Psalms 111:1-10 talks about 3 things which God has given us, and there are 4 things we should do that would please the Lord. 

“Praise the Lord. I will extol the Lord with all my heart  in the council of the upright and in the assembly. 2 Great are the works of the Lord;  they are pondered by all who delight in them. 3 Glorious and majestic are his deeds,  and his righteousness endures forever. 4 He has caused his wonders to be remembered;  the Lord is gracious and compassionate. 5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. 6 He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations. 7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy. 8 They are established for ever and ever,   enacted in faithfulness and uprightness. 9 He provided redemption for his people;  he ordained his covenant forever— holy and awesome is his name. 10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”

The first thing to speak about is redemption, in verse 9. Why do we need redemption from our Lord Jesus Christ? In Psalms 49:7-9 it says; “No one can redeem the life of another  or give to God a ransom for them— 8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough— 9 so that they should live on forever  and not see decay.” By our own actions, we are unable to save ourselves or others, This is why we need Jesus to save us, and how he saved us is written in 1 Peter 1:18-21; “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. 20 He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. 21 Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him,and so your faith and hope are in God.” How we are redeemed is by the precious blood of Christ. And because we have been redeemed by Him, we are able to believe in God, and by grace and hope be able to raise with Him, and be glorified by Him. Through this redemption, as written in 1 Peter 1:9; “for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” We are saved in two parts, our soul and our body. The redemption of our souls begin when we believe, and in Romans 8:23, it writes about the redemption of our bodies, which we will receive in the future. “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.” Since we have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, not only are our souls saved, but also our bodies. Peter lays out what we should do with the freedom that we have been given in Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 2:16; “ Live as free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.” 

Besides redemption, what else has God given to us? The second thing is written in Psalms 111:5, food. If we fear the Lord and follow Him, he will provide for all of our needs. 1 Timothy 6:6-8; “But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” God gives us exactly what we need so that we do not have to worry about anything to survive. Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus teaches us that God will provide for our every need, and that we should not worry about earthly things, but spiritual things. 

“ “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 4:4 shows that God will provide for our spiritual needs as well; “Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” God provides for every need we have, earthly or spiritual. It is also written in John 4:34 that God has a purpose for us, His servants; ““My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.”” Jesus gave us the task to do God’s will, and to finish it. 

Besides providing us with redemption and giving us our daily needs, it is written in Psalms 111:6 that God has given us land, and our eternal inheritance. “6 He has shown his people the power of his works, giving them the lands of other nations.”  So why does God provide us with worldly wealth? In Psalms 105:44-45, it explains why God provided for the Israelites by giving them their promised land in the past; “He gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for— 45 that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the Lord.” God provides for us and give us what we need so that we may keep His precepts and observe His laws, that we do not worry about worldly things, but seeking first His kingdom and His righteousness in spiritual things. In terms of what He has provided for us, in John 14:1-4, it writes about what God has prepared for each and every one of us. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” Jesus reassures His disciples and us as well, that He has prepared a place for all of us. Our mindset should be like those who have been commended for their faith, as in Hebrews 11:13-16; “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. 14 People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. 15 If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.” The mindset we should have on earth is that we are aliens and strangers living in a temporary place, so we should not invest so much time in what is temporary, but we should work on building what we will have in the future, in our heavenly home. Psalms 37:9-11; “For those who are evil will be destroyed,  but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land. 10 A little while, and the wicked will be no more;  though you look for them, they will not be found. 11 But the meek will inherit the land and enjoy peace and prosperity.” If we put all of our hope in God, and put our energy, time and effort into serving God now, we will be able to inherit the promised land. We must be Holy and righteous in His sight by doing His will. Psalms 37:29; “The righteous will inherit the land  and dwell in it forever.” In verse 34 it also says; “Hope in the Lord  and keep his way. He will exalt you to inherit the land; when the wicked are destroyed, you will see it.” 

We need to learn from the psalmist what we should to to please the Lord. The first thing we need to do is to praise him, which is written about in Psalms 111:1; ““Praise the Lord. I will extol the Lord with all my heart  in the council of the upright and in the assembly.” In terms of praising God, in Psalms 33:1-3, and later Psalms 69:30-31 we see that it pleases the Lord when we praise Him with song and with thanksgiving. Psalms 33:1-3; “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;  it is fitting for the upright to praise him. 2 Praise the Lord with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre. 3 Sing to him a new song;  play skillfully, and shout for joy.” Our songs of praise to Him are more pleasing to Him than anything that we can give to Him. Psalms 69:30-31; “I will praise God’s name in song  and glorify him with thanksgiving. 31 This will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hooves.” What God wants is not anything monetary that we can offer Him, but it is for us to sing praises to Him and glorify Him with thanksgiving. Psalms 89:15-16; “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. 16 They rejoice in your name all day long; they celebrate your righteousness.” God encourages us to develop our gifts of worship and build on it by praising His name and acclaiming His name. He does not expect us to be great at singing or playing music, but it is something we need to learn and strive to do. If we do that, and walk in the light of His presence, then we will be blessed by God. Psalms 88:10-12 says that we should praise Him because He gave us life, and it is the living that praise God; “Do you show your wonders to the dead?  Do their spirits rise up and praise you? 11 Is your love declared in the grave, your faithfulness in Destruction? 12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,   or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?” Since we are living, we can think about the many wonders that God has done for us. Psalms 115:17-18; “It is not the dead who praise the Lord, those who go down to the place of silence; 18 it is we who extol the Lord,  both now and forevermore. Praise the Lord.” Since we are living, we should be using our time and breath to praise God and to remember His great works for each and every one of us. It is not that God requires our wealth or praise, but that in praising Him, he gives us an opportunity to serve Him Psalms 50:9-15; “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, 10 for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. 11 I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the fields are mine. 12 If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. 13 Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats? 14 “Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, 15 and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” By serving God, we are given the opportunity to experience Him and thank Him for all He has provided for us. 

We must not only praise God alone, but we should praise God with other people so that they may also see How wonderful He is and proclaim His word to as many people as possible Psalms 40:9-11; “I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. 10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly. 11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord; may your love and faithfulness always protect me.”

We should not keep silent about God, but proclaim His righteousness, for it is not only us who benefit from what God can do, but rather, other people can experience God as well. Psalms 50:23; “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” Thanksgiving is also done in faith during times of need, and in doing so we will prepare the way for God’s salvation.

What else pleases the Lord? Psalms 111:2; “Great are the works of the Lord;  they are pondered by all who delight in them.” We delight in the works of the Lord by pondering on His word, as written in Psalms 34:8; “Taste and see that the Lord is good;  blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” It is difficult for one who does not know God to taste and see that the Lord is good. This is why it is important for us to ponder His words and His work. Psalms 19:7-11; “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the Lord are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the Lord are firm, and all of them are righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb. 11 By them your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” 

There are also consequences for not following the word of God. In order for us to see that it is perfect, trustworthy, precious, and righteous, we need to think about them and take His word to heart, or we will not be able to see the benefits of knowing the word of God. Psalms 112:1; “Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands.” If we want to receive the blessings of God, we must fear Him and ponder His commands. Psalms 73:27-28; “Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you. 28 But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge;  I will tell of all your deeds.” If we do not delight in the word of God, then we will be far from Him, and we will perish. How can we tell of His deeds if we do not know them? It is imperative that we not only think about His words, but to remember them as well. Psalms 111:4; “He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and compassionate.” There is a reason why God has shown us all of His wonders, and has made His law to be great and glorious. Isaiah 42:21; “It pleased the Lord for the sake of his righteousness to make his law great and glorious.” He wants us to remember this, not only short term, but long term. It is not enough that we ourselves remember it, but His will is for us to remind others as well. It is pleasing to the Lord that all of us trust in His word. Psalms 78:1-8; “My people, hear my teaching;  listen to the words of my mouth. 2 I will open my mouth with a parable;  I will utter hidden things, things from of old— 3 things we have heard and known,  things our ancestors have told us. 4 We will not hide them from their descendants; we will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord,  his power, and the wonders he has done. 5 He decreed statutes for Jacob  and established the law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors  to teach their children, 6 so the next generation would know them,  even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. 7 Then they would put their trust in God  and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands. 8 They would not be like their ancestors—  a stubborn and rebellious generation, whose hearts were not loyal to God,  whose spirits were not faithful to him.”

From this passage, we learn that it is very important for us to remember God’s word and pass it on so that those after us will remember the word of God and trust in God, not forgetting His deeds and keep His commands. Psalms 22:3-21; “Posterity will serve him;  future generations will be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!” If we do not serve God, we will not be able to receive His salvation. In terms of remembering the word of God, the reason why He puts such an emphasis on it is written in Psalms 105:8-11; “He remembers his covenant forever,  the promise he made, for a thousand generations, 9 the covenant he made with Abraham,  the oath he swore to Isaac. 10 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,to Israel as an everlasting covenant: 11 “To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit.”” God remembers the promises He makes to those who love Him, and so He requires us to do the same for His word so that we can continue to be blessed by Him. Psalms 28:5 talks about the outcome of not remember the word of God; “Because they have no regard for the deeds of the Lord  and what his hands have done, he will tear them down and never build them up again.” Therefore, we should not receive God’s grace in vain, because if we do not acknowledge what He has done for us, then we will receive His wrath instead. 

The fourth thing that pleases the Lord is when we fear God, which is written about in Psalms 111:10; “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;  all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.” Those who fear God are wise and have good understanding. Deuteronomy 10:12-13,20 also teaches us to fear the Lord; “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”  “20 Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name.” It is not enough that we love Him, but we also serve and fear Him. Proverbs 15:33 Solomon teaches us how to gain wisdom through fear; “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord, and humility comes before honor.” When we fear the Lord, we do what is in accordance of God and submit to His will, and what we do is what the Lord requires of us, and not what the flesh wants to do. The benefits of fearing the Lord is written in Psalms 33:18-19; “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,  on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, 19 to deliver them from death  and keep them alive in famine.” Psalms 34:7-11 reassures us of the benefits of fearing and serving God ; “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing. 11 Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.” If we put our fear and trust in the Lord, no matter what we encounter, God will give us His deliverance. We will be able to not lack anything, because God will provide for our every need. Psalms 31:19; “How abundant are the good things  that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.” 

The things that God has granted us are Redemption of our body and soul, food and clothing, land, and our eternal inheritance. The things we need to do to give back to God and please Him is to praise Him, ponder His words, remembering His works, and fearing the Lord. How can we apply this to our lives? It is more pleasing to God if we offer our thanks in praise and song than offering money. If you want God to bless you, I encourage you to serve Him, not necessarily through praise alone, but to serve in different ministries so that you may experience God and have Him take care of all your needs and wants.