The Book of Psalms

Psalm 145

Psalm CXLV · Vol. II, pp. 1077–1078

1 David praiseth God for his fame, 8 for his goodness, 11 for his kingdom, 14 for his providence, 17 and for his saving mercy.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

^aDavid's psalm of praise.¹

1 I will ^bextol thee, my God, O King; and I will bless thy name² for ever and ever.

B.C. cir. 1048.

a Ps.100. title.

1 This is one of the alphabetical psalms, each verse beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It is a song of praise, most probably written, as the title indicates, by David.—P.

b Ps.9.1;18.49;30.1-5;119.164;34.1,2;68.3,4;71.8,14-24;104.33,34;103.1-5;146.1,2. Jn.20.28. Re.15.3,4. ver.5,21.

2 See notes on Ex.34.5. Ps.8.1.—C.

2 Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

3 Great^c is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.³

c Ps.48.1;96.4. Re.5.12. Job 5.9;9.10;11.7. Ep.3.8.

3 Heb. and of his greatness there is no search, Ro.11.33.

4 One^d generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

d Ps.78.5,6;48.14;44.1,2;22.30,31;102.12,18. Is.38.19. ver.6,7,10-12.

5 I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.⁴

4 Heb. things or words, Ps.72.18;40.5;22.22,23;86.12,13.

6 And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare⁵ thy greatness.

5 Heb. declare it, Je.50.28.

7 They shall abundantly utter⁶ the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

6 Heb. boil up, Ps.45.1;138.5. Is.63.7.

8 The^e LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.⁷

e Ex.34.6,7. Nu.14.18. Ps.86.5,15;103.8;111.4. Mi.7.18,19. Ro.2.4;5.20,21. Ep.2.4,7.

7 Heb. great in mercy.

9 The^g LORD is good to all;⁸ and his tender mercies are over all his works.⁹

g Na.1.7. Mat.5.45. Ac.14.17;17.25,28. Ps.89.1,2.

8 Yea, even to the wicked, 'for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust,' Mat.5.45.—C.

9 In every work of God, whether in creation, providence, or redemption, there is some wondrous manifestation of mercy. Every department of the universe shows that the omnipotent Creator and Governor has a heart to love all his creatures, and to pity and succour weakness and helplessness.—P.

10 All ^hthy works shall praise thee, O LORD: and thy saints shall bless thee.

h Ps.19.1-6;32.11;107.1,2. Is.43.21. Ro.1.19,20. Ja.3.9. 1 Pe.2.9.

11 Theyⁱ shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;

i 1 Ch.29.11-13;16.8-26. Re.5.9-13;11.17;15.3,4. Ps.viii. xlv. lxxii. lxxviii. ciii.-cviii. &c.

12 To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

13 Thy^j kingdom is an everlasting ¹kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

j Ps.146.10. Da.2.44;7.14. Is.9.7. 1 Ti.1.17. 2 Pe.1.11.

1 Heb. a kingdom of all ages.

14 The^k LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

k Mi.7.8,9. Ps.37.24;94.14,18;146.8;147.6.

15 The^l eyes of all wait upon thee;² and thou givest them their meat in due season.

l Ps.104.27,28;136.25. Ac.17.25. Lu.12.42.

2 Or, look unto thee.

16 Thouⁿ openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

n Ps.104.21,28;147.9;111.5. Ge.1.29,30.

17 The^o LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy³ in all his works.

o De.32.4. Re.19.11;15.3,4. Ps.111.2-8.

3 Or, merciful or bountiful.

18 The^p LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him,⁴ to all that ^qcall upon him in truth.

p De.4.7. Ja.4.8. Jn.14.23. Is.58.9.

4 'Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.' Mat. 18. 20; 28. 20. 1 Co.1.2. Jn.4.24.—C.

q Jn.4.24. Ps.17.1;119.2. Je.29.13.

19 He^r will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

r 1 Jn.5.14. Ps.37.4;65.2;102.17;34.15. Is.58.9?;65.24.

Vol. II, p. 1078

20 The^s LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

A.M. cir. 2956. B.C. cir. 1048.

s Ex.20.6. De.33.3. 1 Pe.1.5. Ps.31.23. Jude 1. Jn.10.28,29. Pr.1.32,33;3.33-35.

21 My^t mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let ^uall flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.⁵

t Re.5.13. ver.1,2,5; Ps.30.12;71.8,14-24;22.22.

u Ps.65.2;47.1;66.1,4;100.1;117.1,2.

5 Equivalent on earth to the command in heaven, 'Let all the angels of God worship him,' He.1.6.—C.

Notes

Ver. 1. The speaker engages 'to bless and praise the name of his God and King every day, for ever and ever,' ver. 1, 2. And surely he who knows that every day he will be so able and inclined must be Jesus, 'the same yesterday, today, and for ever.' C.

Ver. 3. Greatness. From comparing the structure of this psalm with He. 1. 10, it would appear, that in this verse the Father addresses the Son, whose 'mighty works' in creation, providence, and redemption, he expounds and extols before angels and men. Greatness can but be comprehended by viewing works made and upheld, enemies restrained and subdued, and obedient subjects ruled and employed. C.

Ver. 9. Lest any should impiously misinterpret these gracious words, let it be carefully noted that sin is no work of God—and that where it reigneth unto final impenitence mercy is clean gone, Ps 77. 8; 109. 12; He. 10. 28; Ja. 2. 13. C.

Reflections.—O the infinite greatness, the unbounded grace, and everlasting preciousness of a God in Christ! Happy are they who spend their time and their eternity in the enjoyment and praises of him! How delightful is it to tell our neighbours, to tell our posterity, that which our eyes have seen, and our hearts have believed, concerning this God, who is Love; and to tell how this God shall be our God for ever! And it is delightful to behold and praise our exalted Redeemer, who fills heaven and earth with his kindness.