John Calvin Commentary Psalms 145

I will extol you, my God and my king. David does not so much state what he himself would do, as stir up and urge all others to this religious service of offering to God the praises due to his name. His purpose in declaring God to be beneficent to humankind is to encourage them to cultivate a pious gratitude; he also insists on the necessity of persevering in this practice. For since God is constant in extending mercies, it would be highly improper for us to grow weary in his praises.

As he in this way gives his people new ground for praising him, so he stimulates them to gratitude, and to practice it throughout their entire lives. In using the term daily, he denotes perseverance in this practice. Afterwards, he adds that even if he were to live through many ages, he would never cease to do so.

The repetitions used significantly contribute to the emphasis of his language. As it is probable that this Psalm was written when David's kingdom was in a flourishing condition, it is noteworthy that in calling God his king, he puts both himself and other earthly princes in their proper place and does not allow any earthly distinctions to interfere with the glory due to God.

This is made even more evident in the following verse, where, in speaking of God's greatness as immeasurable, he intimates that we only praise God rightly when we are filled and overwhelmed with an ecstatic admiration of the immensity of his power. This admiration will form the fountain from which our just praises of him will proceed according to our capacity.

Generation to generation, and so forth. Here he insists upon the general truth that all people were made and are preserved in life for this purpose: that they might devote themselves to the praise of God. And there is an implied contrast between the eternal name of God and the immortality of renown that great men seem to acquire by their exploits.

Human excellencies are eulogized in histories; with God it is different, for not a day passes when he does not renew the remembrance of his works and cherish it by some present effect, so as to indelibly preserve it alive in our minds. For the same reason, he speaks of the glorious brightness, or beauty, of his excellence, the better to inspire in others a fitting admiration for it.

By the words of his wonderful works, I consider that this alludes to the incomprehensible method of God’s works, for the wonders are so numerous that they overwhelm our senses.

We may infer from this that God's greatness is not something concealed in his mysterious essence. Many have been guilty of mere trifling by engaging in subtle debates about this essence while neglecting his works, for true religion demands practical, not speculative, knowledge.

Having said that he would speak of, or meditate upon God’s works (for the Hebrew word אשיחה, asichah, as we have seen elsewhere, can be translated either way), he turns his discourse to others. He suggests that there will always be some in the world to declare the righteousness, goodness, and wisdom of God, and that his divine excellencies are worthy of being proclaimed by every tongue with universal consent.

And, if others should stop and defraud God of the honor due to him, he declares that he himself would at least fulfill his part and, while they were silent, energetically proclaim the praises of God.

Some think that the might of his terrible works is an expression with the same meaning as what has already been stated. However, it seems rather to signify the judgments of God against profane scoffers.

They shall speak forth, etc. Since the verb נבע, nabang, properly means to gush out, some suppose that, when applied to speech, it signifies not merely speaking but an overflowing utterance, like water rushing from a fountain; and the verb ירננו, yerannenu, at the end of the verse, corresponds to this, meaning to shout or sing aloud.

To celebrate the memory of the Lord’s goodness is the same as recalling what we have personally experienced of his goodness. We cannot deny God’s claim to praise in all his excellencies, but we are most deeply affected by such proofs of his fatherly mercy as we ourselves have experienced.

David, therefore, makes use of this inviting consideration to encourage us to engage more readily and cheerfully in the praises of God, or rather (according to the figurative word already used,) to burst forth in celebration of them.

Jehovah is gracious, etc. He explains the goodness of which He spoke by using several expressions, such as God being inclined to mercy (for such is the proper meaning of the word חנון, channun), and that He helps us willingly, as one who sympathizes with our miseries. It should be noted that David borrowed the terms he applies to God here from that celebrated passage in Exodus 34:6; and since the inspired writers drew their doctrine from the fountain of the Law, we should not be surprised that they highly valued the vision recorded there, in which as clear and satisfactory a description of the nature of God is given to us as can be found anywhere.

David, therefore, in giving us a brief statement of what was most important for us to know concerning God, uses the same terms employed there. Indeed, a significant part of God’s grace is seen in His drawing us to Himself by such attractive titles.

If He were to bring His power prominently into view before us, we would be cast down by its terror rather than encouraged. The Papists represent Him as a dreadful God from whose presence all must flee; however, the proper view of Him is one that invites us to seek Him.

Accordingly, the more closely one feels drawn to God, the more one has advanced in the knowledge of Him. If it is true that God is not only willing to befriend us but is also described as being touched with sympathy for our miseries—so as to be all the kinder to us the more miserable we are—what folly would it be not to flee to Him without delay?

However, because we drive God’s goodness away from us by our sins and block the way of access, the prophets would have spoken in vain of His grace and mercy, unless His goodness overcomes this obstacle. It was necessary, therefore, to add what follows: that His mercy is great, that He pardons sins and bears with the wickedness of humanity, so as to show favor to the unworthy.

Regarding the ungodly, although God shows them His long-suffering patience, they are incapable of perceiving pardon. Therefore, the doctrine on which we insist has a special application only to believers, who apprehend God’s goodness by a living faith. To the wicked it is said:

To what end is the day of THE LORD for you? The day of THE LORD is darkness and not light, affliction and not joy (Amos 5:18).

We see in what severe terms Nahum threatens them at the very beginning of his prophecy. Having referred to the language used in the passage from Moses, he immediately adds—on the other hand, to prevent them from being emboldened by it—that God is a rigid and severe, a terrible and an inexorable judge (Nahum 1:3). Therefore, those who have provoked God to anger by their sins must seek to secure His favor by believing.

Jehovah is good to all, and so forth. The truth here stated is of wider application than the former, for David's declaration is that God not only forgives sin with fatherly indulgence and clemency, but is also good to all without discrimination, as he makes his sun rise upon the good and upon the wicked (Matthew 5:45). Forgiveness of sin is a treasure from which the wicked are excluded, but their sin and depravity do not prevent God from showering down his goodness upon them, which they appropriate without being at all aware of it. Meanwhile believers, and they only, know what it is to enjoy a reconciled God, as it is said elsewhere:

Come to him, and be enlightened, and your faces shall not be ashamed; taste and see that the Lord is good.
(Psalms 34:5, 8).

When it is added that the mercy of God extends to all his works, this ought not to be considered contrary to reason, or obscure. Our sins having involved the whole world in the curse of God, there is everywhere an opportunity for the exercise of God’s mercy, even in helping the brute creation.