1.

I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

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.

2.

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

3.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

4.

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

5.

I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.

6.

And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.

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.

7.

They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

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

8.

The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.

9.

The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.

10.

All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

11.

They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;

12.

To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.

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.

13.

Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.

14.

The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.

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.

15.

The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.

16.

Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

17.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.

18.

The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.

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.

19.

He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.

20.

The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.

21.

My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.