Psalm 145

Psalm 145 stands near the end of Book Five of the Psalms. It is the last psalm in the Psalter whose superscription bears the name of David, and it follows Psalm 144, a royal prayer. It is followed by the final psalms of praise, Psalm 146 through 150, each of which opens with "Hallelujah."

Outline

• Verses 1–3: The psalmist resolves to bless "my God, O king" every day and forever. He confesses that the greatness of the LORD is unsearchable.
• Verses 4–7: He declares that from generation to generation the Lord's works, wondrous deeds, terrible acts, great goodness, and righteousness will be proclaimed and sung.
• Verses 8–9: The LORD is gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger, and of great mercy. He is good to all that he has made.
• Verses 10–13: All creatures and the saints bless the Lord. They make known to others the glory and power of his kingdom. His kingdom is everlasting.
• Verses 14–16: The LORD upholds those who fall and raises up those who are bowed down. He gives food to every living thing in due season.
• Verses 17–20: The LORD is righteous and gracious. He is near to those who call upon him in truth; he saves those who fear him, preserves those who love him, and destroys the wicked.
• Verse 21: The psalm closes with the hope that the psalmist's mouth and all flesh will bless his holy name forever.

Key Verses

• Psalm 145:8: "The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger…" This verse echoes the confession of God's character found in Exodus 34:6.
• Psalm 145:13: "Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom." This is the central confession of a psalm that celebrates God's kingship.
• Psalm 145:18: "The LORD is nigh… to all that call upon him in truth." This verse is frequently cited in connection with prayer.

People and Places

• David: Named as the author in the superscription. The text itself mentions no specific events or places.

Points for Reflection

• This is an acrostic psalm in which the first letter of each line follows the order of the Hebrew alphabet. The Masoretic Text, however, lacks a line beginning with the letter nun (נ). The Septuagint and some of the Dead Sea Scrolls contain this line ("The LORD is faithful in all his words…"). As a result, some translations include this line after verse 13 while others omit it.
• Davidic authorship is the traditional understanding based on the superscription. Scholars hold various views on the nature of the superscriptions.
• In Judaism, a prayer known as the Ashrei, centered on this psalm, is said to be recited daily.
• Verses 15–16 confess that God feeds every living thing, and for this reason they were used as a table prayer in Martin Luther's Small Catechism. This confession also connects with the teaching of Matthew 6:24–34. The confession of an everlasting kingdom is read in connection with the New Testament proclamation of the kingdom of God.

In Korean Churches

Verses 1–3 are often read as a call to worship at the opening of a service. Worship songs that set the words of verses 1–2 directly to music are also reportedly sung.