Sunday School Lesson
January 26
Lesson 9 (KJV)
The Lord Is Righteous
Devotional Reading: Hebrews 12:18–29
Background Scripture: Psalm 145
Psalm 145:1, 10–21
1 I will extol thee, my God, O king, and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Key Text
Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations. —Psalm 145:13
A King Forever and Ever
Unit 2: Our God Reigns
Lessons 6–9
Lesson Aims
After participating in this lesson, each learner will be able to:
1. Identify instances of Hebrew poetic parallelism in Psalm 145.
2. Explain the significance of those parallels.
3. Write a prayer that mimics the Hebrew parallelism of Psalm 145 and shares its themes.
How to Say It
Antioch An-tee-ock.
Corinthians Ko-rin-thee-unz (th as in thin).
Habakkuk Huh-back-kuk.
Septuagint Sep-too-ih-jent.
Introduction
A. Responding to Wonder
We know of great preachers and prolific writers, but can someone be both and do them well? John Chrysostom (AD 347–407) was one who could. A tribute to his preaching skills is the second part of his name, which isn’t a “last name” as we have today. Rather, the designation Chrysostom is a combination of two Greek words that mean “golden mouth”—an acknowledgment of the persuasiveness of his preaching.
John Chrysostom is recognized today as one of the “early church fathers” who were influential in the fourth century AD. The power of his influence was rooted not just in his preaching but also in his writings. More than 350 of his works exist today, one of which is a commentary on Psalm 145, today’s text.
In that commentary, John stated, “Since you have a great Lord, be uplifted yourself and rid yourself of this world’s affairs. Adopt a purpose which is superior to the lowliness of the present existence.” He exhorted his audiences in Antioch and Constantinople, which included powerful political leaders, to remember the greatness of God and their smallness in comparison. Recognizing God’s greatness would put their own lives into a proper context. John’s counsel is just as appropriate today.
B. Lesson Context
Psalm 145, today’s text, is an acrostic. That means that each line, verse, or section starts with a word that begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which has 22 letters. There are nine psalms that are acrostic in nature, the other eight being Psalms 10, 25, 34, 37, 9–10, 111, 112, and 119. (Psalms 9 and 10 count as one because the acrostic spans both; see discussion in lesson 6.) Other acrostics in the Bible are Proverbs 31:10–31 and the entire book of Lamentations. Regarding the latter, notice that chapters 1; 2; 4; and 5 have 22 verses each and that chapter 3 has 66 verses, which is a multiple of 22.
A sharp eye will notice that Psalm 145 has only 21 verses. So why the mismatch with the 22-l etter Hebrew alphabet? It comes down to an uncertainty in the ancient manuscripts. In most of those manuscripts, Psalm 145:13 lacks a line of text that would have included the absent Hebrew letter. This was noticed in antiquity, and the ancient Greek translation of the Bible, known as the Septuagint (translated at least 200 years before Christ), includes an extra line between verses 13 and 14; see more on this in the commentary below. Last week’s lesson noted that the 150 chapters of the Psalms are traditionally seen as a collection of five sub-books. Within the fifth of those sub-books, Psalm 145 is the final chapter before the extended coda of Psalms 146–150 begins.
I. Praiseworthy God, Part 1
(Psalm 145:1, 10–13)
A. What’s So! (vv. 1, 10–12)
1. I will extol thee, my God, O king, and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
Other lessons from the Psalms this quarter have introduced us to parallelism as a feature of Hebrew poetry. We saw last week in Psalm 103:1 that there are various synonyms or near-synonyms that express the concept of bless. That fact continues to hold true here in Psalm 145:1, as we see the words extol and bless alongside the words bless and praise in the verse that follows (which is not included in today’s lesson text). See also Psalm 34:1.
The psalm’s opening phrase I will extol thee is repeated exactly in the original language, in Psalm 30:1. A slight divergence between the two texts is seen in the next phrase: the text we are studying is directed toward my God, O king, while 30:1 has “O Lord.” They are clearly one and the same! God’s actions can be categorized in three ways: He creates, rules, and redeems. In proclaiming God as his king, the psalmist acknowledges the second of those three. The psalmist invites the reader to consider God’s character as good and powerful in that regard.
What Do You Think?
What do psalms in general teach you about exalting the Lord as king?
Digging Deeper
What actions take our exaltation of God out of the realm of mere words?
10. All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD, and thy saints shall bless thee. The phrase all thy works expands the scope beyond merely Israel and the entirety of humankind to encompass the inanimate elements of creation. The praise of God concerns all aspects of the universe (see Psalms 8 and 19). The saints are those who live in solidarity with both God and other people. They see themselves as carrying a responsibility for others, owing others respect, care, and concern shown in tangible actions. Those who live in such a way find room for praising God, even during difficult times, and those sincerely praising God have no problem being loyal to other people.
Contagious … in a Good Way
Rome’s Sistine Chapel is celebrated for its aweinspiring frescoes, painted by the famous artist Michelangelo (1475–1564). This grand structure embodies the theme of praise and exaltation of God through various visual images. The chapel’s architecture, characterized by its attention to detail, exudes a sense of the magnificence and grandeur of God. Visitors can’t help but be caught up in the motifs that overwhelm the senses—it’s contagious!
We may say the same about David’s intent when he wrote Psalm 145. Does it have that effect on you? If not, why? —O. P.
11–12. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power. To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
We group these two verses because they illustrate an X-shaped parallel construction similar to what we saw in last week’s lesson.
Glory is an attribute belonging to God (see Exodus 16:7; Deuteronomy 5:24; John 17:5). By extension, it also belongs to His kingdom. But we may ask ourselves, Who can be in this glorious kingdom besides God? In one sense, only those included in “the saints” of the previous verse are or will be kingdom-citizens (compare Philippians 3:20; etc.). In a broader sense, however, we see this declaration in Psalm 103:19: “The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.” There is only one ultimate king, and the rule of His kingdom is not limited. Satan has his own kingdom (Matthew 12:26), but in the end, it is temporary. People, both ancient and modern, also set themselves on the thrones of their hearts to be self-kingdoms or kingdoms-of-one; that is folly as well (Isaiah 14:13–15; Daniel 4:28–32; Ezekiel 28:2–3; etc.).
God’s all-encompassing kingdom does not equate to a human political structure (see John 18:36). Even so, we humans have God-ordained roles to play in it. One of those roles is found in the phrases they shall speak … and talk. This speaking and talking isn’t aimless chatter; rather, it aims to make God and His kingdom known to others. We don’t talk about God’s kingdom only amongst ourselves. We make His kingdom known to the whole world.
Verse 12 largely restates verse 11—that’s the nature of this X-shaped parallel. But verse 12 clarifies the subject of the faithful people’s communication: they should speak of God’s specific deeds, as in the recital of the saving acts of the exodus in Psalms 78, 105, and 136. The people also are to speak of God’s work in their personal lives, as do many psalms of praise. The mighty acts keep occurring because God’s mercy never ceases.
B. So What? (v. 13)
13. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
The psalmist understood that God’s rule extends beyond any given moment or era. The New Testament writers understood this as well (1 Timothy 1:17; 2 Peter 1:11). While all earthly things pass away, God’s merciful concern for His creation does not.
The Lesson Context above mentions that a small text may have shifted elsewhere in the ancient manuscripts, leaving the acrostic of this poetry one letter short in the Hebrew alphabet. Right here is where the line would be placed. The ancient Greek version (the Septuagint) does indeed include that segment. It reads, “The Lord is faithful in his words, and holy in all his works.”
II. Compassionate God
(Psalm 145:14–20)
A. Strengthens and Provides (vv. 14–16)
14. The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
Parallelism in thoughts continues. Even so, this verse shows extra poetic creativity. The original words translated upholdeth and fall are quite common in the Old Testament in general and the Psalms in particular. By contrast, the word translated raiseth up is rare, occurring only here and in Psalm 146:8 in the entire Old Testament.
But the primary challenge concerns the word translated bowed down, which is found only here and in Psalm 148:6; Isaiah 57:6; 58:5; and Micah 6:6. Reading all the texts that have “bowed down” reveals that the word doesn’t have the same meaning in all contexts. There seem to be two possibilities: it refers to great distress or a posture of worship. Which of these does the writer of Psalm 145 intend? Is the one “bowed down” humbled by negative life experiences, or does the person seek to worship God?
A third possibility is that the ambiguity is deliberate, with the psalm pointing us to both meanings being intended. In that case, the message would be that whatever experiences bring us humbly to God will result in our ultimate benefit.
15–16. The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
The parallelism continues as these two verses make essentially the same point but in different ways. The psalmist describes worshippers almost as children waiting for a parent to give them something they need. They recognize that all people, indeed every living thing, depend on God similarly. That is true even if not everyone recognizes it as truth. God graciously feeds all. This idea underlies Jesus’ statement that it rains on the just and unjust alike, with both benefiting from the life-giving things God bestows on them (see Matthew 5:45).
Meat refers to food in general, which God provides in due time. The text does not promise wealth, and a spiritually mature person would not expect God to be a purveyor of such. But God does give us what we need (compare Psalms 104:27–28; 136:25). To open the hand implies giving a gift. God’s gifts may go beyond the bare essentials to things that bring appropriate forms of pleasure.
What Do You Think?
In times of scarcity, what gives you confidence to wait for God’s timing for provision?
Digging Deeper
When would it be appropriate to reference this verse to someone experiencing a great need? What action might also be required?
Our Generous God
Heavy rainfall throughout the year plays a vital role in the ecosystem of the Amazon Rainforest. The average amount varies depending on the location within that jungle, but 100 inches is not uncommon. Think about that: 100 inches is over 8 feet of water! The health of this ecosystem is thought to interact with other ecosystems throughout the world in various ways.
We live in a fallen world, with deprivation and lack resulting from sin—sometimes in general, sometimes specifically (examples: Joshua 7:10–12; Haggai 1:1–11). But even in times of deprivation, God wants to be generous. What might you be doing to stand in the way of God’s generosity? —O. P. B.
Willing and Able (vv. 17–20)
17. The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
This verse is worded very similarly to the “missing” part of Psalm 145:13, discussed above.
The phrase all his ways, which parallels all his works, includes the generosity of the previous verse. The word translated holy occurs about 50 times in the Old Testament, but almost always, it refers to godly people. It refers to a characteristic of God in no more than a half dozen places, and this is one of them. Throughout history, those who have questioned God’s righteousness or justice have discovered that this is an area where humanity lacks, not God (examples: Job 38–41; Ezekiel 18:25–29; Habakkuk 1–2).
What Do You Think?
What psalms can give you voice if God doesn’t seem to be acting at all?
Digging Deeper
What gives you confidence in God’s holiness and righteousness in the face of the evils in the world?
18. The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
Psalms of lament often express regret that God seems so far away, and they request God’s tangible presence (examples: Psalms 22:11, 19; 35:22; 38:21; 71:12). On the other hand, there are biblical cases where people do not desire God’s nearness (compare Jonah 1:3; Revelation 6:15–17; etc.). But here, it would be helpful to see a distinction between the two senses of the near/far issue. We might call one sense “literal nearness” and the other “spiritual nearness.” The fact of God’s presence and activity within the world is summed up in the word immanence; we are in the presence of the immanent God at all times—and note that this is not the word imminent (Jeremiah 23:23–24; Acts 17:27–28). That’s the literal nearness. But in another sense of near/far, the fact of God’s holiness results in His ethical distance from sinners; the more that people engage in unholiness, the more they are spiritually separated from the holy God. Jesus experienced this kind of separation as He took humanity’s penalty for sin upon himself while dying on the cross (Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34 [both quoting Psalm 22:1]). In so doing, Jesus solved the distance problem between God and humanity (compare Isaiah 55:6–7).
What Do You Think?
How do circumstances affect your sense of God’s presence?
Digging Deeper
Does God’s literal nearness comfort you even when He feels far away? Why or why not?
19. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them.
The second part of this verse clarifies the first part since God does not fulfill each and every imaginable desire that people have. The most striking example of God’s hearing a cry and effecting deliverance is the exodus from Egypt (Exodus 3:7–10; 14:30).
The promise will save them can be understood in two senses in the various places it is used: it can mean rescue from a physical threat or from a spiritual threat of unholiness. Sometimes, the two senses are both present if rescue from a physical threat accompanies rescue from a spiritual threat (compare Ezekiel 37:23; Hosea 1:7).
We know from modern experience and Bible history that God does not always deliver godly people from the loss of their physical life; sometimes, His larger plans include such deaths—and those deaths are temporary, given the promise of our resurrection (Daniel 12:2; 1 Corinthians 15). But He is always ready, willing, and able to deliver us from spiritual threats (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Many psalms of lament (also called prayers for help) explore the apparent gap between human need and divine response. This psalm, however, does not explore that set of issues. It remains at the level of generalized praise. Whatever we may face in this life, God’s final word will be one of salvation and healing.
20a. The LORD preserveth all them that love him.
Psalms 31:23; 91:14; and 97:10 also reflect the reality of this praise thought. Preserveth carries the idea of “protection.” The wording in the original Hebrew of the phrase them that love him is also translated “his friends” in Esther 5:10, 14; 6:13. Those who love God rejoice (Psalm 5:11) because of repeated acts of goodness toward them (119:132).
20b. But all the wicked will he destroy.
Psalm 94:23 is similar. In contrast to the experience of those who love God, the wicked can expect a terrible fate. This statement confesses a general truth, though the psalms also know a great deal about forgiveness of sins. The wicked are those who refuse to repent while deliberately pursuing the harm of others (compare Psalm 10:2–11).
III. Praiseworthy God, Part 2
(Psalm 145:21)
21. My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
The psalm concludes, as many do, with a promise to praise God. This personal commitment by the one praying this psalm also extends to others (all flesh). The psalmist hopes that all beings capable of praise, especially humans but not necessarily limited to them, will acknowledge the rightness of God’s good reputation for saving works and do so in perpetuity (for ever and ever). This phrasing serves as an appropriate “bookend” to the psalm, with the first of the two bookends occurring in the opening verse of our lesson today.
What Do You Think?
How do you address any disparity in your life between speaking God’s praise and living out that praise?
Digging Deeper
What stories serve as examples to guide both your words and deeds of praise?
Conclusion
A. Psalm 145 in the Psalter
On a first reading, Psalm 145 may seem to lack the emotional intensity and attention to life’s struggles that appear in many other psalms. It may appear to be a collection of general truths or even platitudes about the life of faith. Such platitudes do not stand up to the challenge of life, and so the psalm may appear less substantial than others.
It is better, however, not to read this psalm alone but to recall its function in the overall book. The book of Psalms contains both prayers for help and prayers of thanksgiving. Early in the book, laments or prayers for help overwhelmingly predominate, but as the book goes along, the balance changes in favor of hymns of praise. The concluding five psalms are loud, exuberant songs praising God. Psalm 145 is closely connected to them. In other words, if we consider the book as a whole, we see it move from times of distress, during which we call out to God for help, to times of rejoicing over God’s saving works. That same shift appears in many individual psalms that begin with lament and end with a promise to praise. In other words, the organization of the book tries to move its readers along the spiritual road to greater confidence in God’s mercy. Psalm 145 marks the conclusion of that movement. When understood this way, Psalm 145 is much more than a bundle of clichés.
B. Psalm 145 in Life
Psalm 145 celebrates the permanent nature of God’s kingdom and His work in the lives of people. It reminds anyone singing it that God aims at the highest and best possible things, including the best possible outcomes for our lives. God desires that we be saved and rescued from all the manifestations of sin and death in this world and the next. God has communicated that desire through the prophets and apostles, and most fully through the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Awareness of that communication leads to a life filled with wonder and practical attention to spiritual and moral growth.
It is not easy to adopt a superior purpose when we are trying to live our best life now. The superior purpose calls upon us to reexamine ourselves and reform aspects of our lives. We refine our values, redirect our affections, and reshape our behaviors in the direction of God. Even our language becomes infused with grace and mercy, as God’s is. To give up on the possibility of growth is to lose hope itself.
The wonder of God’s love for us compels us to rise above the passions of the moment toward the splendor that awaits us in God’s presence. This psalm points us to that splendor as it celebrates the compassion and beauty of God as it challenges us to pursue noble causes rather than short-term goals of pleasure or power.
C. Prayer
Heavenly Father, we praise You even though our best praise falls short. Help us to become people of the truth, who state our amazement at Your goodness and kindness to us. Accept our words of praise and gratitude because they are the only things we can give You that matter. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
D. Thought to Remember
Make your acts of praise and worship contagious!
Standard Publishing. KJV Standard Lesson Commentary® 2024-2025 (pp. 500-517). David C Cook. Kindle Edition.