Bible Commentaries

Psalms 145.

David praiseth God for his fame, for his goodness, for his kingdom, for his providence, and for his saving mercy.

David's Psalm of praise.

Title. לדוד תהלה tehillah ledavid.— It has been thought that David composed this admirable hymn, after he had obtained those favours of God for himself, and for the nation, which he begs in the foregoing psalm; in the 9th verse whereof it is imagined by some that he promises this psalm; concerning which many of the ancient Hebrews were wont to say, (too much in the Pharisaic spirit,) that "He could not fail to be a child of the world to come, who should repeat this psalm three times every day." It is a song of praise to God, in which the author magnifies all his attributes, and his goodness particularly, in such a manner, as his people, and the whole body of mankind, he intimates, should adore him, and do him homage. The psalm is of the alphabetical kind, and therefore no great connection is to be expected in it. See Bishop Lowth's 24th Prelection.

Psalms 145:6. And men shall speak— So shall men speak of the might of thy awful doings, when I have declared thy greatness. Mudge, Houbigant, Bishop Hare, and others, read the 5th verse they shall speak; and so on in the plural.

Psalms 145:7. They shall abundantly utter, &c.— The Hebrew word יביעו iabbiu, properly signifies to pour forth, as a fountain doth water.

Psalms 145:12. To make known, &c.— Making known, &c. his mighty acts. This sudden change of persons, as we have before observed, is frequent among the Hebrews.

Psalms 145:14.— Between this and the 13th verse is omitted the verse beginning with nun, in the Hebrew; but as the LXX. and some other translations have it, it is easily supplied: יהוה נאמן neeman Jehovah, &c. The Lord is faithful in his words, and holy in all his works.

Psalms 145:18. In truth— Or, in fidelity, or constancy. This fidelity or constancy may be applied either to the person praying, or to the prayer itself. If to the person, it then signifies his firm adherence to God, and constancy in serving him, without applying himself to any indirect means to obtain what he prays for; but waiting only on God to receive it from him in his good time. If to the prayer itself, it signifies the constancy of his address, in not giving over his petitions when they are not immediately granted, but enforcing them with importunity; and it is to the union of these two conditions that the promise is here made, that the prayer so qualified shall certainly, in God's due time, be answered by him.