Psalm 145

Testify to God's Great Acts

What a beautiful psalm of praise!  Psalm 145 is also the last of the acrostic psalms - psalms in which the first verse or line begins with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, the next begins with the second, and so on.

The content of Psalm 145 and all the remaining psalms is that of praise.  Matthew Henry notes this:

That the book of Psalms concludes with psalms of praise - all praise - for praise is the conclusion of the whole matter; it is that in which all the psalms center. 

Psalm 145 has been entitled "A Praise of David," and the title is appropriated to it, because this wholly consists of praise; it was not thanks, but altogether praise, and wholly praise (~Thomas Goodwin). It is also the last psalm in the book ascribed to David's authorship. In this psalm, David

• Engages himself and others to praise God
• fastens upon those things that are proper matter for praise:
•      God's greatness
•      His goodness
•      the kingdom of Providence
•      the kingdom of Grace
• He concludes with a resolution to continue praising God

One generation shall praise Your works to another,
And shall declare Your mighty acts.
~Ps. 145:4

Verse 4 reminds us of the most important thing we can do for our children and the generations that follow us:  praise God's works to the next generation, and declare God's mighty acts!  Throughout the Bible we see the importance of this:

"In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the LORD brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." ~ Ex. 13:8

The Lord is near to all who call on Him,

to all who call on Him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;

He hears their cry and saves them.

~ Ps. 145:18-19

We are reminded in verses 18 - 19 to call upon the Lord with the desires of our hearts.  We've discussed in previous psalms that our God is not a great "genie in the sky" who grants all our wishes - but rather our prayers are means by which the desires of our hearts become molded and shaped into the desires of God's heart.  Robert Leighton says it well:

‎"True prayer never comes weeping home: I shall get either what I ask, or what I ought to have asked."

~ Robert Leighton

The notes in my Bible list 2 key verses in the Book of Psalms - one is Psalm 145:21:

My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh shall bless His holy name
Forever and ever.
~ Ps. 145:21

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• The Lord is great, and greatly to be praised
• God's greatness is unsearchable
• The Lord is gracious and full of compassion
• The Lord is slow to anger and great in mercy
• God's tender mercies are over all His works
• God's kingdom is everlasting
• The Lord upholds those who fall
• God is righteous in all His ways
• God fulfills the desires of those who fear Him
• God hears my cry
• The Lord preserves all who love Him

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• By meditating on Psalm 145, like David I can praise God through every verse!

PRAYER:

     I will extol You, my God, O King; and I will bless Your name forever and ever.  May I bless You every day, and praise Your name forever.  You are great, O Lord, and greatly to be praised.  My heart is full of praise for Your unsearchable greatness.

     Father, I pray that my children will trust and love You all of their lives; that our family will praise Your works one generation to another.  

     When I see Your creation may I pause to meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty and on Your wondrous works. 

     How I bless You, Father, that You are gracious and full of compassion towards Your children, slow to anger and great in mercy.  Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Your dominion endures throughout all generations.

     O Lord, my eyes look expectantly to You for Your provision, and I bless You for upholding me when I fall. Thank You for being near when I call upon You.  Thank You that You hear my cry, and have saved me through Your Son Jesus Christ.  May my mouth speak of the praise of the Lord and bless Your holy name forever ~ Amen