A praise-hymn concerning the kingdom of the Lord, and the Lord the King 

Praise resounds through this song from beginning to end, and in this respect it brings us near to the environment of Heaven. The greatness, graciousness, righteousness and goodness of God are extolled. God’s provision, preservation and providence are rejoiced in, and His government and kingdom take on eternal properties. 

Both spiritual and temporal truths are listed. The Universality of dependence is taught (v. 15), as well as the Infinitude of divine resources (v. 16). We also see the Timelessness of provision (v. 15), with the Grace of that provision (v. 16), “Thou openest thine Hand.” David also writes of the Sufficiency of the supply (v. 16), “Thou satisfiest.” If only we would trust and open our eyes to Him, He will open His Hand to us. Even dumb beggars can speak with their eyes. In olden days in Scotland, each home had a meal barrel. A young Scots boy, when hungry, always saw food provided when his mother prayed. He told her, ‘God hears you when you are scraping the bottom of the barrel.’

-Pastor Jeff O’ Neil

Recommended Tune: St Lawrence

Psalm 145 (I) – First Version

¹I’ll thee extol, my God, O King;
I’ll bless thy name always.
²Thee will I bless each day, and will
Thy name for ever praise.

³Great is the LORD, much to be prais’d;
His greatness search exceeds.
⁴Race unto race shall praise thy works,
And show thy mighty deeds.

⁵I of thy glorious majesty
The honour will record;
I’ll speak of all thy mighty works,
Which wondrous are, O Lord.

⁶Men of thine acts the might shall show,
Thine acts that dreadful are;
And I, thy glory to advance,
Thy greatness will declare.

⁷The mem’ry of thy goodness great
They largely shall express;
With songs of praise they shall extol
Thy perfect righteousness.

⁸The LORD is very gracious,
In him compassions flow;
In mercy he is very great,
And is to anger slow.

⁹The Lord JEHOVAH unto all
His goodness doth declare;
And over all his other works
His tender mercies are.

¹⁰Thee all thy works shall praise, O LORD,
And thee thy saints shall bless;
¹¹They shall thy kingdom’s glory show,
Thy pow’r by speech express:

¹²To make the sons of men to know
His acts done mightily,
And of his kingdom th’ excellent
And glorious majesty.

¹³Thy kingdom shall for ever stand,
Thy reign through ages all.
¹⁴GOD raiseth all that are bow’d down,
Upholdeth all that fall.

¹⁵The eyes of all things wait on thee,
The giver of all good;
And thou, in time convenient,
Bestow’st on them their food:

¹⁶Thine hand thou open’st lib’rally,
And of thy bounty gives
Enough to satisfy the need
Of ev’ry thing that lives.

¹⁷The LORD is just in all his ways,
Holy in his works all.
¹⁸GOD’s near to all that call on him,
In truth that on him call.

¹⁹He will accomplish the desire
Of those that do him fear:
He also will deliver them,
And he their cry will hear.

²⁰The LORD preserves all who him love,
That nought can them annoy:
But he all those that wicked are
Will utterly destroy.

²¹My mouth the praises of the LORD
To publish cease shall never:
Let all flesh bless his holy name
For ever and for ever.