Nine times in Psalm 145, David used the word, “all” to describe the totality of God’s attributes and their far-reaching impact. These attributes fall into two sets, as follows.
The Lord is:
- Good to all (v. 9a),
- Compassionate on all he has made (v. 9b),
- Faithful to all his promises (v. 13c), and
- Loving toward all he has made (v. 13d).
In addition he:
- Upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down (v. 14),
- Is righteous in all his ways (v. 17a),
- Is near to all who call upon him in truth (v. 18a), and
- Watches over all who love him (v. 20a).
How glorious to consider that all these general statements apply individually also—to you and me.
With a bit of effort, these truths can be turned into personal praise:
My heart sings for joy, Father.
You are so good to me (v. 9a)—blessings abound.
Even at this moment I revel in your gently falling rain,
The sound of Steve puttering in the kitchen
(Thank you for a husband who likes to cook!),
And three year-old Elena* on the floor,
Writing a story about making pancakes with Mommy.
Your goodness is on display, even in small moments.
I praise you for your compassion (v. 9b),
Expressed through a doctor who, just last Saturday,
Offered consult on a weekend,
And even checked in on Monday morning.
Your compassion is evident in the kindness of strangers as well.
Just today a driver graciously gave me
the right-of-way on a narrow street,
Bestowing respect, favor, and a smile.
How thankful I am for your many promises in scripture (v. 13c)–
Over 2,300 statements of hope and encouragement–
Promises sometimes fulfilled in amazing and creative ways–
Classic promises like Romans 8:28 and 1 Peter 5:7,
Realized as Steve and I moved to different communities
And embarked upon new chapters of our lives.
Personal promises, like Ruth 2:11-12 and John 13:7—
Surprisingly well-suited to the moment.
I praise you for your loving nature (v. 13d),
Your attentiveness and favor expressed through
The cheer of bird song in the morning,
The grace and friendliness of people at church,
The inspiration of your Word,
The redemption from hurtful experiences of the past,
The peace of mind and joy of the Spirit
You infuse into each day.
And thank you for the sweet comfort of your presence (v. 18a)
That fills me with delight.
How precious are those times when
I sense your nearness,
When praise songs and scripture
Bring tears that clear my eyes
For the sight of you in your grace
And make the vision of your favor more precious (1).
Every day I want to praise you (v. 2).
You are pure goodness,
Manifested in infinite power,
Giving the light of truth, wisdom, and discernment.
Your glorious majesty reigns supreme over all creation.
And most amazing of all:
Everything you are, you offer to your children.
You are always seeking to manifest yourself to us.
Words fail to praise you adequately.
But, oh, how I yearn to do so!
*Our granddaughter
(1) based on a Charles Spurgeon quote
(Art & photo credits: www.dailyverses.net; http://www.pinterest.com; Nancy Ruegg; http://www.strongtowns.org; http://www.pinterest.com (4).
From the Inside Out 
Thank you, Nancy! “Tears are also prayers” so very true, mostly a thank you for His love & mercy!
You’re welcome, Susan. Isn’t that a great quote about tears as prayers? I’m so glad you found it meaningful, too. And AMEN to your “thank you” to God for his love and mercy. I hate to think where I would be without Him!
I always look forward to your Blogs. Bless you and Steve, Thanks for your use of words, and for sharing with me, you just know how to lift us up. I am blessed. Love, Tedi
Thank you so much for your encouragement, Tedi. You are a blessing to me! Praise God that the words he gives me lift you up.
Thank you, Nancy, for a very relative post. It truly is beautiful and a blessing in disguise. Indeed God is good and is constantly bestowing blessings on us. Hope you and Steve are well. Much love.
Thank YOU, Ruth. SO appreciate your continued encouragement. (Have I said that before?! No matter. It bears repeating!) Couldn’t agree more that God is incredibly good, bestowing a constant flow of blessings. P.S. Steve and I are well. (He was the one who needed that weekend consult with his doctor, but he’s fine. Must have been a virus!) We send our love to you also.
Nancy, your take on writing out the “Nancy version” of a Psalm is inspiring!
Thank you, Jody. So glad to inspire you as you inspire me! 🙂
Just read this Michael… How beautifully written!! And, I think Psalm 145 is my favorite Psalm!! You made God really “ginormous” (Tom’s word)…something we always must remember… He is bigger and more glorious than we can even begin to imagine!! Loved this post!💕
#145 IS a most glorious psalm, isn’t it?! So glad God’s grandeur came through this personal praise. Thank you for sharing that it was meaningful to you, Lisa. That lifts my spirit!
Such an inspiring post, my friend. I was thinking about you as I was was writing my most recent post – from the inside out came to my mind. That’s such a great name for a blog because it’s what true Christianity is all about.
Oh, thank you, Bill. Praise God for his inspiration–for this post and for the name of this blog.. It took me awhile to discover that name; now I see the phrase frequently! 🙂 So appreciate your encouragement, Bill–at your blog, from your life story, and your thoughtful comments here.
Beautiful prose, Nancy. I loved your take on this Psalm, especially this part:
“Bring tears that clear my eyes
For the sight of you in your grace
And make the vision of your favor more precious.”
This reminds me that tears are, indeed, cleansing…
(So glad you and Steve are OK.)
Those rich words are slightly revised from Charles Spurgeon. I agree: they do inspire and enlighten! And thank you for being glad that Steve and I are OK! 🙂
Oh, I see the (1) now!