Psalms 111:1

Psalms 111:1 says, Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.  As the church today, this should be our goal.  Of course, the only way this can happen is if we each individually praise the Lord with our whole heart.  Verse two adds, The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  God's work is no less great today, and we should seek His works out because they bring pleasure to us.  Verse three continues, His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.  The work of God will never be anything less than honorable and glorious, and His righteousness will endure forever.  We can only be made righteous through the work of God Who sent Jesus Christ to die in our place, and if we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we will be made righteous forever.  Verse four states, He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.  As David said, God expects His glorious works to be remembered, and God does them because of His grace and compassion.  Verse five adds, He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.  God provides for His people, and will never forget His covenant with them.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, we enter into a covenant relationship with God that will never be broken.  Verse six continues, He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.  God showed His works to the people of Isreal in many ways, but the final and lasting way was when Jesus Christ died on the cross, and this is the work that we must look to first to be a part of His kingdom.  Verse seven says, The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.  God does work to judge sin, which is why we must strive to keep His commandments, especially if we are followers of Christ.  Though we will not be made righteous by God's commandments, because we all fail to keep them at some point, we are not excused from keeping them.  Verse eight adds, They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.  God's commandments did not end when Jesus Christ came to die for our sins, but will last forever, and we should keep them in righteousness and truth.  Verse nine continues, He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.  Though David may have been referring to God's deliverance of the people of Isreal out of Egypt in the past, what he said applies to our deliverance from the penalty of sin by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross forever more.  God sent everlasting redemption to His people, those who accept the redemption of Christ.   Verse ten concludes, The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.  The fear of God, that knowledge of Who He really is and the awe that it brings, is the beginning of wisdom and if we have a good understanding of this, we will keep His commandments.  I don't believe this means that we are to be afraid of God as followers of Christ.  We are to praise Him forever, because even with His great power, He loves us enough to provide for our salvation.