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Commentary on Psalms 145 verses 10–21
The greatness and goodness of him who is optimus et maximus - the best and greatest of beings, were celebrated in the former part of the psalm; here, in these verses, we are taught to give him the glory of his kingdom, in the administration of which his greatness and goodness shine so clearly, so very brightly. Observe, as before,
I. From whom the tribute of praise is expected (Psa 145:10): All God's works shall praise him. They all minister to us matter for praise, and so praise him according to their capacity; even those that refuse to give him honour he will get himself honour upon. But his saints do bless him, not only as they have peculiar blessings from him, which other creatures have not, but as they praise him actively, while his other works praise him only objectively. They bless him, for they collect the rent or tribute of praise from the inferior creatures, and pay it into the treasury above. All God's works do praise him, as the beautiful building praises the builder or the well-drawn picture praises the painter; but the saints bless him as the children of prudent tender parents rise up and call them blessed. Of all God's works, his saints, the workmanship of his grace, the first-fruits of his creatures, have most reason to bless him.
II. For what this praise is to be given: They shall speak of thy kingdom. The kingdom of God among men is a thing to be often thought of and often spoken of. As, before, he had magnified God's greatness and goodness in general, so here he magnifies them with application to his kingdom. Consider then,
1.The greatness of his kingdom. It is great indeed, for all the kings and kingdoms of the earth are under his control. To show the greatness of God's kingdom, he observes, (1.) The pomp of it. Would we by faith look within the veil, we should see, and, believing, we should speak of the glory of his kingdom (Psa 145:11), the glorious majesty of it (Psa 145:12), for he has prepared his throne in the heavens, and it is high and lifted up, and surrounded with an innumerable company of angels. The courts of Solomon and Ahasuerus were magnificent; but, compared with the glorious majesty of God's kingdom, they were but as glow-worms to the sun. The consideration of this should strike an awe upon us in all our approaches to God. (2.) The power of it: When they speak of the glory of God's kingdom they must talk of his power, the extent of it, the efficacy of it - his power, by which he can do any thing and does every thing he pleases (Psa 145:11); and, as a proof of it, let them make known his mighty acts (Psa 145:12), that the sons of men may be invited to yield themselves his willing subjects and so put themselves under the protection of such a mighty potentate. (3.) The perpetuity of it, Psa 145:13. The thrones of earthly princes totter, and the flowers of their crowns wither, monarchies come to an end; but, Lord, thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. God will govern the world to the end of time, when the Mediator, who is now entrusted with the administration of his kingdom, shall deliver it up to God, even the Father, that he may be all in all to eternity. His dominion endures throughout all generations, for he himself is eternal, and his counsels are unchangeable and uniform; and Satan, who has set up a kingdom in opposition to him, is conquered and in a chain.
2.The goodness of his kingdom. His royal style and title are, The Lord God, gracious and merciful; and his government answers to his title. The goodness of God appears in what he does,
(1.)For all the creatures in general (Psa 145:15, Psa 145:16): He provides food for all flesh, and therein appears his everlasting mercy, Psa 136:25. All the creatures live upon God, and, as they had their being from him at first, so from him they have all the supports of their being and on him they depend for the continuance of it. [1.] The eye of their expectation attends upon him: The eyes of all wait on thee. The inferior creatures indeed have not the knowledge of God, nor are capable of it, and yet they are said to wait upon God, because they seek their food according to the instinct which the God of nature has put into them (and they sow not, neither do they reap, Mat 6:26), and because they take what the God of nature has provided for them, in the time and way that he has appointed, and are content with it. [2.] The hand of his bounty is stretched out to them: Thou givest them their meat in due season, the meat proper for them, and in the proper time, when they need it; so that none of the creatures ordinarily perish for want of food, no, not in the winter. Thou openest thy hand freely and liberally, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing, except some of the unreasonable children of men, that will be satisfied with nothing, but are still complaining, still crying, Give, give.
(2.)For the children of men in particular, whom he governs as reasonable creatures.
[1.]He does none of them any wrong, for (Psa 145:17) the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and not unrighteous in any of them; he is holy, and acts like himself, with a perfect rectitude in all his works. In all the acts of government he is just, injurious to none, but administering justice to all. The ways of the lord are equal, though ours are unequal. In giving laws, in deciding controversies, in recompensing services, and punishing offences, he is incontestably just, and we are bound to own that he is so.
[2.]He does all of them good, his own people in a special manner.
First, He supports those that are sinking, and it is his honour to help the weak, Psa 145:14. He upholds all that fall, in that, though they fall, they are not utterly cast down. Many of the children of men are brought very low by sickness and other distresses, and seem ready to drop into the grave, and yet Providence wonderfully upholds them, raises them up, and says, Return, Psa 110:3. If all had died who once seemed dying, the world would have been very thin. Many of the children of God, who have been ready to fall into sin, to fall into despair, have experienced his goodness in preventing their falls, or recovering them speedily by his graces and comforts, so that, though they fell, they were not utterly cast down, Psa 37:24. If those who were bowed down by oppression and affliction are raised up, it was God that raised them. And, with respect to all those that are heavy-laden under the burden of sin, if they come to Christ by faith, he will ease them, he will raise them.
Secondly, He is very ready to hear and answer the prayers of his people, Psa 145:18, Psa 145:19. In this appears the grace of his kingdom, that his subjects have not only liberty of petitioning, but all the encouragement that can be to petition. 1. The grant is very rich, that God will be nigh to all that call upon him; he will be always within call of their prayers, and they shall always find themselves within reach of his help. If a neighbour that is near is better than a brother afar off (Pro 27:10), much more a God that is near. Nay, he will not only be nigh to them, that they may have the satisfaction of being heard, but he will fulfil their desires; they shall have what they ask and find that they seek. It was said (Psa 145:16) that he satisfies the desire of every living thing, much more will he fulfil the desire of those that fear him; for he that feeds his birds will not starve his babes. He will hear their call and will save them; that is hearing them to purpose, as he heard David (that is, saved him) from the horn of the unicorn, Psa 22:21. 2. The proviso is very reasonable. He will hear and help us, (1.) If we fear him, if we worship and serve him with a holy awe of him; for otherwise how can we expect that he should accept us? (2.) If we call upon him in truth; for he desires truth in the inward part. We must be faithful to God, and sincere in our professions of dependence on him, and devotedness to him. In all devotions inward impressions must be answerable to the outward expressions, else they are not performed in truth.
Thirdly, He takes those under his special protection who have a confidence and complacency in him (Psa 145:20): The Lord preserves all those that love him; they lie exposed in this world, but he, by preserving them in their integrity, will effectually secure them, that no real evil shall befal them.
[3.]If any are destroyed they may thank themselves: All the wicked he will destroy, but they have by their wickedness fitted themselves for destruction. This magnifies his goodness in the protection of the righteous, that with their eyes they shall see the reward of the wicked (Psa 91:8); and God will by this means preserve his people, even by destroying the wicked that would do them a mischief.
Lastly, The psalmist concludes, 1. With a resolution to give glory to God himself (Psa 145:21): My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord. When we have said what we can, in praising God, still there is more to be said, and therefore we must not only begin our thanksgivings with this purpose, as he did (Psa 145:1), but conclude them with it, as he does here, because we shall presently have occasion to begin again. As the end of one mercy is the beginning of another, so should the end of one thanksgiving be. While I have breath to draw, my mouth shall still speak God's praises. 2. With a call to others to do so too: Let all flesh, all mankind, bless his holy name for ever and ever. Some of mankind shall be blessing God for ever; it is a pity but that they should be all so engaged.
"Let all Your works, O Lord, confess to You, and let Your saints bless You" [Psalm 145:10]. How so? Is not the earth His work? Are not the trees His work? Cattle, beasts, fish, fowl, are not they His works? Plainly they too are. And how shall these too confess to Him? I see indeed in the angels that His works confess to Him, for the angels are His works: and men are His works; and when men confess to Him, His works confess to Him; but have trees and stones the voice of confession? Yes, verily; "let all" His "works confess to" Him. What do you say? Even the earth and the trees?...But there arises the same question in regard of praise, as in regard of confession. For if earth and all things devoid of sensation therefore cannot confess, because they have no voice to confess with; neither will they be able to praise, because they have no voice to proclaim with. But do not those Three Children enumerate all things, as they walked amid the harmless flames, who had leisure not only not to fear, but even to praise God? They say to all things, heavenly and earthly, "Bless ye the Lord, praise Him and magnify Him for ever." Behold how they praise. Let none think that the dumb stone or dumb animal has reason wherewith to comprehend God. They who have thought this, have erred far from the truth. God has ordered everything, and made everything: to some He has given sense and understanding and immortality, as to the angels; to some He has given sense and understanding with mortality, as to man; to some He has given bodily sense, yet gave them not understanding, or immortality, as to cattle: to some He has given neither sense, nor understanding, nor immortality, as to herbs, trees, stones: yet even these cannot be wanting in their kind, and by certain degrees He has ordered His creation, from earth up to heaven, from visible to invisible, from mortal to immortal. This framework of creation, this most perfectly ordered beauty, ascending from lowest to highest, descending from highest to lowest, never broken, but tempered together of things unlike, all praises God. Wherefore then does all praise God? Because when you consider it, and see its beauty, thou in it praisest God. The beauty of the earth is a kind of voice of the dumb earth....And this which you have found in it, is the very voice of its confession, that you praise the Creator. When you have thought on the universal beauty of this world, does not its very beauty as it were with one voice answer you, "I made not myself, God made me"?
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SUMMARY
Psalms 145:10 articulates a profound truth about God's universal sovereignty and inherent worthiness of praise, declaring a dual chorus of adoration. It proclaims that all of God's created works, through their very existence, design, and function, inherently testify to His glory and power, while His devoted saints offer conscious, intentional, and vocal blessings, uniting creation's silent witness with humanity's active worship in a grand, harmonious symphony of praise to the LORD.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 145:10 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its powerful message. Synonymous Parallelism is evident in the two clauses, where "All thy works shall praise thee" is echoed and deepened by "and thy saints shall bless thee." While not perfectly synonymous (as "praise" and "bless" have distinct nuances and "works" differs from "saints"), the second clause reinforces and specifies the universal theme of adoration introduced in the first, creating a comprehensive picture of worship. Anthropomorphism is present in the idea of "works" (inanimate creation) being able to "praise" God, attributing human-like action to non-human entities to emphasize their inherent testimony to His glory. The use of "O LORD" (Yahweh) serves as a direct Apostrophe, addressing God personally and directly, inviting intimacy and reverence. The verse also implicitly uses Merism by juxtaposing "works" (the totality of creation) and "saints" (God's redeemed people), suggesting that praise comes from every sphere of existence, from the vastest to the most intimate, encompassing all that God has made and all whom He has called into relationship with Himself.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 145:10 presents a profound theological truth: God is worthy of universal praise, both from His creation and from His redeemed people. This duality underscores His absolute sovereignty as Creator and His intimate relationship as Redeemer. The inherent testimony of His works, which silently declare His glory, serves as a foundation for the conscious, intentional worship of His saints. This distinction highlights humanity's unique capacity for volitional adoration, a response born of covenant and grace. The verse thus encapsulates the biblical vision of all creation ultimately serving God's purposes and all His people actively glorifying His name, a theme that resonates throughout Scripture, culminating in the eschatological vision of universal worship.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
This verse calls us to a twofold awareness and response. First, it invites us to cultivate a profound appreciation for God's presence and glory in the natural world. Every sunrise, every mountain, every intricate living organism is a testament to His creative power and meticulous design. To truly see God's "works" praising Him is to engage with creation not merely as a resource or a backdrop, but as a vibrant, living declaration of His attributes, prompting our own awe and wonder. Second, and more personally, it challenges us, as God's "saints," to actively and intentionally "bless" Him. This is not a passive acknowledgment but a conscious, deliberate act of worship, gratitude, and adoration. It means living lives that reflect His goodness, speaking of His mighty acts, and offering our time, talents, and resources in service to His kingdom. Our worship should be a continuous, joyful response to His unending goodness, mirroring the universal chorus of praise and demonstrating our unique privilege as those who know and love Him.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the difference between "works praising" and "saints blessing" God?
Answer: The distinction lies in the nature of the praise and the agency involved. When the verse states, "All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD," it refers to the inherent, passive testimony of creation. By their very existence, intricate design, and consistent function, God's works (everything He has made) declare His glory, wisdom, and power. This is not a vocal or conscious act but an intrinsic declaration, a silent yet profound hymn. For example, the intricate design of a flower or the vastness of the cosmos silently points to a divine Creator, as articulated in Romans 1:20. In contrast, "and thy saints shall bless thee" refers to the active, conscious, and volitional worship offered by God's faithful people. The "saints" are those who have a personal, covenantal relationship with God, characterized by their loyalty and devotion (from the Hebrew chasidim). Their "blessing" is a deliberate act of adoration, thanksgiving, and verbal praise, often involving kneeling or bowing, expressing gratitude and acknowledging God's goodness and mighty acts. This dual praise highlights God's comprehensive worthiness, honored both by the natural order He established and by the intentional worship of those He has redeemed.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 145:10 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in Jesus Christ. As the very agent of creation, "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him" (Colossians 1:16), Jesus is the One through whom "all thy works" truly praise the Father. His very being and the order He upholds in the cosmos are a continuous testament to divine glory, echoing the Father's creative power. Furthermore, Christ is the Head of the Church, the ultimate "saint" who perfectly blessed the Father through His obedient life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection. It is through His redemptive work that humanity is reconciled to God, sanctified, and empowered by the Holy Spirit to become true "saints" who can offer acceptable worship. The "saints" who "bless" the Lord do so by virtue of their union with Christ, who Himself offered the perfect praise and obedience to the Father. He is the Lamb of God, worthy of all praise, and the One who gathers a people from every tribe and tongue to join in a universal chorus of adoration, as envisioned in Revelation 5:12-13). Thus, in Christ, creation's silent praise and humanity's conscious blessing converge, fulfilling the psalm's vision of a world united in glorifying God, for "every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:11).