Psalm 145 – An exhortation to praise the Lord

Psalm 145 is the final of all David’s compositions. In this Psalm David is calling for the Lord to be praised. Much like Psalm 119, this one is also an Alphabet or Acrostic Psalm, meaning he composed every line with a Hebrew alphabet. Note that in this Psalm he did not utilize the Hebrew alphabet “nun”. Here David not only praised the Lord, but He also called on all who put their trust in the Lord to praise Him. He would not only praise Him every day but would also praise Him forever. One may ask the question: “Why praise the Lord?” So David set out from verse 3 right through to the last verse giving reasons why we should do so.

Firstly, it’s because of His greatness which is unsearchable. This greatness is demonstrated in all the works He had done and still continues to do. When we think about His works and acts, we would not be silent. Declaring the greatness of His works should be a spontaneous response. Everyone individually should contemplate the magnificence of His works and to declare it. This should be one’s desire through all generations.

Secondly, we praise God for all His wonderful attributes. He is good, righteous, and gracious. They can be seen in the way He responds to man, showing great mercy and patience. He should have destroyed mankind for our constant stubborn resistance, yet He patiently woo us with His great love. Hence, we must gratefully remember His goodness and praise Him always. In verses 14-16, David shows God’s attribute of mercy at work. He lifts up the fallen and divinely provides for the needs of everyone. In verse 15 David tells us that His ways are righteous and His works are holy.

Thirdly, praises should also be offered for His great and everlasting Kingdom, which is not only glorious but also powerful and majestic. It’s a kingdom that saints would and should constantly speak about. And finally, we praise Him for His ever willingness to draw near to us. He will draw near to all who call upon Him in sincerity. Besides that, He will also grant the desires of those who fear Him. He will preserve those who love Him and will destroy the wicked. It is no wonder that David should conclude by calling on all flesh to praise the Lord forever.

Remember all His wonderful attributes so that we will know how merciful and great God truly is. As we do so, let’s make praising God our habit. Don’t do it only once in a while, do it daily and perpetually. Make sure it is our life-long habit!