ScriptureDepth's study of Psalm 145
“Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! His greatness is unsearchable.”
Psalms 145:3
The psalmist proclaims Yahweh's greatness to the faithful, which anchors the entire psalm's declaration of praise and recognition of God's unsearchable nature.
What Psalm 145 is about
The psalmist begins with a declaration of praise, intending to exalt God, the King, continually (vv. 1-2). The greatness of God is affirmed as unsearchable, encouraging generations to commend His works and declare His mighty acts (vv. 3-4). The psalmist meditates on God's glorious majesty and wondrous works, noting that people will speak of His awesome might while singing of His righteousness and great goodness (vv. 5-7). Attributes of God are highlighted, portraying Him as gracious, merciful, and loving (vv. 8-13). His kingdom is everlasting, and He is faithful in all His words and loving in all His deeds (vv. 13). God upholds those who fall and provides for creation, satisfying every living thing (vv. 14-16). He is close to all who call on Him in truth, fulfilling the desires of those who fear Him (vv. 18-19). The psalm concludes with a call to praise, affirming that all flesh should bless His holy name forever (vv. 20-21).
Yahweh preserves those who love Him, while the wicked face destruction.
Psalm 145 at a glance
- Psalm 145:1–2A Declaration of Praise
- Psalm 145:3–7The Greatness of God
- Psalm 145:8–13Attributes of God
- Psalm 145:14–19God's Care for His Creation
- Psalm 145:20–21Conclusion of Praise
Key verse: Psalms 145:3
Summary and study helps: AI-drafted (September 2026), checked by automated Scripture gates. Spotted an error? Report it. Fixes are listed on the corrections page.
Chapter text
Read Psalm 145 (WEB)
A Declaration of Praise Psalm 145:1–2
1Verse 1. I will exalt you, my God, the King.I will praise your name forever and ever.2Verse 2. Every day I will praise you.I will extol your name forever and ever.
The Greatness of God Psalm 145:3–7
3Verse 3. Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised!His greatness is unsearchable.4Verse 4. One generation will commend your works to another,and will declare your mighty acts.5Verse 5. Of the glorious majesty of your honor,of your wondrous works, I will meditate.6Verse 6. Men will speak of the might of your awesome acts.I will declare your greatness.7Verse 7. They will utter the memory of your great goodness,and will sing of your righteousness.
Attributes of God Psalm 145:8–13
8Verse 8. Yahweh is gracious, merciful,slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.9Verse 9. Yahweh is good to all.His tender mercies are over all his works.10Verse 10. All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh.Your saints will extol you.11Verse 11. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom,and talk about your power;12Verse 12. to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts,the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.13Verse 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 Care for His Creation Psalm 145:14–19
14Verse 14. Yahweh upholds all who fall,and raises up all those who are bowed down.15Verse 15. The eyes of all wait for you.You give them their food in due season.16Verse 16. You open your hand,and satisfy the desire of every living thing.17Verse 17. Yahweh is righteous in all his ways,and gracious in all his works.18Verse 18. Yahweh is near to all those who call on him,to all who call on him in truth.19Verse 19. He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him.He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
Conclusion of Praise Psalm 145:20–21
20Verse 20. Yahweh preserves all those who love him,but all the wicked he will destroy.21Verse 21. My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh.Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
World English Bible (public domain)
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Main themes in Psalm 145
God's greatness
God's greatness is proclaimed in several instances, notably in v. 3 where it states, 'Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised!' The psalmist expresses that God's greatness is 'unsearchable,' conveying an incomprehensible aspect of divine majesty. This theme continues as the psalmist mentions in v. 6 how people will 'declare your greatness,' showcasing a generational transmission of praise for God's mighty acts.
Divine mercy
In verses 8-9, the psalmist describes God as 'gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great loving kindness.' The mercy of God is extended to all creation, as stated in verse 9, 'Yahweh is good to all.' This divine mercy is further expressed through God’s attentive care for those who call on him, indicating a nurturing relationship between God and humanity.
Eternal praise
The concept of eternal praise is woven throughout the psalm, starting from the opening declaration in vv. 1-2 where the psalmist vows to 'exalt' God and 'praise your name forever and ever.' The concluding verses, particularly v. 21, reinforce this sentiment with the commitment that 'my mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh,' inviting 'all flesh' to continue blessing God's holy name eternally.
Faithfulness of God
The faithfulness of God is articulated in verse 13, which states, 'Yahweh is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds.' This faithfulness is connected to the eternal nature of God’s kingdom, illustrating a steadfastness that endures through generations. In verse 19, the psalmist notes that God 'will hear their cry, and will save them,' affirming God's commitment to those who love him.
Chapter outline
How Psalm 145 unfolds
Psalm 145:1–2 A Declaration of Praise
The speaker declares their intent to 'exalt' God and 'praise' His name continually (vv. 1-2). This sets a tone of ongoing worship and recognition of God's authority.
Psalm 145:3–7 The Greatness of God
The verses declare 'Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised' and call generations to commend 'your works to another' while meditating on 'your wondrous works' and declaring 'your greatness' (vv. 3-7).
Psalm 145:8–13 Attributes of God
These verses describe God’s character, identifying Him as 'gracious,' 'merciful,' and 'good' (vv. 8-13). They articulate the nature of God's kingdom and His everlasting dominion.
Psalm 145:14–19 God's Care for His Creation
The psalmist states 'Yahweh upholds all who fall' and 'raises up all those who are bowed down', while assuring that 'you give them their food in due season' and 'will save them' (vv. 14-19).
Psalm 145:20–21 Conclusion of Praise
The speaker states 'Yahweh preserves all those who love him' and resolves 'My mouth will speak the praise of Yahweh', while calling 'all flesh' to bless 'his holy name forever and ever' (vv. 20-21).
Key verses
Psalms 145:3The psalmist proclaims Yahweh's greatness to the faithful, which anchors the entire psalm's declaration of praise and recognition of God's unsearchable nature.
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Study questions
Questions for studying Psalm 145
- observeIn v6, what does David declare about God's 'awesome acts'?
- observeWhat attributes of Yahweh are mentioned in v8 as part of His character?
- interpretIn v13, how does David describe the nature of Yahweh's kingdom and dominion?
- interpretWhat does David mean by 'those who fear him' in v19, and how does it affect their relationship with Yahweh?
- applyWhen have you experienced Yahweh's 'tender mercies' in your own life as described in v9?
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Cross-references
Passages that echo Psalm 145
- Psalm 37Psalm 145:19 and Psalm 37:4Both fulfill desires: Psalm 145:19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him, while Psalm 37:4 he will give you the desires of your heart.
- Psalm 34Psalm 145:18 and Psalm 34:18Both are near to the broken: Psalm 145:18 Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, while Psalm 34:18 Yahweh is near to those who have a broken heart.
- Isaiah 41Psalm 145:14 and Isaiah 41:10Both uphold and strengthen: Psalm 145:14 Yahweh upholds all who fall, while Isaiah 41:10 I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
- Psalm 46Psalm 145:18 and Psalm 46:1Both are present help: Psalm 145:18 Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, while Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength.
- James 4Psalm 145:18 and James 4:8Both draw near: Psalm 145:18 Yahweh is near to all those who call on him, while James 4:8 draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.
- Matthew 5Psalm 145:9 and Matthew 5:45Both show goodness: Psalm 145:9 Yahweh is good to all, while Matthew 5:45 he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good.
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