The Bible — World English Bible

Psalm 145

In brief

Psalm 145 is David's praise, the last psalm that bears his name and an acrostic following the Hebrew alphabet. David commits to blessing God every day, and proclaims his unsearchable greatness, his goodness to all his creatures and his everlasting reign. God is described as gracious, slow to anger, near to all who call on him in truth, and faithful to uphold those who fall. The psalm ends with a praise that extends to all flesh. It is ideal for learning to praise.

The chapter in 5 parts

  1. v. 1-3I will bless you every day: great is the Lord
  2. v. 4-7Let every generation celebrate your works
  3. v. 8-13Gracious and good to all: an everlasting kingdom
  4. v. 14-16He upholds those who fall and satisfies every living thing
  5. v. 17-21Near to all who call on him, let all flesh bless his name

1I will exalt you, my God, the King. I will praise your name forever and ever.

2Every day I will praise you. I will extol your name forever and ever.

3Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.

4One generation will commend your works to another, and will declare your mighty acts.

5I will meditate on the glorious majesty of your honor, on your wondrous works.

6Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts. I will declare your greatness.

7They will utter the memory of your great goodness, and will sing of your righteousness.

8Yahweh is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.

9Yahweh is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.

10All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh. Your saints will extol you.

11They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk about your power,

12to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.

13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahweh is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.

14Yahweh upholds all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down.

15The eyes of all wait for you. You give them their food in due season.

16You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.

17Yahweh is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works.

18Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.

20Yahweh preserves all those who love him, but he will destroy all the wicked.

21My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh. Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

Key verses

Verse 3
Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.

God's greatness is unsearchable: it cannot be measured, it is celebrated. The psalm begins with praise, before any requests.

Verse 8
Yahweh is gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.

This is the description of God found in Exodus 34:6: gracious, merciful, slow to anger and of great loving kindness. It forms the heart of the psalm.

Verse 13
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahweh is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.

God's reign has no end. The psalm applies this reign to everything, from the nations to people who stumble.

Verse 14
Yahweh upholds all who fall, and raises up all those who are bowed down.

The Lord upholds all who fall and raises up all who are bowed down. A mighty king, yet close to those who are on the ground.

Verse 18
Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

God is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth, meaning without pretense. Access to God is open to everyone.

Bible verses to meditate on

Test your knowledge

All Bible quizzes →

Pray about this

What the sermons say

Psalm 145: Worshiping a King Who Is Great and Full of GoodnessA verse-by-verse study of the psalm: a king full of kindness toward all, who upholds those who fall, close to those who pray in truth, and whose wonders are told to the next generation.Read the summary →Matthew 6: Your Kingdom Come, Running Toward the Kingdom of GodBrendan White quotes verses 11 to 13 in his message on Matthew 6:10: God's kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, toward which we run by changing allegiance.Read the summary →25 Bible Verses on PrayerIn this selection on prayer, verse 18 shows that God's nearness is promised to all who call on him, with a sincere heart rather than a formal prayer.Read the summary →Co-heir with Christ: Your Identity, Your InheritanceIn the series on identity in God, verse 9 reminds us that the Lord is good to all, and that this inheritance is good because God is good.Read the summary →

Frequently asked questions about Psalm 145

What does Psalm 145 mean?

It is a psalm of praise: David proclaims God's greatness, his goodness to all his creatures and his everlasting reign. He also describes a God who is near, who lifts up those who fall and answers those who call on him sincerely. The psalm teaches us to praise by relying on who God is, not on what we feel.

Why is Psalm 145 special?

It is an acrostic: each verse begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, in order. It is the only psalm called “praise” in its title, and Jewish tradition recites it three times a day. It opens the last series of psalms devoted to praise, up to Psalm 150.

How do you pray Psalm 145?

Choose one verse a day: verse 2 to bless God on waking, verse 8 to remind yourself of his character, verse 14 to entrust to him whatever makes you fall, and verse 18 to come near to him without a mask. Finish with verse 21 by praising him aloud.

Articles quoting Psalm 145

← All chapters

World English Bible translation — public domain.