Psalm 145

A Psalm of Praise, of David- This is the only Psalm designated as a psalm of praise. “Here begins the grand doxology of the entire collection., for praise plays a greater part in Psalms 145-150 than in most of the others. The word ‘praise’ occurs 46 times in these six psalms” BK, 895.

“The Hebrew tehilah yields in rabbinic Hebrew the plural tehilim, which is set title in Hebrew for the Book of Psalms. Although psalms of supplication are actually more numerous in the canonical collection, the assumption of post-biblical Jewish was that purpose par excellence of the poetry of psalms was to praise God. This assumption accords with the view of the ancient editors, for the last six psalms, beginning with this one, are all psalms of praise” Alter, 500.

This is “the last psalm of David in the Psalter and the last of the eight acrostics found there, of which no less than five bear his name” Kidner, 480. It is the fourth acrostic in Book Five. Three other acrostics appear in Book 1 (Pss. 25 34, 37)- NICOT, 990.

All ( כל) is used in Psalm 145 in vss. 2, 9, 9, 10, 13, 13, 14, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17, 18, 18, 20, 20, 21. This expresses an exuberant ring- Laymen’s , 699.

The psalm “alternates between ‘you’ sections, addressing Yahweh directly, and ‘He’ sections, referring to Him in the third person” Broyles, 504. You is found in vss. 1-2, 4-7, 10-12 and He in vss. 3, 8-9, 13b, 14, 17-18, 19-20)

The Talmud stresses the value of repeating this prayer, the Tehillah of David- Berekot, 4b. “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” VanGemeren, 860.

“Psalm 145 appears in the Jewish prayer book more than any other psalm in the Psalter. The Dead Sea Psalm scroll in 11QPs contains a version of Psalm 145 in which the refrain, ‘Blessed is the LORD and blessed is His name forever and ever,’ is included after each verse, suggesting some sort of liturgical use. All indications are that the words of this psalm were and are a vital part of the faith of the Jewish people” NICOT, 990.

145:8 The LORD is gracious and merciful- Ex. 34:6-7; Num. 14:18; II Chron. 30:9; Neh. 9:17; Pss. 86:15; 103:8; 111:4; 112:4; Joel 2:13; Jonah 4:2” Miller, 441. “When Jonah quoted it back to God with disapproval, he received a reply which confirmed not only this but the truth of our verse 9 by revealing God’s pity for the very cattle of Nineveh (Jonah 4:2, 11)” Kidner, 481.

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