August 31, 2017
THE UNSEARCHABLE FINDS US
Psalm 145
Tony Pope
Central Truth
God can seem so glorious that He seems intimidating, so big that He seems far off, and so eternal that we feel insignificant. David reminds us that even as awe-inspiring as God is, and should be, He has plans for us in Him.
Key Verse | Psalm 145:5
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
(Psalm 145:5)
Psalm 145
Great Is the LORD
1 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, each verse beginning with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet A Song of Praise. Of David.
1
I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
2
Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
3
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
4
One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
5
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
6
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds,
and I will declare your greatness.
7
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness
and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
8
The LORD is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
9
The LORD is good to all,
and his mercy is over all that he has made.
10
All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD,
and all your saints shall bless you!
11
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom
and tell of your power,
12
to make known to the children of man your
2
145:12
Hebrew his; also next line
mighty deeds,
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures throughout all generations.
[The LORD is faithful in all his words
and kind in all his works.]
3
145:13
These two lines are supplied by one Hebrew manuscript, Septuagint, Syriac (compare Dead Sea Scroll)
14
The LORD upholds all who are falling
and raises up all who are bowed down.
15
The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food in due season.
16
You open your hand;
you satisfy the desire of every living thing.
17
The LORD is righteous in all his ways
and kind in all his works.
18
The LORD is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19
He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
he also hears their cry and saves them.
20
The LORD preserves all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21
My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD,
and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 145
Do you enjoy a beautiful sunrise?
Have you stared into the starry sky?
Does looking out at the ocean take your breath away?
I know you're reading, but pause for a moment, shut your eyes, and picture a sunrise, a starry sky, or the vast ocean. God is quite the artist, is He not?
The thing about a beautiful sunrise is that God is even more beautiful (Psalm 19:1). The thing about all the stars in even the biggest sky is that He knows each one of them by name (Psalm 147:4). The thing about all the waters of the seas is that He can fit them in the palm of His hand (Isaiah 40:12).
David starts Psalm 145 by saying that the greatness of God is "unsearchable" (verse 3). That's pretty big if you ask me. It is daunting to consider how big God really is, and yet behind all that bigness is a never-ending measure of graciousness and mercy (verse 8)! The God of the universe in His everywhere-ness comes down and has a steadfast love that specifically pursues you and me (verses 8-9). This steadfast love is so loyal that He has loved us since He was and will love us as long as He is. That is a long time considering His kingdom is everlasting, and His dominion endures through all generations (verse 13). Even as we seek things we know will not satisfy us (esteem, money, control, etc.), God is slow to anger (verse 8). David also reminds us that God reaches out His hand to be our source of satisfaction (verse 16). The creator of the universe is near enough to hear each of us as we call out to Him (verse 18).
God is indescribably beautiful and yet pursues us. God is infinitely big and yet always near. God is eternal and yet has always loved us. David knew that to look at the works of God's hand was to be reminded of His glory. As we meditate on that, remember that on the cross Christ gave all of that up so that one day we could be with the source of that glory, forever.
Discussion Questions
1. When is the last time you stopped to look at the beauty around you and considered what it tells you about its Creator? Take some time today to enjoy the sunrise, a starry sky, or if you're lucky enough to be near one, the ocean. Pause and thank God for the reminder of His beauty.
2. When you consider yourself in relation to God, do you have a right view of how He sees you? When you read Psalm 145, what does it tell you about how God sees you?
3. Shane and Shane have beautifully set this psalm to music, I would encourage you to take a moment and listen to it at: https://open.spotify.com/track/5FeIwnHme2zk6YJMyd6odO. When you listen to this psalm set to music, what thoughts about God come to mind?
4. What does Psalm 145 tell you about the sacrifice Christ chose to make for you on the cross? How much more did it cost Him than just physical pain? How does the juxtaposition of Psalm 145 and the agony Christ endured on the cross change the way you view the grace you have been given?