling God—let us imitate his example. Let us do so because we shall find it very pleasant and profitable and because, also, it is our bounden duty. One of the highest exercises of the new life is praising God! Our doubts and fears are indications of life, for the dead man neither doubts nor fears.

GOD'S works are, of course, wonderful because they are His works, but they are not "a nine days' wonder." They are not intended to be admired for a little while and then to be forgotten. The Psalmist says, "He has made His wonderful works to be remembered." I fear that we too often fail to keep in our memory the recollection of God's exceeding goodness and that we allow the works of the Lord, as well as His mercies, to lie "forgotten in unthankfulness." If it has been so in the past with any of us, let us, at the outset of our meditation, begin to chide ourselves for our forgetfulness and ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen our memories that we may remember the wonderful works of the Lord more than we have done. Our subject is twofold. First, it is God's design that His wonderful works should be remembered. And, secondly, it is our wisdom constantly to have those wonderful works in remembrance. I. First then, I learn from our text that IT IS GOD'S DESIGN THAT HIS WONDERFUL WORKS SHOULD BE REMEMBERED. He has ensured the carrying out of this design, for, first, the very greatness ofHis works prevents them from being forgotten. When God has come forth out of His secret places to work Redemption for His people with a high hand and an outstretched arm, He has worked such mighty marvels that all history has been made to ring with the tidings of them.

[Another Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon upon the same text, is #2681, Volume 56—Covenant Blessings.] IT is an amazing thing that God should enter into gracious Covenant with men. That He should make man and be gracious to man is easily to be conceived, but that He should strike hands with his nature and put His august majesty under bond to him by His own promise is marvelous! Once let me know that God has made a Covenant and I do not think it amazing that He should be mindful of it, for He is "God that cannot lie." "Has He said, and shall He not do it?" Has He once given His pledge? It is inconceivable that He should ever desert from it. The doctrine of the text commends itself to every reasonable and thoughtful man—if God has made a Covenant, He will ever be faithful of it. It is to that point that I would now call your attention with the desire to use it practically. For God to make a gracious Covenant with us is so great a gift that I hope everyone here is saying within his heart, "Oh, that the Lord had entered into Covenant with me!" We shall practically look into this matter, first, by answering the question, What is this Covenant? Secondly, by putting the enquiry, Have I any portion in it? And, thirdly, by bidding each one say, "If, indeed, I am in Covenant with God, then every part of that Covenant will be carried out, for God is ever mindful of it." I. First, then, WHAT IS THIS COVENANT? If you go to a lawyer and enquire how a deed runs, he may reply, "I can give you an abstract, but I had better read it to you." He can tell you the sum and substance of it, but if you want to be very accurate—and it is a very important business—you will say, "I would like to hear it read." We will now read certain parts of Scripture which contain the Covenant of Grace, or an abstract of it.

[Another Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon upon the same text, is #2681, Volume 56—Covenant Blessings.] IT is an amazing thing that God should enter into gracious Covenant with men. That He should make man and be gracious to man is easily to be conceived, but that He should strike hands with his nature and put His august majesty under bond to him by His own promise is marvelous! Once let me know that God has made a Covenant and I do not think it amazing that He should be mindful of it, for He is "God that cannot lie."

GOD'S works are, of course, wonderful because they are His works, but they are not "a nine days' wonder." They are not intended to be admired for a little while and then to be forgotten. The Psalmist says, "He has made His wonderful works to be remembered." I fear that we too often fail to keep in our memory the recollection of God's exceeding goodness and that we allow the works of the Lord, as well as His mercies, to lie "forgotten in unthankfulness."

He hath given meat - טרף tereph, Prey. This may allude to the quails in the wilderness. The word signifies what is taken in hunting - wild beasts, venison, or fowls of any kind; particularly such as were proper for food. It also signifies spoil taken from enemies. And he may also refer to the wondrous manner in which they were fed and supported during their captivity; and by his support he proved that he was mindful of his covenant. He had promised such blessings; he was faithful to his promises.

He hath given meat unto them that fear him - Margin, “prey.” The idea is, that he has supplied their needs. The Hebrew word is, “prey,” and the allusion is to the mode in which the needs of the beasts of the field are supplied. The meaning may be that they had obtained this from their enemies, as beasts of prey take their food by making war; or the word may be used in a general sense, as meaning that God had supplied their needs. He will ever be mindful of his covenant - He will never leave or forsake his people; he will be faithful to all the promises that he has made to them.