Introduction to Psalm 145
Psalm 145 text: 'I will extol you, my God and King' and the alphabetical acrostic
Psalm 145 is the only psalm in the Psalter titled tehillah le-David (praise of David, Ps 145:1), a significant title: the term tehillim (praises) — Hebrew name of the entire Psalter — comes precisely from this root. Ps 145 is therefore the tehillah par excellence, the classic model of Davidic praise. It opens with: aromimkha Elohai ha-melekh va-avarekhah shimkha le-olam va-ed — «I will extol you, my God, the King, and bless your name forever and ever» (Ps 145:1).
The psalm is an alphabetical acrostic: each verse begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet in order. However, the verse for the letter nun is missing in the MT (an additional verse appears in the Qumran text 11QPs and in the LXX, which have the verse: ne'eman Elohim be-khol devarav — faithful is God in all his words). The acrostic structure is a sign of completeness: the praise that the psalm offers to God exhausts symbolically the alphabet, because the name of YHWH deserves praise in all languages and with all letters.
| Verse (MT) | Key Hebrew term | Theological meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 145:1 | aromimkha Elohai ha-melekh (אֲרוֹמִמְךָ אֱלוֹהַי הַמֶּלֶךְ) | I will extol you, my God the King |
| Ps 145:3 | gadol YHWH u-mehullal me'od (גָּדוֹל יְהוָה וּמְהֻלָּל מְאֹד) | Great is YHWH and greatly to be praised |
| Ps 145:8 | channun ve-rachum YHWH (חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם יְהוָה) | YHWH is gracious and merciful |
| Ps 145:15 | einei khol elekha yesabberu (עֵינֵי כֹל אֵלֶיךָ יְשַׂבֵּרוּ) | The eyes of all look to you |
| Ps 145:18 | qarov YHWH le-khol qor'av (קָרוֹב יְהוָה לְכָל־קֹרְאָיו) | YHWH is near to all who call on him |
Psalm 145 commentary: 'YHWH is gracious and merciful' and the 13 attributes
Verse 8 contains an abbreviated formulation of the thirteen divine attributes of Exod 34:6–7: channun ve-rachum YHWH erekh appayim u-gedol-chased — «gracious and merciful is YHWH, slow to anger and great in faithful love» (Ps 145:8). This formula recurs in more or less complete form in Exod 34:6, Num 14:18, Joel 2:13, Jonah 4:2, Neh 9:17, Ps 86:15, Ps 103:8. Its centrality in biblical theology is signaled by the fact that the Jewish liturgy of Yom Kippur repeatedly recites the thirteen attributes (shelosh esreh middot). The Midrash Tehillim 145 connects the inaugural verse of the Davidic tehillah to the divine wonders (niflà'ot) that God performs in favor of his people — praise is not a spontaneous act but a response to the history of salvation. The theology of divine forgiveness implicit in the formula of the thirteen attributes is the heart of this tradition.
Verse 9 develops the principle: tov-YHWH la-kol ve-rachamav al-kol-ma'asav — «the Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made» (Ps 145:9). The universal extension (la-kol... al-kol) is one of the most inclusive declarations of the Psalter: the divine chesed is directed toward all created beings, not only toward Israel. The Midrash Tehillim 145 recognizes in this universal praise the response to the «wonders» (niflà'ot) performed by God in history — wonders that transcend the borders of a single people. The Tannaitic theology of yetzirah (creation) rooted this universality in the fact that every human being is created in the image of God (Gen 1:27): Ps 145:9 is its scriptural foundation, extending divine mercy to the entire creation.
Psalm 145 explanation: 'the eyes of all look to you' and liturgical use
Verses 15–16 contain another of the most universal declarations in the Psalter: einei khol elekha yesabberu ve-atta noten lahem et-okhlam be-itto, poteach et-yadekha u-masbia le-khol-chai ratzon — «the eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time; you open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing» (Ps 145:15–16). The kol-chai (every living thing) includes men and animals, and divine providence extends to all creation. These verses have become the birkat ha-mazon (blessing over food) in the Jewish tradition.
Psalm 145 has a unique liturgical position in the Jewish tradition: it is the only psalm recited three times a day (morning, afternoon, evening) as part of the Ashrei, a prayer composed of Ps 84:5 + Ps 144:15 + Ps 145 + Ps 115:18. The Midrash Tehillim 145 reconnects this tri-daily praise to the theme of the «wonders» (niflà'ot) that God performs for his people — each recitation is a response to the history of salvation, not just a formal rite. The tri-daily practice of prayer in Israel is already attested in Dan 6:11 (shalosh pe'amim ba-yom, «three times a day»), and Ps 145 has become the central axis of this tradition of praise thanks to its three canonical characteristics: the acrostic structure (total praise), the verse on universal providence (Ps 145:16), and the opening with the exaltation of the divine king (aromimkha). (exaltation of the divine king). The tri-daily practice of prayer in Israel is already attested in Dan 6:11 (shalosh pe'amim ba-yom), and Ps 145 has become the central axis of this tradition of praise.