Psalm 145:1-21 NIV
I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
All your works praise you, Lord; your faithful people extol you.
They tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.
The Lord upholds all who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
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Psalm 145 is a beautiful psalm of praise attributed to David. In fact the closing of the Book of Psalms begins with Psalm 145. It's all high praise from here on out, building to a crescendo, peaking at Psalm 150.
Praise is the language of God's people. Worship is our life's work. Everything we do ought to be in a spirit of praise.
Colossians 3:17 NIV
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
I wish I had that kind of discipline. It's something to shoot for. Of course the psalms themselves prove that perpetual praise is not Israel's experience. The psalms are filled with lament, words of sadness, fear, and anger. All of the many human emotions are present in the psalms. But all of them are brought before the Lord, trusting that God is compassionate and cares for His people. So even lament is a form of worship, to honor God with trust in the midst of trial. To believe in God's compassion and goodness is an offering of praise, when no goodness is to be found.
Psalm 145 exalts God as King and proclaims his worth. God is praised from generation to generation. They praise His majesty and tell of His mighty works. They speak of His glorious and everlasting kingdom. All creatures join in the praise!
The litany specifies some of the Lord's praiseworthy attributes. The Lord is compassionate, patient, good, caring, gracious, trustworthy, giving, faithful, and righteous. He is near to all who call on Him and watches over all who love Him. The providence of God is celebrated, how He is faithful to meet the needs of every living creature.
Psalm 145:15-16 NIV
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
Psalm 145 invites praise. As I read the verses I am drawn into the spirit of praise. My heart soars with the joy that David put into this work. I desire to join the multitude in worshiping the Lord. God inhabits praise. So in all things and in all ways praise the Lord. It's what you were made to do. Praise is our purpose in life.
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