TRV
Translation
King James Version
He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
Complete Jewish Bible
He sent redemption to his people and decreed that his covenant should last forever. His name is holy and fearsome
Berean Standard Bible
He has sent redemption to His people; He has ordained His covenant forever; holy and awesome is His name.
American Standard Version
He hath sent redemption unto his people; He hath commanded his covenant for ever: Holy and reverend is his name.
World English Bible Messianic
He has sent redemption to his people. He has ordained his covenant forever. His name is holy and awesome!
Geneva Bible (1599)
He sent redemption vnto his people: he hath commanded his couenant for euer: holy and fearefull is his Name.
Young's Literal Translation
Redemption He hath sent to His people, He hath appointed to the age His covenant, Holy and fearful is His name.
In the KJVVerse 15,803 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Psalms 111 verses 6–10
6 ¶ He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.
7 The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.
8 They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.
9 He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
10 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.
We are here taught to give glory to God,
I. For the great things he has done for his people, for his people Israel, of old and of late: He has shown his people the power of his works (Psa 111:6), in what he has wrought for them; many a time he has given proofs of his omnipotence, and shown them what he can do, and that there is nothing too hard for him to do. Two things are specified to show the power of his works: - 1. The possession God gave to Israel in the land of Canaan, that he might give them, or in giving them, the heritage of the heathen. This he did in Joshua's time, when the seven nations were subdued, and in David's time, when the neighbouring nations were many of them brought into subjection to Israel and became tributaries to David. Herein God showed his sovereignty, in disposing of kingdoms as he pleases, and his might, in making good his disposals. If God will make the heritage of the heathen to be the heritage of Israel, who can either arraign his counsel or stay his hand? 2. The many deliverances which he wrought for his people when by their iniquities they had sold themselves into the hand of their enemies (Psa 111:9): He sent redemption unto his people, not only out of Egypt at first, but often afterwards; and these redemptions were typical of the great redemption which in the fulness of time was to be wrought out by the Lord Jesus, that redemption in Jerusalem which so many waited for.
II. For the stability both of his word and of his works, which assure us of the great things he will do for them. 1. What God has done shall never be undone. He will not undo it himself, and men and devils cannot (Psa 111:7): The works of his hand are verity and judgment (Psa 111:8), that is, they are done in truth and uprightness; all he does is consonant to the eternal rules and reasons of equity, all according to the counsel of his wisdom and the purpose of his will, all well done and therefore there is nothing to be altered or amended, but his works are firm and unchangeable. Upon the beginning of his works we may depend for the perfecting of them; work that is done properly will last, will neither go to decay nor sink under the stress that is laid upon it. 2. What God has said shall never be unsaid: All his commandments are sure, all straight and therefore all steady. His purposes, the rule of his actions, shall all have their accomplishment: Has he spoken, and will he not make it good? No doubt he will; whether he commands light or darkness, it is done as he commands. His precepts, the rule of our actions, are unquestionably just and good, and therefore unchangeable and not to be repealed; his promises and threatenings are all sure, and will be made good; nor shall the unbelief of man make either the one or the other of no effect. They are established, and therefore they stand fast for ever and ever, and the scripture cannot be broken. The wise God is never put upon new counsels, nor obliged to take new measures, either in his laws or in his providences. All is said, as all is done, in truth and uprightness, and therefore it is immutable. Men's folly and falsehood make them unstable in all their ways, but infinite wisdom and truth for ever exclude retraction and revocation: He has commanded his covenant for ever. God's covenant is commanded, for he has made it as one that has an incontestable authority to prescribe both what we must do and what we must expect, and an unquestionable ability to perform both what he has promised in the blessings of the covenant and what he has threatened in the curses of it, Psa 105:8.
III. For the setting up and establishing of religion among men. Because holy and reverend is his name, and the fear of him is the beginning of wisdom, therefore his praise endureth for ever, that is, he is to be everlastingly praised. 1. Because the discoveries of religion tend so much to his honour. Review what he has made known of himself in his word and in his works, and you will see, and say, that God is great and greatly to be feared; for his name is holy, his infinite purity and rectitude appear in all that whereby he has made himself known, and because it is holy therefore it is reverend, and to be thought of and mentioned with a holy awe. Note, What is holy is reverend; the angels have an eye to God's holiness when they cover their faces before him, and nothing is more man's honour than his sanctification. It is in his holy places that God appears most terrible, Psa 68:35; Lev 10:3. 2. Because the dictates of religion tend so much to man's happiness. We have reason to praise God that the matter is so well contrived that our reverence of him and obedience to him are as much our interest as they are our duty. (1.) Our reverence of him is so: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. It is not only reasonable that we should fear God, because his name is reverend and his nature is holy, but it is advantageous to us. It is wisdom; it will direct us to speak and act as becomes us, in a consistency with ourselves, and for our own benefit. It is the head of wisdom, that is (as we read it), it is the beginning of wisdom. Men can never begin to be wise till they begin to fear God; all true wisdom takes its rise from true religion, and has its foundation in it. Or, as some understand it, it is the chief wisdom, and the most excellent, the first in dignity. It is the principal wisdom, and the principal of wisdom, to worship God and give honour to him as our Father and Master. Those manage well who always act under the government of his holy fear. (2.) Our obedience to him is so: A good understanding have all those that do his commandments. Where the fear of the Lord rules in the heart there will be a constant conscientious care to keep his commandments, not to talk of them, but to do them; and such have a good understanding, that is, [1.] They are well understood; their obedience is graciously accepted as a plain indication of their mind that they do indeed fear God. Compare Pro 3:4, So shalt thou find favour and good understanding. God and man will look upon those as meaning well, and approve of them, who make conscience of their duty, though they have their mistakes. What is honestly intended shall be well taken. [2.] They understand well. First, It is a sign that they do understand well. The most obedient are accepted as the most intelligent; those understand themselves and their interest best that make God's law their rule and are in every thing ruled by it. A great understanding those have that know God's commandments and can discourse learnedly of them, but a good understanding have those that do them and walk according to them. Secondly, It is the way to understand better: A good understanding are they to all that do them; the fear of the Lord and the laws of that give men a good understanding, and are able to make them wise unto salvation. If any man will do his will, he shall know more and more clearly of the doctrine of Christ, Joh 7:17. Good success have all those that do them (so the margin), according to what was promised to Joshua if he would observe to do according to the law. Jos 1:8, Then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and shalt have good success. We have reason to praise God, to praise him for ever, for putting man into such a fair way to happiness. Some apply the last words rather to the good man who fears the Lord than to the good God: His praise endures for ever. It is not of men perhaps, but it is of God (Rom 2:29), and that praise which is of God endures for ever when the praise of men is withered and gone.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 6–10. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 111
Since "He sent redemption unto His people" [Psalm 111:9]. But from what are they redeemed, save from the captivity of this pilgrimage? Let not therefore rest be sought, save in the heavenly country. God indeed gave the carnal Israelites an earthly Jerusalem, "which is in bondage with her children:" but this is the Old Covenant, pertaining unto the old man. But they who there understood the figure, even then were heirs of the New Covenant; for "Jerusalem which is above is free, which is our everlasting mother in heaven." [Galatians 4:25-26] But that transitory promises were given in that Old Testament is proved by the fact itself: however, "He has commended His covenant for ever." But what, but the New? Whosoever dost wish to be heir of this, deceive not yourself, and think not of a land flowing with milk and honey, nor of pleasant farms, nor of gardens abounding in fruits and shade: desire not how to gain anything of this sort, such as the eye of covetousness is wont to lust for. For since "covetousness is the root of all evils," [1 Timothy 6:10] it must be cut off, that it may be consumed here; not be put off, that it may be satisfied there. First escape punishments, avoid hell; before you long for a God who promises, beware of one who threatens. For "holy and reverend is His Name."
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 111:9 beautifully encapsulates the majestic character and redemptive acts of God, declaring His purposeful deliverance of His people and the eternal establishment of His covenant promises. The verse culminates in a profound affirmation of God's name as supremely holy and awe-inspiring, inviting deep reverence and worship from all who contemplate His nature and deeds. It serves as a powerful summary of divine faithfulness, omnipotence, and moral perfection, foundational to understanding God's unwavering commitment to His saving purposes for humanity.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 111:9, as part of an acrostic psalm, participates in the broader literary device of Acrostic Structure, which demonstrates the psalmist's comprehensive and ordered praise of God, suggesting that every aspect of God's character, from A to Z, is worthy of adoration. Within the verse itself, Parallelism is evident, though not strictly synonymous or antithetical, in the way it presents three distinct but interconnected aspects of God's character and action: His redemptive work, His eternal covenant, and the holiness of His name. This cumulative effect builds a complete and multifaceted picture of divine majesty. The use of "His name" is a powerful example of Metonymy, where "name" stands in for God's entire being, character, reputation, and authority. This device allows the psalmist to encapsulate the ineffable nature of God into a concept that can be praised and revered. The overall tone is Hymnic, characteristic of a praise psalm, employing elevated and reverent language to evoke a sense of wonder and adoration for the divine.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 111:9 stands as a profound theological statement, intricately knitting together the themes of divine redemption, covenant faithfulness, and the awesome holiness of God. It asserts that God is not merely a distant deity but an active, intervening Lord who has a specific people and an eternal plan for their salvation. His redemptive acts, rooted in His unchanging character, are the historical outworking of His eternal covenant. The declaration that His name is "holy and reverend" serves as a theological anchor, reminding us that all of God's actions flow from His inherent purity and majesty, demanding our utmost awe and worship. This verse thus provides a robust foundation for understanding God's nature as both immanently involved in human history and transcendently set apart in His glory, a God who acts decisively and eternally.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Psalms 111:9 offers a powerful anchor for faith and a profound call to worship in the lives of believers today. It reminds us that the God we serve is not capricious or forgetful, but one whose character is defined by unwavering faithfulness and active deliverance. In a world fraught with uncertainty, broken promises, and fleeting trends, this verse invites us to rest in the profound assurance that God's past acts of redemption are a tangible guarantee of His future faithfulness, and His covenant promises are eternally secure. Recognizing that His name is "holy and reverend" should cultivate within us a deep sense of awe, reverence, and humility. It challenges us to approach God not casually, but with profound respect, recognizing His absolute moral perfection and majestic transcendence. This reverence should translate into a desire to live lives that honor His name, reflecting His holiness in our daily conduct and inspiring worship in all that we do. It encourages us to trust in His redemptive power for our present struggles and to find ultimate security and hope in His everlasting covenant.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of God's "name" being holy and reverend?
Answer: In biblical thought, a "name" is far more than a mere label; it encapsulates the very essence, character, and authority of a person. When Psalms 111:9 declares God's name to be "holy and reverend," it means that His entire being, His revealed character, and all that He is, is utterly set apart (holy) from all creation, pure, and morally perfect. Furthermore, it means His character inspires profound awe, reverence, and even a respectful fear (from the Hebrew yârêʼ, awesome/dreadful). It signifies that God is incomparable, majestic, and worthy of the highest possible veneration and worship. This understanding of His name as holy and awesome is foundational to true wisdom, as Psalms 111:10 immediately states, indicating that a proper relationship with God begins with reverent awe.
How does God "command" His covenant for ever?
Answer: The phrase "he hath commanded his covenant for ever" emphasizes the divine origin and unchangeable nature of God's promises. It means that God, in His sovereign authority and power, has decreed and established His covenants as eternal and unbreakable. Unlike human agreements that can be broken or expire, God's covenants are founded on His immutable character and His omnipotent will. He doesn't merely suggest a covenant; He commands it into existence and sustains it eternally by His powerful word. This provides absolute assurance that His promises, such as those made to Abraham or concerning the New Covenant, are utterly reliable and will endure forever, guaranteeing His faithfulness to His word and His people.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 111:9 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. He is the very embodiment of the "redemption" God "sent unto his people," not merely from physical bondage, but from the spiritual slavery of sin and death, as triumphantly declared in Colossians 1:13-14. Christ's atoning sacrifice on the cross is the supreme act of divine redemption, where God Himself, in the person of His Son, paid the ultimate price to liberate humanity, as seen in Ephesians 1:7 and 1 Peter 1:18-19. Furthermore, Jesus is the mediator and guarantor of the "everlasting covenant" that God "commanded for ever." The Old Testament covenants pointed forward to a greater, new covenant, which was inaugurated in Christ's blood, as He Himself stated at the Last Supper (Luke 22:20). This New Covenant is superior and eternal, secured by His perfect life, death, and resurrection. Finally, it is through Christ that the "holy and reverend" name of God is fully revealed and glorified. Jesus perfectly reveals the Father's character (John 14:9), and it is in His name that salvation is found (Acts 4:12). Indeed, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed upon Him the name that is above every name (Philippians 2:9-11), ensuring that all creation will ultimately bow in reverence to the One through whom God's redemption and covenant faithfulness are eternally established.