Psalms 145:1–21

How very fitting that this psalm should carry the title "David's psalm of praise." It comes right before the last five psalms, and each of those begins and ends with "Praise the LORD," or "Hallelujah."

It is the last of the alphabetical Psalms, and the last in the Psalter ascribed to the king. So we shall hear the royal singer's voice no more in the Psalter. His last words in it are unmixed praise... Saul died forsaken of God (1 Sam. 28:15-16). David's last notes in the Psalter are notes of praise.

All through the psalm the psalmist uses the Name of Jehovah — the covenant-keeping God of Israel, who brought His people into relationship with Himself. Ps. 145:1 is the one exception. There he addresses the self-existing, Eternal One as "My Elohim, O King." He extols his God and blesses Him every day. He looks forward to the time of His kingdom, for then he will praise His Name for ever and ever.

Jehovah is the King. He is great. He is gracious. He is good. He is righteous. Such is His character... What a change will come about in the world when Jehovah the King becomes a common subject of wonder and praise!

Psalm 145 moves on in thought into the millennium. The distress is over, and there is full deliverance to celebrate. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — in the midst of Israel. He leads the praises of Jehovah and wakes them up among men... Christ speaks here as man — "my God." The psalm looks at Jehovah as King.

Its position in the book, and the fact that David is a familiar picture of Christ, should lead us to think of Messiah here. He leads the praises of men — praising, as He declares He will, in the great congregation (Ps. 22:25). Whose voice but His could fittingly take this place? And in the psalm itself the Speaker sets Himself apart from the general voice of praise. That praise begins with the "godly" in Israel and reaches out to the "sons of men" at large (vv. 10, 12). This distinction lasts for all eternity (v. 21).

The godly man is delivered from all his enemies. He can look on to an eternity where he sees no evil intruding, and no trace of sorrow to dim his joy in the Lord. So he can say, "I will bless your name forever and ever," "I will praise your name forever and ever."

The Spirit of God left out the letter Nun. This surely suggests that Psalm 145 could not supply the full measure of Jehovah's praise. All the praise of the five following psalms is necessary... To give full measure, we also need the tributes of praise in Revelation 5:9-14 and the Hallelujahs of Revelation 19:1-6. That praise will fill heaven and the wide universe of God — praise to God and to the Lamb.

The one finished and accepted sacrifice of Christ has lasting power. In it there is forgiveness of sins for everyone who believes... Faith sees that the one thing has been done in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ... So praise, the highest part of worship, can begin now: "I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever." (Ps. 145.)

In Proverbs 31 and Psalm 119, each verse or series of verses begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, running through all twenty-two. Psalms 25, 34 and 145 are also alphabetical psalms. But in this last one the Holy Spirit has seen fit to leave out the Hebrew letter Nun, so there are only twenty-one verses in this psalm. How fitting that this psalm should carry the title "David's psalm of praise." It comes just before the last five psalms, and each of those begins and ends with "Praise the Lord," or "Hallelujah."

Psalm 145 goes on in thought into the millennium, after the distress is over and the full deliverance can be celebrated. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — in the midst of Israel. He leads the praises of Jehovah and awakens them among men. So, though it only expresses purpose, it has the character of a dialogue. First, He expresses His own purpose of praising Jehovah, and for ever and ever. One generation should do it to another.

All through the psalm the writer uses the Name of Jehovah — the covenant-keeping God of Israel, who brought His people into relationship with Himself. The one exception is Psalm 145:1, where he addresses the self-existing, Eternal One as "My Elohim, O King." He extols his God and blesses Him every day. He looks forward to the time of His kingdom, for then he will praise His Name for ever and ever. These first two verses form the opening section of the psalm. They express the feelings of the godly remnant of Israel as they look toward the coming kingdom of Messiah, the God of Israel.

It is a celebration of continuance (verse 2), for the kingdom that is to be set up is an everlasting kingdom (verse 13). As long as human generations follow one another on earth, the sceptre of the world's rule will remain unbroken in Messiah's hands. This kingdom has its measured limits in the declared purpose of God. It will have an end, but it will yield to no successor in its place.

The godly man delivered from all his enemies can look on to an eternity in which he sees no evil to intrude, and no trace of sorrow to dim his joy in the Lord. So he can say, "I will bless your name forever and ever," "I will praise your name forever and ever."

Faith sees that the one thing has been done in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. So praise, the highest part of worship, can now begin. While praise is silent for God in Zion, the mouth of the sinner, redeemed to God through the precious blood of the Lamb, is opened to show forth His praises.

The Spirit of God left out the letter Nun. That would suggest Psalm 145 could not supply the full measure of Jehovah's praise. It takes all the praise of the five psalms that follow — the Hallelujahs at their beginnings and endings — to fill up the tribute of praise on earth, and "in His sanctuary," and in the "firmament of His power."

Psalms 25, 34 and 145 are alphabetical psalms, each verse starting with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this last one the Holy Spirit has seen fit to leave out the letter Nun, so that there are only twenty-one verses in this psalm. How fitting it is that this psalm should carry the title "David's psalm of praise," for it comes just before the last five psalms, each of which begins and ends with "Praise the LORD," or "Hallelujah."

Throughout the psalm the writer uses the name Jehovah, the covenant-keeping God of Israel, who brought His people into relationship with Himself. Verses 3-7 form the second section. It takes up the greatness of Jehovah, which is beyond all searching, and He is to be praised beyond measure. Each generation praises the works of Jehovah to the generation that follows, and they declare His mighty acts, for "He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the people of Israel."

Psalm 145 goes on in thought into the millennium, after the distress is over, when Israel can celebrate the full deliverance. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — standing among Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah, and awakening praise among men.

Then everyone will recognise that "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised." It will be so impressive that at last it will convince many that His greatness is unsearchable. Of course, believers know this now, but then the whole world will know it openly.

And yet the Bible contains deep things that are beyond us, and that very fact satisfies our souls. How can we understand God? He dwells alone in a solitude that fills us with awe, in light no one can approach. He was never created, yet He creates all things. Nothing holds Him up, yet He holds up all things. If we could understand all this, God would stop being God, for He would be no bigger than the measure of a man.

He is to be praised not only "in" but "according to" His excellent greatness. Now, who is equal to this? The creature, however blessed and exalted, can never rise up to the level of the Creator. Yet in that day praise will surely rise that is equal to the task — praise that will satisfy the heart of God.

He is worthy to be praised: His greatness is an infinite reality. The generations of men, too, shall declare it. But one tongue alone can speak rightly of the glorious splendour of His majesty, and of His mighty works. They shall tell of the terrible acts by which evil has been dealt with and held down. He will declare God's greatness. Yet they, too, shall pour out their memory of His goodness, and sing aloud of His righteousness.

Psalm 145 looks on in thought into the millennium, after the distress is over, when the full deliverance can be celebrated. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — standing among Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah and awakening them among men. So, though it only expresses purpose, the psalm has the character of a dialogue. First He expresses His own purpose of praising Jehovah, for ever and ever. One generation should do it to another... Notice that there is the leader who speaks in the psalm, the saints (the faithful remnant of Israel), and the world in general, the sons of Adam.

Psalm 145:3-7 form the second section of the psalm. It is taken up with the greatness of Jehovah, which is beyond all searching, and He is to be praised greatly. Each generation praises the works of Jehovah to the generation that follows it, and they declare His mighty acts.

God too has "ways" and "acts." "He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the people of Israel" (Ps. 103:7). His ways revealed His nature; His acts showed more of His power.

The material for this endless praise is also largely ready. His mighty acts, the glorious honour of His majesty, His greatness, goodness, and righteousness, His upholding of the weak, His granting the desire of the needy, His keeping safe those who love Him, His vengeance on the wicked — these are among the themes of praise that will fill the joys and songs of the coming kingdom. One generation is to tell them to another. And the Lord Himself is the leader of this praise... The saints, as it were, take it from the lips of the Lord and teach it to the nations, and one generation teaches it to another.

The deliverance of Israel, and God's dealings with them, will make them able to declare His acts to the people yet to be born. Messiah and His saints speak these things together, and they tell the nations what their God is (vv. 11, 12)... Israel's work will be to learn the character of God and make it known to the nations; and this should be the work of God's people now. The world cannot know God, but we are called to be the "letter of Christ, known and read by everyone."

If we were more alive to God's ways with us, the natural result would follow: we would be far more able witnesses to those who come after us on the same path... This is what secures the blessing in it — that it is His praises being kept up and spread widely. God is in His place, and so is everything else, to the same degree that He is.

Psalm 145 goes on in thought into the millennium, after the distress is over, and the full deliverance can be celebrated. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — as in the midst of Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah, and awakening them among men. So, though it only expresses purpose, it has the character of a dialogue. One generation should do it to another. "I will speak." One sees his heart is full of praise, and he speaks of it (v. 5). … In general, the rest speak more of the outward acts and greatness, while the leader speaks of what Jehovah is — though he does celebrate His wondrous works as well.

Then the psalmist says for himself that he will meditate on the glorious splendor of God's majesty and on His wondrous works. If this is true of Christ Himself in that great day, then He speaks as the Representative of His people.

He is worthy to be praised: His greatness is an infinite reality. The generations of men, too, shall declare it. But one tongue can speak rightly of the glorious splendor of His majesty, and of His mighty works.

The majesty of the glory of your honour, and the words of your wonders, I will meditate.

First the psalmist celebrates the greatness and power of God. The Lord is great with a greatness that is unsearchable. His acts are "mighty," "wondrous," and "terrible." The generations of men will declare the greatness of His works, the glory of His majesty, and the terror of His acts of judgment. They will keep alive the memory of His goodness to His people, a goodness founded on righteousness.

David could speak for himself of "the glorious honour" of Jehovah's majesty, and of His wondrous works. The remnant could join in to tell of His terrible acts, and of the great deeds the psalmist declared.

The materials for this unceasing praise are also largely prepared. His mighty acts, the glorious honour of His majesty, His greatness, goodness, and righteousness. He upholds the weak, fulfills the desire of the needy, preserves those who love Him, and takes vengeance on the wicked. These are among the themes of praise that will fill the joys and songs of the coming kingdom. One generation is to rehearse them to another. And the Lord Himself is the leader of this praise, according to what He had vowed in His distress. (Ps. 22:22)

In thought, Psalm 145 moves on into the millennium. The distress is over, and the full deliverance can be celebrated. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — standing among Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah and awakening praise among men. So, though it only expresses purpose, it has the character of a dialogue... In general, the rest speak more of the outward acts and greatness. The leader speaks of what Jehovah is, though he does celebrate His wondrous works... Note that there is the leader who speaks in the psalm, the saints (the Jewish remnant), and the world in general, the sons of Adam.

He is worthy to be praised: His greatness is an infinite reality... They shall tell of the terrible acts by which evil has been dealt with and held down. He will declare God's greatness. Yet they, too, shall pour out their memory of His goodness, and sing aloud of His righteousness.

Others speak of the might of God's awesome acts (v.6), while He declares God's greatness. Men may recognise and speak of what the Lord does. But only Christ can rightly declare the actual personal greatness of God. Then His people together shall utter the memory of His great goodness (v.7). They will well remember how God dealt with them, bringing them out of the tribulation and establishing them in millennial blessing.

(vv. 3-7) First the psalmist celebrates the greatness and power of God. The Lord is great with a greatness that cannot be searched out. His acts are "mighty," "wondrous," and "terrible." The generations of men will declare the greatness of His works, the glory of His majesty, and the terror of His acts of judgment. They will keep alive the memory of His goodness to His people, founded on righteousness.

David could speak personally of the glorious splendour of Jehovah's majesty and of His wondrous works. The remnant could join in to tell of His terrible acts, and of the great deeds the psalmist declared. In the coming day, the godly remnant of Israel will learn afresh the greatness of Jehovah's power. That will happen when the Lord Himself comes to deliver them from their enemies and to bring down all who have opposed them. In that day these words will be fulfilled: "They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness" (verse 7).

Israel's deliverance, and God's dealings with them, will make them able to declare His acts to the people still to be born. Messiah and His saints speak these things together, and they tell the nations what their God is (vv. 11, 12)... Israel's business will be to learn the character of God and make it known to the nations. This should be the business of the saints now. The world cannot know God, but we are called to be a "letter from Christ," known and read by all.

And the strength of your terrors they shall tell; and your greatness, I will declare it. They shall pour forth the memory of your great goodness, and your righteousness they shall sing aloud.

Psalm 145 goes on in thought into the millennium, after the distress is over and the full deliverance can be celebrated. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — in the middle of Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah and awakening them among men. So, though it only expresses purpose, it has the character of a dialogue... "They shall speak of the memory of your great goodness, and shall sing of your righteousness." Then He breaks off most beautifully to speak of the goodness. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth still speaks. It is to be remarked that there is the leader who speaks in the psalm, the saints (the faithful remnant of Israel), and the world in general, the descendants of Adam.

While men may recognize and speak of what the Lord does, only Christ can rightly declare the personal greatness of God Himself. Then His people together shall utter the memory of His great goodness (v.7). That is, they will remember well the great goodness of God in the way He has dealt with them. He brings them out of the tribulation and establishes them in millennial blessing.

First the psalmist celebrates the greatness and power of God. The Lord is great with a greatness that is unsearchable. His acts are "mighty," "wondrous," and "terrible." The generations of men will declare the greatness of His works, the glory of His majesty, and the terror of His acts of judgment. They will keep alive the memory of His goodness to His people, a goodness founded on righteousness.

Above all, one thing fills the hearts and mouths of those whose song is of His righteousness: the memory of His "great goodness" toward the people of His name (verse 7). His judgments will have been in the earth, and He will have made a short work in righteousness (Rom. 9:28) — so making His glory visible in the sight of all flesh.

The deliverance of Israel, and God's dealings with them, will make them able to declare His acts to the people yet to be born... Israel's business will be to learn the character of God and make it known to the nations. This should be the business of the saints now. The world cannot know God. But we are called to be a letter from Christ, "known and read by all." The church has to be Christ's letter of recommendation to the world.

Lack of memory. "Do you not remember?" — and then the Lord pointed to the two miracles of the loaves. We may usefully forget the things behind us, which relate to how far we had come in the Christian life (Phil. 3:13). But the memory of the great goodness of the Lord should always be with us, stirring us up to continual praise (Ps. 145:7). The recollection of the Lord's ways with us in the past gives us guidance for the present. When we remember the food-miracles of yesterday we do not fear a famine today or tomorrow.

In the next section, Ps. 145:8-12, we have the thoughts and feelings of the remnant as they think about the coming kingdom. They have known the Lord as "gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger and of great mercy." His goodness is not limited to Israel. He is "good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works."

This Psalm is a magnificent outburst of praise. It is David's praise, but it is also the praise of the Son of David, our Lord, who leads all the praises of His people... Here we read of His great loving-kindness in "The LORD is gracious and full of compassion; slow to anger and of great mercy." See Exodus 34:6-7.

Israel learned about themselves in the wilderness. But here they learn God, if they had hearts to understand it: first what He is, and then how He shows Himself such to others. His greatness is not all; He has shown that in bringing everything to His own ends. He is also gracious, good, thinking of others in love, and full of compassion. He is slow to anger — perhaps the heart has complained of that sometimes in trial, yet we need it — and of great mercy. Yes, we are often like Jonah, though we need or have needed as much mercy as Nineveh.

Are we not all of us apt to set these things against one another? But that is not true. The stronger God's feeling against what destroys His own glory, the more fitting it is that He should be slow to act on His anger... Indeed, slowness to anger is normally the proof of moral greatness... Not that it is of God, or even of man, that there should be slowness to feel; but to act on feeling is another thing.

We understand God's gracious slowness. There is only one thing God is always slow about, and that is judgment. He never judges until He has warned and given room for repentance. How swift He is to save! How quick to bring peace to the troubled conscience! He is only slow to judge.

The psalmist celebrates the grace of God... How different to man; and even His own people, who too often lack grace and compassion, are quick to anger and show little mercy.

But the power of God does not in any way lessen His loving-kindness. He remains marvellously gracious and full of compassion... He will show His goodness to all (not only Israel), and certainly if any refuse Him, they are refusing His goodness... If men refuse this, they are choosing their own doom.

Was He not Himself the LORD, gracious and full of compassion? (Ps. 145:8). So, in keeping with His many mercies, His heart yearned over their weakness. He purposed in Himself to satisfy their mouth with good things and renew their strength for their journey home.

In the next section, Psalm 145:8-12, we have the thoughts and feelings of the faithful remnant of Israel as they think about the coming kingdom. They have known the LORD as "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." And His goodness is not limited to Israel, for He is "good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made." When the Lord takes His kingdom, all His works will praise Him, and all His saints will bless Him.

"The LORD is good to all" (Ps. 145:9). Sweet dewdrops lie on the thistle as well as on the rose. God's mercy is free. To claim merit is to destroy mercy. Nothing can deserve mercy, and nothing can force it. We may force God to punish us, but not to love us… So do not say, I am unworthy, for mercy is free. If God showed mercy only to those who are worthy, He would show none at all… God's mercy overflows; it is infinite. The vial of wrath drips, but the fountain of mercy runs.

There were two things the prophet had not yet learned — and may we not add, many Christians as well? First, that God's tender mercy is over all His works (Psalm 145:9). The words "and also much cattle" show this so beautifully! God will display this tender mercy in a coming day, when Christ takes His rightful power and reigns over the earth. But the heart of God is always the same.

Next we find people tested by how they treat the creation God placed under mankind. Not caring about your animal is unworthy; cruelty is worse… The LORD's tender mercies are over all His works, and the day is coming when everything that has breath will praise Him.

In 2 Kings 6:1-7 we see God's goodness to His own people; in the verses that follow, the same goodness reaches others too. This follows the principle of 1 Timothy 4:10, which calls the living God "the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe." Only folly would read the salvation of the soul into such a passage. It only affirms God's providential care for all His creatures.

As Creator and Governor of the universe, God delights to pour out His gifts on people, in spite of their unworthiness and ingratitude. "The LORD is good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made" (Ps. 145:9). When the Lord Jesus told His disciples to love their enemies, He said, "so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matt. 5:45)… The seasons come and go right on time, and they are lasting evidence of God's gracious care for His creatures.

His goodness will be plain to all, not only to Israel. If any refuse Him, they are refusing His goodness. For His part, "His mercy is over all that He has made" (v. 9). If people refuse this, they are choosing their own doom.

If we praise Him, we tell out what He has revealed to us of Himself. If we thank Him, we speak of what He has done for us, or of what we have received from Him. In a certain sense His works praise Him, for they set forth something of what He is. But His saints bless Him, or speak well of Him; for they have received from Him. For fallen creatures to worship Him in truth, they must share in His grace. Someone who knows his own sinfulness, and what such sin deserves from God, cannot really worship Him until he is saved by faith in Christ.

The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works. In response to His goodness all His works praise Him. All His saints bless Him, and they bear witness to the glory of His kingdom to the sons of men.

Psalm 145 goes on in thought into the millennium, after the distress is over, and the full deliverance can be celebrated. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — as in the midst of Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah, and awakening them among men.

Jesus — the saints or Jewish people — the sons of men or all flesh — the works of creation — all join in their way and measure. The saints take it, in a sense, from the lips of the Lord and teach it to the nations. One generation teaches it to another.

It belongs to His saints to bless Him (verse 10). Their sanctification and their righteousness are alike in Him (1 Cor. 1:30). They shall speak of His kingdom, and talk of His power. God has chosen them as the vessels of His favour and His pleasure. They will tell the sons of men about Jehovah's mighty acts, and about the glorious majesty of His kingdom (verse 12).

It is an alphabetical Psalm. Every letter of the Hebrew alphabet appears except one, the letter "nun." The Numerical Bible gives this helpful suggestion: "I can only conclude that the gap is meant to remind us that the fullness of praise is not complete without other voices which are not found here. Those missing voices are those of the Church and the heavenly saints."

Psalm 145 looks ahead in thought to the millennium, after the distress is over, when the full deliverance can be celebrated. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — in the middle of Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah and awakening praise among men... Their subject will be the glory of Jehovah's kingdom and His power. They will make His acts known to mankind at large, along with the glorious majesty of His kingdom, and that kingdom is an everlasting one... Note that there is the leader who speaks in the psalm, the saints (the Jewish remnant), and the world in general, the sons of Adam.

No doubt it is the saints of Israel who are specially in view here. They will bear witness to "the sons of men" (others outside Israel) of the mighty acts of God and the glorious majesty of His kingdom (v. 12). They will not limit their thoughts of God's kingdom to the millennium either. They will recognise that His kingdom has been at work all through the history of the ages, for it is an everlasting kingdom, though it takes a different form from the one shown in the millennium (v. 13).

They tell of the glory of His kingdom and His might, making known to the sons of men at large His acts and the majesty of His kingdom. Israel will in fact do this, for their own remarkable history makes them the fitting witnesses of His ways to all the earth.

In the next section, Psalm 145:8-12, we have the thoughts and feelings of the remnant as they think about the coming kingdom. They have known Jehovah as "gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love." His goodness is not limited to Israel either, for He is "good to all, and His mercy is over all that He has made." When the Lord takes His kingdom, all His works will praise Him, and all His saints will bless Him. To the "children of man," to all who have ears to hear, the remnant, blessed of God, will delight in making known the power and mighty acts of their Lord, and in speaking of the glory and splendour of His kingdom.

They themselves are filled with light and truth, for the veil of blindness is gone from their hearts. So they become the ready teachers of the rest of the nations... The light of the knowledge of Jehovah's glory will cover the face of the nations and fill their hearts, where now, and until that day, the thick darkness of ignorance and unbelief lies spread.

The deliverance of Israel, and God's dealings with them, will make them able to declare His acts to the people yet to be born. Messiah and His saints speak these things together, and they tell the nations what their God is (vv. 11, 12)... Israel's business will be to learn the character of God and to make it known to the nations, and this should be the business of the saints now. The world cannot know God, but we are called to be a "letter from Christ," "known and read by all." The church has to be Christ's letter of recommendation to the world.

The psalmist celebrates the glory and blessedness of the kingdom of the Lord. The kingdoms of men pass away, and while they last they are marked by human pride and power used however the ruler pleases. This kingdom is different. It is an everlasting kingdom, marked by the grace of the Lord who stoops down. He lifts up the fallen, raises the crushed, and provides for the need of every living thing. He listens to the cry of all who call on Him. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him and preserves all who love Him, but He deals in judgment with those who oppose Him.

So His kingdom is proved to be a kingdom of all ages. Not the thousand-year age alone, but also the ages when the power of evil seemed to win, and when Satan has in fact been the "prince of this world." All through, God has been the great Overcomer. What discoveries of His glory still await us! We will see how He has prevailed, far beyond our thoughts, overcoming man's evil with His good.

This is a celebration of lasting rule, because the kingdom that is to be set up is an everlasting kingdom. As long as human generations follow one another on earth, the sceptre of world rule will stay unbroken in Messiah's hands. This kingdom has its measured limits in the declared purpose of God. It will have an end, but will yield to no successor in its place.

All of the kingdoms of this world have come to an end or will come to an end. There is only one kingdom that will last forever, the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the anointed one whom God has appointed to be the King of kings. Even the head of one of the greatest empires on earth had to admit it: "his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation" (Dan. 4:3).

The Lord Himself told the people to sit down on the ground. Then He took the loaves in His hands, and so all eyes would be fastened on Him. All the people would know that their food was coming to them from His hand. Would David's song of praise have occurred to any of them? "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom … The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing" (Ps. 145:13-16).

Yes, the One who is, was, and is to come. Our present God is He who lasts from first to last, in every generation. He is unchanging in the middle of all change. He sits on high above all the floods. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. What a resting place for faith! "Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations!"

Here the psalmist celebrates the glory and blessedness of the kingdom of the Lord. The kingdoms of men pass away. While they last, they are marked by earthly pride and by power used as the ruler pleases. This kingdom is not like them. It lasts for ever, and its mark is the stooping grace of the Lord. He lifts up the fallen. He raises the crushed. He provides for the need of every living thing. He listens to the cry of all who call on Him.

God is both powerful and gracious. He uses that power and grace to uphold, raise up and restore those who fall and are bowed down (v. 14). So all who look to Him in expectation, however helpless they are in themselves, will find Him faithful. He provides their food at the time of need (v. 15).

This again introduces the third section. Here we see Him as the Overcomer. He lets sin show what it is, and He lets the results follow, but He holds in His hand the power to bring people out of them. So it is Jehovah, in the power of that covenant name, who upholds all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down.

And shall we not fear and tremble in case we give a wrong impression of Him? If we do, we shall be sustained, for there is a lovely paradox in Ps. 145:14, where we read, "The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down."

To be in distress and sorrow, in fear and depression, weighed down by grief — that is itself an appeal to the heart of God for comfort and help. How often we saw this in the life of the Lord Jesus on earth! In the synagogue at Nazareth He announced His mission: to preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken-hearted, to tell captives they were free, and to set free those who were crushed. And He carried it out. He saw the widow of Nain following her only son to the grave. He had compassion on her, and He turned her night of weeping into a morning of joy by raising her son to life and giving him back to her. And is He not the same still? He is not One who is unable to feel our weaknesses. So we can come with confidence to the throne of grace, for the mercy we need and help at the right moment.

While waiting for the coming kingdom, the godly remnant prove the unfailing care of Jehovah, for He "upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down." Their eyes are waiting on Him, and He sustains them, whatever they are going through.

The sun is always giving forth its abundance of light and heat and fruit-producing power. Our Sun gives out to His creatures in just the same way. "You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing." We easily forget that every living creature depends on Him for its existence at every moment of its life.

By the power of that covenant name, Jehovah upholds all who fall. He raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all His creatures wait on Him, dependent for the food that keeps their existence going. So He provides for the satisfaction and desire of every living thing.

Since God is both powerful and gracious, He uses this power and grace to uphold, raise up and restore those who fall and are bowed down (v. 14). So all who look to Him in hope will find Him faithful, however helpless they are in themselves. He provides their food at the time of need (v. 15).

Now it is the witness of the Spirit that "no one understands; no one seeks for God" (Rom. 3:11), but the eyes of all will wait on Him when the glorious majesty of His kingdom has become a visible truth (verse 15). His sun does indeed shine now on the just and the unjust alike… But then men will know their Keeper and their Blesser. They will lean on their Maker. The living God will be the satisfying portion of every living thing (verse 16).

After He Himself had told the people to sit down on the ground… the Lord took the loaves in His hands. Now every eye would fasten on Him. All the people would know that their food was coming to them from His hand. Would David's song of praise have occurred to any of them? "Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom… The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing" (Ps. 145:13-16).

God knows our needs. He is a faithful Creator and He remembers how He has made us. He has given us bodies that need food, and He has provided it. Every mouthful we eat declares our dependence on God, and should humble us before Him. We could not live without His provision for our daily needs. Knowing this would keep us from independence of God and from uncontrolled appetites. It would keep us thankful to Him every day of our lives.

Thirdly the psalmist celebrates the glory and blessedness of the kingdom of the Lord. The kingdoms of men pass away, and while they last they show earthly pride and power used just as the ruler pleases. This kingdom, by contrast, is an everlasting kingdom, marked by the grace of the Lord who stoops down. He lifts up the fallen, raises the crushed, and provides for the need of every living thing. He listens to the cry of all who call on Him. He fulfils the desire of those who fear Him, and preserves all who love Him, but deals in judgment with those who oppose Him.

That coming day will show it most plainly: God opens His hand to satisfy the desire of every living thing. That of course means humans, animals, birds, fish and insects (v. 16). So the millennium will overflow with abundance. And God will not set righteousness aside when He meets His creatures' needs, though they do not deserve such care. For the cross of Christ has wonderfully established His righteousness, joined to the grace of His great heart.

So it is Jehovah, in the power of that covenant name, who upholds all who fall. He raises up all who are bowed down. The eyes of all His creatures wait on Him, since they depend on Him for the food that keeps them alive. So He provides for the satisfaction and desire of every living thing.

The sun is always pouring out its abundance of light and heat and power to make things grow. Our Sun gives to His creatures in just the same way. "You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing." We easily forget that every living creature depends on Him for its existence at every moment of its life.

Was the manna really more than His feeding all His creatures every day and every hour? "You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing." The Creator's stores are so vast, and in His providence He meets the creature's need so easily. But the Father's name carries far deeper wonders. That name reveals all the riches of grace. "My Father gives you the true bread from heaven."

Today His sun shines on the just and the unjust alike... But then people will know their Keeper and their Blesser. They will rest on their Maker. The living God will be the satisfying portion of every living thing (verse 16).

He delights to meet the need of all. He opens His hand, and satisfies the desire of every living thing. And more than that, it is His joy to make His people the channel of His heart. Through them His grace, His kindness and His sympathy flow out to all. How precious this is! What a privilege to hand out His gifts, and to show what His goodness is like!

But holiness and righteousness are always the method of God's way (verse 17). Messiah Himself will be present and powerful, and the way He runs His kingdom will prove this truth in glory. Verses 18-20 point directly to the moral order of that rule. The One who is higher than the highest will no longer be, as He is now, a distant onlooker of human folly and misrule. He will be a Saviour who is present, and a swift avenger for everyone who cries out to Him about unjust suffering.

But He is also the Moral Governor of moral beings: righteous and full of loving-kindness. He is righteous in all His ways, and He can also give way to the needs and weakness of His creatures. That is why He is near to all who call on Him — all who truly call on Him.

And God will not compromise righteousness when He meets His creatures' needs in this way, even though they do not deserve such care. The cross of Christ has established His righteousness in a wonderful way, joined to the grace of His great heart. Of course, Israel knew nothing about the cross when this psalm was written, but God did.

Justice has often gone wrong in this world's sad history, and men have suffered for crimes they never committed. But here there was no miscarriage of justice... "Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him," and there is no unrighteousness with the Lord. He is righteous in all His ways, and holy in all His works (Ps. 145:17). Why did the just God bruise the One who was just?... There is only one answer: God chose to deal with Him as our Surety and Substitute. Doing this gave God no pleasure in the way we understand pleasure. But it was the only way, if He was to be a Saviour God, for He must always be just.

It means taking and keeping the place of the sinful creature, who cannot understand the least of those perfect ways — ways that are right when they seem most wrong. It is the declaration that God is God. He is Jehovah, the self-existing, perfect One. He is most wise, just and good, and also most powerful. He is righteous and holy in all His ways, whatever those ways may be.

The day when everything is shown openly is coming, and God is in no hurry to justify Himself. The darkness is the training of faith, but in the face of Christ there is glory with no veil... we must not rob the future of what it will reveal. At last every eye will see what faith knows and rejoices in without seeing: "the Lord is righteous in all His ways."

Holiness and righteousness are always the way God works (verse 17), and Messiah's kingdom, ruled by His presence and power, will prove this in glory. Verses 18-20 describe the moral order of that rule. The One who is higher than the highest will not then be what He is now: a patient onlooker, watching human folly and misrule from a distance (Ecc. 5:8). He will be a present Saviour, and a swift avenger for all who cry to Him under unjust suffering. The Christian is appointed for now to be like a sheep led to the slaughter. He lives on these words as promises, and waits for the righteous judge to be revealed.

He is also the Moral Governor of moral beings: righteous and full of loving-kindness. Righteous in all His ways, He can still yield to the needs and weakness of His creatures. For this He is near to all who call on Him — who call on Him in truth. We cannot avoid the reminder of how much hollowness and insincerity have gone with this. But where people fear Him, He fulfils their desire; though here too, their cry so often rises out of the evil that sin has plunged them into. Yet that evil is under the restraint of His hand, and out of it He saves.

So our prayers lack power and effect. So we get the formality, the routine, yes, even the positive hypocrisy. The Psalmist says, "If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened." How solemn this is! Our God will have reality; He desires truth in the inward parts. He, blessed be His name, is real with us, and He will have us real with Him. He will have us coming before Him as we really are, and with what we really want.

The calling spoken of here is not the vague cry of an uneasy conscience. It is the cry of faith… Faith takes firm hold of the person of Christ, consciously depending on Him alone. It knows there is no hope of help or safety anywhere, inside or outside, except in Him. Sadly, we are solemnly warned: the cry "Lord, Lord" may come from lips whose sound never came from a believing heart. But the mark of true faith is that its aim is God. Its misery is distance from Him.

What is required of men in order that they might be saved? Simply to "call" upon the name of the Lord. This was all Israel could do while they suffered in Egypt. To shake off Pharaoh was impossible; to get rid of the taskmasters was out of the question; but they could cry to God. In the same way today, he who calls upon the name of the Lord, acknowledging Him as his only hope, will be saved. To all such He is "rich."

The features of the godly remnant are clearly marked in these verses. They wait upon the Lord, they call upon Him in truth, they fear Him, and they love Him, and they have confidence in His care for them and in His salvation.

His ear too is open to the cry of those who seek Him — He fulfils the desire of those who fear Him. He preserves those that love Him. In this way He is interested in every need, and takes notice of all our ways. So the exercises of our hearts will have caused us to know Him.

The psalmist celebrates the glory and blessedness of the kingdom of the Lord. The kingdoms of men pass away, and while they last they are marked by earthly pride and power used as the ruler pleases. This kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, marked by the grace of the Lord that stoops down. He lifts up the fallen. He raises the crushed. He provides for the need of every living thing. He listens to the cry of all who call on Him. He fulfils the desire of those who fear Him, and preserves all who love Him, but deals in judgment with those who oppose Him.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick. In the same way, enjoying what you wanted is pleasant — but only if the fear of God governs the desire. Without His will, nothing is wise, good, or sweet.

But where His fear is, desire is fulfilled. Yet here, too, the cry so often rises out of the evil into which sin has plunged them. But it is under the restraint of His hand, and out of it He saves. And indeed He preserves all that love Him; while the wicked meet their necessary doom.

We also receive all that we ask for, when we walk in love before Him, doing what is pleasing in His sight. Walking in His presence with confidence, the heart and its desires answer to this blessed influence. They are formed by the enjoyment of communion with Him in the light of His face... And He lends His power to the fulfilment of these desires. He is their source, and He forms them in the heart by the revelation of Himself.

God will not compromise righteousness when He meets His creatures' needs, even though they do not deserve such care. For the cross of Christ has established His righteousness as joined to the grace of His great heart. Of course, Israel knew nothing about the cross when this was written, but God did. So He is fully justified in fulfilling the desire of those who fear Him (v. 19), hearing their cry and saving them. And so He will preserve all who love Him for the blessing of the thousand years of peace.

He has committed Himself to answer the prayers of His people, and to fulfil the desires of those who fear Him (Ps. 145:19). But sometimes it proves a long voyage before the praying saint sees a return on his venture. There is often a long and sharp winter between the sowing time of prayer and the reaping. He hears us as soon as we pray, but we often do not hear from Him so soon. Prayers are not long on their journey to heaven, but long in coming back with a full answer. No faithful prayer was ever lost at sea. No merchant trades with such certainty as the praying saint. Some prayers have a longer voyage than others, but then they come back with the richer cargo at last.

His ear too is open to the cry of those who seek Him — He fulfils the desire of those who fear Him. He preserves those that love Him. He is interested in every want, and takes notice of all our ways. So the exercises of our hearts will have caused us to know Him.

The psalmist celebrates the glory and blessedness of the Lord's kingdom. The kingdoms of men pass away, and while they last they are marked by earthly pride and arbitrary power. This kingdom lasts for ever, and it is marked by the grace of a Lord who stoops down. He lifts up the fallen, raises the crushed, and provides for the need of every living thing. He listens to the cry of all who call upon Him. He fulfills the desire of those who fear Him, and preserves all those who love Him, but He deals in judgment with those who oppose Him.

The fourth section begins in Ps. 145:13 by proclaiming that the Lord's kingdom "is an everlasting kingdom." It takes us down to verse 20, where the psalmist speaks of the Lord preserving those who love Him and destroying the wicked. He will indeed do this before He brings in His kingdom of a thousand years. The Lord's dominion will never give place to another, for "Your dominion endures throughout all generations."

Because Messiah was rejected, Israel will have to pass through a time of suffering like no other, the "time of Jacob's trouble." But the Lord will bring the remnant through it all… While the divine judgments are poured out, "The Lord preserves all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy."

Ps. 1 shows two classes, the godly and the ungodly, living side by side. The ungodly, who will have been as thorns in the sides of the righteous, will pass away, while the true saints will remain… The psalms speak often of the future of the godly, whose proper hope is to be kept alive on earth (Ps. 1:3; 37:29; 56:13 … 145:20) — a picture how different from the one we have been accustomed to!

God will not compromise righteousness in meeting His creatures' needs this way, even though they do not deserve such care. The cross of Christ has wonderfully established His righteousness as joined to the grace of His great heart… So He is perfectly justified in fulfilling the desire of those who fear Him (v. 19), hearing their cry and saving them. He will preserve all who love Him for the blessing of the thousand years of peace. Then grace will no longer be offered to the wicked; instead, He will justly measure out destruction (v. 20).

Those who truly love God do so by trusting His own love to them. So their love is no doubtful or uncertain feeling… Love is of God first, and then to God. This love back to Him is the first affection of a soul made alive, and its comfort is knowing that He knows it and does not despise it.

Verses 18-20 refer directly to the moral order of that rule. He who is higher than the highest will not then be what He is now: a distant onlooker who bears long with human folly and misrule (Ecc. 5:8). He will be a present Saviour and a swift avenger of all who cry to Him under unjust suffering. The Christian, whose present lot is to be as a sheep for the slaughter, lives on these words as words of promise, as one saved by hope, and waits patiently for the appearing of the righteous judge.

Psalm 145 goes on in thought into the millennium, after the distress is over, and the full deliverance can be celebrated. It is Christ in spirit — perhaps even in person — as in the midst of Israel, leading the praises of Jehovah, and awakening them among men... Verse 21 returns to the purpose of heart of the leader of praise. It is as man Christ speaks here — "my God."... Notice that in the psalm there is the leader who speaks, the saints (the faithful remnant of Israel), and the world in general, the sons of Adam... Jehovah's kingdom is set up; the Messiah in the midst of Israel first, then the preserved saints, and then, through their leading, all the world joins in His praises, for His greatness, goodness, and wonderful works.

Psalm 145:21 is the closing section. It speaks of what will mark the coming kingdom. The leader of the praise says, "My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD." Then he calls on all flesh to "bless His holy name forever and ever." Do these words not remind us of Him who says, "From you comes my praise in the great congregation… all the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you"? (Psalm 22:25, 27)

The kingdoms of men pass away, and while they last they are marked by earthly pride and power that answers to no one. This kingdom is different. It is an everlasting kingdom, marked by the grace of the Lord who stoops down. He lifts up the fallen, raises the crushed, and provides for the need of every living thing... (v. 21) The greatness and grace of the Lord fill the psalmist's soul, and he calls all flesh to "bless His holy name forever and ever."

The closing verse passes the chorus of Jehovah's praise from the lips of the One who leads it to the whole family of man on earth: "Let all flesh bless His holy name forever and ever." May that day soon come!

We may compare the warning in Zechariah 2:13; the millennial song of Christ, Psalm 145:21: "Let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever"; the judgment of the apostates, Isaiah 66:24: "They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." See also Genesis 6:12.

How full David's heart was as he looked ahead in spirit to a scene on earth where persecution has ended, man's power for evil is broken, and the destruction of the wicked is in view... When in the world's history, since the days of Noah, has anything like this been seen — all flesh blessing God's holy name? We can all understand the wish. Will it ever come about?

David's example of closing with praise sets the pattern for the faithful remnant in the future. A coming day will see it fulfilled, for the book of Psalms, as we have already said, is prophetic. That day will come, and the five Psalms that now follow (146–150), the closing songs of the Psalter, look ahead to it.

The Spirit of God left out the letter Nun, and that surely suggests that Psalm 145 could not supply the full measure of Jehovah's praise. All the praise of the five psalms that follow is needed... Full measure also needs the tributes of praise in Revelation 5:9-14 and the Hallelujahs of Revelation 19:1-6 — praise that will fill heaven and the wide universe of God, praise to God and to the Lamb.

We might expect the twenty-one verses that remain to divide into three sevens... but they do not. The structure is 7, 6, 8. The middle section does not reach 7, and the last one runs over into 8. That overflow shows, as the final verse itself does, that the praise here is eternal.