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“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.”
Psalms 145:3-4 NIV
Psalm 145 is titled “A Praise of David”. That doesn’t mean King David, the author of many of the psalms, is being praised — it means he has written a psalm of praise to the Lord. Two other psalms (Psalm 17 and Psalm 86) were titled “A Prayer of David”, so we see that Psalm 145 is unique in being a powerful song of praise.
James Montgomery Boice, cited on Enduring Word, said:
“Psalm 145 is indeed a monumental praise psalm, a fit summary of all David had learned about God during a long lifetime of following hard after the Almighty.” (James Montgomery Boice)
There are some other fascinating tidbits about this psalm. It’s the last one in the Book of Psalms attributed to David, and the last acrostic psalm (David wrote five of the nine). Psalm 146 was also quite important in the prayer practices of ancient Jews, as noted by Willem VanGemeren:
“In Jewish practice this psalm was recited twice in the morning and once in the evening service. The Talmud commends all who repeat it three times a day as having a share in the world to come.” (Willem VanGemeren)
Let’s look at this song of praise a verse at a time.
Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom
David begins by being effusive (as one should be!) in his praise of God. The Lord is not only great, but He is the most worthy of our praise. Why shouldn’t He be praised? His majesty is revealed in His creation and He faithfully cares for His people. God had delivered Israel from Egypt, established the kingship of David, and preserved His people repeatedly. The Lord is greater than any ruler on earth, and every false god.
God’s greatness demands love and worship with all of our hearts. In David’s time, Israel blessed His name with sacrifices, public offerings of thanks, and song. Everyone who believes in Him is obliged to honor Him through their conduct. Praise is centered on God and His works, not on our human achievements.
In stating that “His greatness no one can fathom”, David is explaining that nobody can ever describe or measure the whole of God’s holiness, power, wisdom, or mercy. Job recognized this during his trials, and in New Testament times the Apostle Paul worshipped the depth and breadth of God’s wisdom and knowledge. God made Himself known through His creation, His Word, and His Son, yet no human will every be able to truly comprehend His majesty.
One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.”
The next verse begins with a description of how godly people should live, passing on a love and respect for the Lord on to successive generations. In the time of David, faith was passed on through religious instruction, both in the community and at home. As far back in the Bible as Deuteronomy 6:-6-7, parents were commanded to teach God’s words to their children daily:
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
In David’s wise mind, praise is a sacred trust to be passed on to those who follow. The Christian church of today is the core of that continuing promise to carry the flame to the next generation.
Have you ever wondered why so much emphasis is put on teaching children the powerful stories of God’s mighty acts as written in Scripture? It’s because it makes an impression on young minds to hear about God’s creation, the flood that He brought upon the earth, the deliverance of God’s chosen people from Egypt through the Red Sea, and the eventual conquest of Canaan.
The people in David’s time reminded their children of these events that had taken place in the not-too-distant past so they’d understand that Yahweh — the living God — was entirely different from the powerless idols other nations worshipped. God’s greatest show of His power was displayed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, in which He defeated death and was confirmed as Lord and Messiah.
Through the memory and teaching of the events chronicled in Scripture, we all share in David’s praise and trust in God.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Lord, like your servant David, I praise You for Your immeasurable greatness. Guide me to share Your deeds with others I encounter, with the hope that Your Word continues to have a positive impact on future generations. Thank You for Your constant flow of blessings into my life and for always being there for me in both good and uncertain times. AMEN.