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Psalm 145[a]

The Greatness and Goodness of God

Praise. Of David.

I will extol you, my God and king;
    I will bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you;
    I will praise your name forever and ever.(A)
Great is the Lord and worthy of much praise,(B)
    whose grandeur is beyond understanding.
One generation praises your deeds to the next
    and proclaims your mighty works.(C)
They speak of the splendor of your majestic glory,
    tell of your wonderful deeds.(D)
They speak of the power of your awesome acts
    and recount your great deeds.(E)
They celebrate your abounding goodness
    and joyfully sing of your justice.
The Lord is gracious and merciful,
    slow to anger and abounding in mercy.(F)
The Lord is good to all,
    compassionate toward all your works.(G)
10 All your works give you thanks, Lord
    and your faithful bless you.(H)
11 They speak of the glory of your reign
    and tell of your mighty works,
12 Making known to the sons of men your mighty acts,
    the majestic glory of your rule.
13 Your reign is a reign for all ages,
    your dominion for all generations.(I)
The Lord is trustworthy in all his words,
    and loving in all his works.
14 The Lord supports all who are falling
    and raises up all who are bowed down.(J)
15 The eyes of all look hopefully to you;
    you give them their food in due season.(K)
16 You open wide your hand
    and satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17 The Lord is just in all his ways,
    merciful in all his works.(L)
18 The Lord is near to all who call upon him,
    to all who call upon him in truth.(M)
19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he hears their cry and saves them.(N)
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
    but all the wicked he destroys.(O)
21 My mouth will speak the praises of the Lord;
    all flesh will bless his holy name forever and ever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 145 A hymn in acrostic form; every verse begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Acrostic poems usually do not develop ideas but consist rather of loosely connected statements. The singer invites all to praise God (Ps 145:1–3, 21). The “works of God” make God present and invite human praise (Ps 145:4–7); they climax in a confession (Ps 145:8–9). God’s mighty acts show forth divine kingship (Ps 145:10–20), a major theme in the literature of early Judaism and in Christianity.

Psalm 145[a]

A psalm of praise. Of David.

I will exalt you,(A) my God the King;(B)
    I will praise your name(C) for ever and ever.
Every day I will praise(D) you
    and extol your name(E) for ever and ever.

Great(F) is the Lord and most worthy of praise;(G)
    his greatness no one can fathom.(H)
One generation(I) commends your works to another;
    they tell(J) of your mighty acts.(K)
They speak of the glorious splendor(L) of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.[b](M)
They tell(N) of the power of your awesome works—(O)
    and I will proclaim(P) your great deeds.(Q)
They celebrate your abundant goodness(R)
    and joyfully sing(S) of your righteousness.(T)

The Lord is gracious and compassionate,(U)
    slow to anger and rich in love.(V)

The Lord is good(W) to all;
    he has compassion(X) on all he has made.
10 All your works praise you,(Y) Lord;
    your faithful people extol(Z) you.(AA)
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom(AB)
    and speak of your might,(AC)
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts(AD)
    and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.(AE)
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,(AF)
    and your dominion endures through all generations.

The Lord is trustworthy(AG) in all he promises(AH)
    and faithful in all he does.[c]
14 The Lord upholds(AI) all who fall
    and lifts up all(AJ) who are bowed down.(AK)
15 The eyes of all look to you,
    and you give them their food(AL) at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
    and satisfy the desires(AM) of every living thing.

17 The Lord is righteous(AN) in all his ways
    and faithful in all he does.(AO)
18 The Lord is near(AP) to all who call on him,(AQ)
    to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires(AR) of those who fear him;(AS)
    he hears their cry(AT) and saves them.(AU)
20 The Lord watches over(AV) all who love him,(AW)
    but all the wicked he will destroy.(AX)

21 My mouth will speak(AY) in praise of the Lord.
    Let every creature(AZ) praise his holy name(BA)
    for ever and ever.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
  2. Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
  3. Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.