Psalms 145

Psalms 145:1-21

Psalms 145THIS has been happily characterised as the “new song” promised in Psalms 144:9. In other words, it is the song of praise, corresponding to the didactic, penitential, and supplicatory psalms of this series. In form it is an alphabetical psalm, and like others of that class (see p. 113), admits of no analysis, being made up of variations on a single theme, the righteousness and goodness of the Lord to men in general, to his own people in particular, and more especially to those who suffer. The letter nun is wanting, being omitted, as some suppose, for the sake of having three equal stanzas, each containing seven verses. The Septuagint sup-plies the omission, in a very inartificial manner, by anticipating Psalms 145:17 before Psalms 145:15, with a simple change of righteous to faithful, as in Psalms 111:7.

1. (Psalms 145:1) Praise. By David. I will exalt thee, my God, the King, and will bless thy name to eternity and perpetuity. This is the only case in which the word Praise stands alone as the designation or description of a psalm. It evidently bears an antithetical relation to the title Prayer in Psalms 142:1, the rather as the Hebrew words are still more alike than their English equivalents differing only in a single letter. I will exalt thee, as in Psalms 30:1, where the reason is expressed that is here implied, to wit, that God had exalted him.

The king, the only true king, the king of kings, by whom they are put up and down, protected and punished. See above, on Psalms 144:10, and compare Psalms 5:2; Psalms 20:9; Psalms 24:8; Psalms 24:10; Psalms 93:1; Psalms 95:3; Psalms 96:10; Psalms 99:1. The regal honours paid to himself by others David here transfers as due to God alone. Bless thy name, i.e. reverently praise it. See above, on Psalms 5:11; Psalms 34:1; Psalms 103:1. For ever and ever, in reference not merely to himself but to his royal race, which is to live for ever.

See above, on Psalms 138:8.

2. (Psalms 145:2) Every day will I bless thee, and praise thy name to eternity and per petuity. Compare Psalms 68:19; Psalms 69:30; Psalms 92:2-3. Every day denotes constancy and regularity.

3. (Psalms 145:3) Great (is) Jehovah, and to be praised exceedingly, and to his greatness there is no search, i.e. it is unsearchable. The first clause is quoted in Psalms 48:1. Greatly to be praised, as in Psalms 18:3; Psalms 96:1-4; Psalms 113:3. His greatness, as displayed in act, his great performance or performances. See above, on Psalms 71:21. With the last words of the verse compare Psalms 40:5.

4. (Psalms 145:4) Generation to generation lauds thy deeds, and thy mighty doings they declare. With the first clause compare Psalms 19:2. The verbs are of the future form, lauds and will laud, declare and will declare. The first verb is the one used in Psalms 63:3; Psalms 117:1. Mighty doings, literally mights or powers, but always used, like greatness, in an active not an abstract sense. See above, on Psalms 20:6; Psalms 106:2. They declare may agree with men indefinitely, or with the double generation in the first clause, which, however, is there construed with a verb in the singular.

5. (Psalms 145:5) (Of) the beauty of the honour of thy majesty, and the words of thy wonders, I will muse (or meditate). The accumulation of synonymous expression in the first clause has been falsely represented as a proof of later date and a corupted taste, whereas it only proves intensity of admiration. For examples of the same thing in undisputed psalms of David, see above, Psalms 18:2; Psalms 62:7. Beauty and majesty, as in Psalms 45:3. Honour or glory, as in Psalms 19:1. Words of thy wonders are the wonders or wondrous deeds themselves, considered as subjects of discourse or celebration. See above, on Psalms 65:3; Psalms 105:27. I will muse, as in Psalms 77:12; Psalms 119:15; Psalms 119:23; Psalms 119:27; Psalms 119:48; Psalms 119:78; Psalms 119:148.

6. (Psalms 145:6) And the force of thy dread (deeds) they utter— and (as to) thy greatness, I will recount it. Dread, literally feared, and then to be feared, as praised means to be praised in Psalms 145:3 above. Utter, literally say precisely as in Psalms 40:10. Greatness, or according to the reading in the text of the Hebrew Bible, greatnesses, i.e. great deeds, as mights means mighty deeds in Psalms 145:5.

7. (Psalms 145:7) The memory of thy great goodnes they pour forth, and (of) thy righteousness they sing (or shout). Memory, as in Psalms 6:5. Great goodness is the order of the words not only in English but in Hebrew, where it is unusual. See above, on Psalms 139. Pour forth, as in Psalms 19:2; Psalms 78:2. Compare Psalms 59:7. Thy righteousness, as in Psalms 31:1; Psalms 51:14; Psalms 143:1. Sing or shout for joy. The construction is like that in Psalms 51:14; Psalms 59:16.

8. (Psalms 145:8) Gracious and compassionate (is) Jehovah, slow to anger and great (in) mercy. Compare Psalms 136:14; Psalms 103:8; Psalms 111:4. Instead of the usual expression much or abundant, we have here great, in allusion to its previous use in Psalms 145:3; Psalms 145:6.

9. (Psalms 145:9) Good (is) Jehovah to all, and his compassions (are) over all his works. All, literally the all, the whole universe. See above, on Psalms 119:91. Over or upon, the first suggesting the idea of a covering, the second that of a descent from above. His works, the things which he has made, his creatures. See above, on Psalms 103:22. The argument implied is, how much more to his own people, the creatures of his grace. See above, on Psalms 138:8.

10. (Psalms 145:10) All thy creatures, 0 Jehovah, praise (or thank) thee, and thy saints bless thee. The future forms, as usual, denote that it is so and will be so. The superfluous h in the last word is an orthographical peculiarity like that in Psalms 139:3; Psalms 140:8; Psalms 141:8. As saints (or gracious ones) are more than creatures, so to bless is more than to praise. See above, on Psalms 145:1.

11. (Psalms 145:11) The glory of thy reign they utter, and thy might they speak. Compare Psalms 103:19. Thy reign or kingdom, which is universal. The whole phrase may mean thy royal dignity or honour.

12. (Psalms 145:12) To make known to the sons of man his mighty deeds, and the glory of the majesty of his reign (or kingdom). Some give the infinitive the force of a gerund, by making known; but the true sense seems to be, so as to (or so that they) make known. See above, on Ps. 128:18.

13. (Psalms 145:13) Thy reign is a reign of all eternities, and thy dominion in generation and generation. These words are also found in Daniel 4:31. The meaning of the last clause is, thy dominion still exists and shall exist in every successive generation.

14. (Psalms 145:14) An upholder (is) Jehovah for all the falling, a lifter up for all the bowed down. The first word in each clause is properly a participle, here used as a noun, and therefore followed by the preposition to or for. Translated in either way, the words necessarily suggest the idea of habitual action. With the first clause compare Psalms 37:17; Psalms 37:24; Psalms 54:4; Psalms 119:116.

15. (Psalms 145:15) The eyes of all unto thee (look and) wait, and thou givest them their food in its season. The verb in the first clause means to wait, expect, or hope, but is here construed with the preposition to or towards, which implies the act of turning or looking to the object confided in. Givest, literally giving i.e. (art habitually) giving. See above, on Psalms 104:27, where these words are quoted.

16. (Psalms 145:16) Opening thy hand and satisfying to every living (thing its) desire, or the desire of every living thing. Another construction, preferred by some interpreters, is, satisfying (giving satisfaction) to every living thing (in its) desire, viz. that which it desires. See the imitation of this verse in Psalms 104:28, and compare Psalms 103:5, Acts 14:17. The words satisfy and will (or desire) are combined, as here, in Deuteronomy 33:23.

17. (Psalms 145:17) Righteous (is) Jehovah in all his ways and merciful in all his works. Justice and mercy are not mentioned here as opposites, but rather as equivalents, the goodness of God being really included in the rectitude so frequently ascribed to him.

18. (Psalms 145:18) Near (is) Jehovah to all calling upon him, to all calling upon him in truth, i.e. sincerely, with importunate desire and strong confidence. With this verse compare Psalms 34:7; Psalms 34:19.

19. (Psalms 145:19) The will of his fearers he will do, and their cry he will hear, and will save them. He will do what they desire, or grant their prayer, especially their prayer for help in time of danger and distress, as intimated in the last clause. Compare Psalms 34:9; Psalms 34:15.

20. (Psalms 145:20) Jehovah keeps all that love him, and all the wicked will he destroy. The fearers of Psa 145:19 and the lovers of this verse are identical, which shews that godly fear and love are not incompatible. Keeps, literally keeping, as in Psalms 145:15, from all danger and distress, preserving.

21. (Psalms 145:21) The praise of Jehovah shall my mouth speak, and all flesh shall bless his holy name for ever, or retaining the idiomatic form of the original, all flesh shall bless the name of his holiness (or his name of holiness) to eternity and perpetuity. The use of the word praise connects this verse with the title or inscription in Psalms 145:1, which is thereby justified or proved to be correct. All flesh, as in Psalms 65:2. His holy name, as in Psalms 33:21.