Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 145:17
The LORD [is] righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
17. righteous ] True to His character. Cp. Psa 145:7.
holy ] So the LXX, , which is used of God in the N.T. in Rev 15:4; Rev 16:5. But the word chsd as applied to God (here and in Jer 3:12 only) means full of lovingkindness, loving. See App., Note I.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord is righteous in all his ways – In his own character; in his laws; in his providential dealings; in his arrangements for the redemption and salvation of man. In his own character he is what it is desirable that a God should be; in all his laws he ordains that only which it is desirable should be enacted; in all his dealings with people he does that which it is desirable should be done. He violates no right; he wrongs no one; he demands of no one a service which would be unjust; he makes no arrangements for pardon and salvation which it is not best should be made. It is much for a man to be able to say in all that occurs to him under the divine administration, It is right; it is much for a man to have such confidence in God as to be able to feel that all he does in respect to nations is the best thing that could be done. Compare Psa 89:14, note; Psa 97:2, note.
And holy in all his works – Margin, merciful, or bountiful. The Hebrew word is merciful. The idea seems to be that righteousness and mercy are equally consulted in his arrangements; that they meet together, and act harmomoniously in the divine plans. Compare the notes at Psa 85:10.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 145:17
The Lord is righteous in all His ways.
The Divine ways
I. God has many ways of dealing with His universe. Gods ways are His methods of action.
1. He has settled methods of action in relation to His inanimate universe He has a way of managing the seas, and the stars, and all the blind forces of Nature.
2. He has settled methods of action in relation to His sentient universe. The smallest insect and the hugest mammoth He manages by their instincts.
3. He has settled methods of action in relation to His moral universe.
(1) With the unfallen. The myriads who retain their pristine virtues.
(2) With the fallen. These include the impenitent and the repentant. He has methods of dealing with them, they are settled and unalterable.
II. In all Gods ways He is absolutely righteous.
1. This is a matter of necessity. He could not but be righteous: whatever He does must be right because He does it, for there is nothing higher than Himself, nothing outside of Himself. He is absolutely irresponsible. What the infinitely wise, holy, and loving does, must be righteous.
2. This is a matter for rejoicing. How blessed the thought that He, with whom we have to do, on whom we are absolutely dependent, to whom we are amenable for all our conduct, and who will settle our destiny at last, will never do us wrong, will always act righteously. Moral–Trust in Him. (David Thomas, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 17. The Lord is righteous] It was the similarity of this to the omitted verse, which should have been the fourteenth, that caused it to be omitted.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Holy; or rather, merciful, as this word most commonly signifies. There is a mixture of mercy in the most severe and terrible works of God in this life, judgment without mercy being reserved for the next life, Jam 2:13; Rev 14:10.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
17. holy . . . worksliterally,”merciful” or “kind, goodness” (Ps144:2) is the corresponding noun.
righteousin a similarrelation of meaning to “righteousness” (Ps145:7).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
The Lord [is] righteous in all his ways,…. Christ is righteous in all the ways of providence, in which he is jointly concerned with his Father: there are some of the ways of providence, which are now intricate and perplexed, are unsearchable and past finding out, and cannot be easily reconciled to the justice and faithfulness of God, respecting the prosperity of the wicked and the afflictions of the righteous; but these will before long be made manifest, and they will appear to be just and true. And so in all his ways of grace, in all his decrees; in the choice of some to everlasting life, and the leaving of others; with respect to either of these, there is no unrighteousness in him: nor in the redemption of men, for which an adequate price is given; and in which mercy and truth, righteousness and peace, meet together; nor in the justification of a sinner, which is not done without a righteousness, but in such manner that God is just while he is the justifier of him that believes in Jesus; nor in the pardon of sin, which is upon the foot of a satisfaction made to the justice of God, by the blood and sacrifice of Christ; nor in eternal life, the gift of God through Christ, which none inherit but righteous ones. Christ is righteous in all his suretyship engagements, which he has punctually performed, and in the execution of all his offices; in doing which, righteousness and faithfulness are the girdle of his loins and reins: and so likewise he is and will appear righteous in his judgments on his and his people’s enemies, in the destruction of antichrist and his followers. And, moreover, he is righteous in all the ways he prescribes for his people to walk in, in all his commandments and ordinances; which are all holy, just, and good;
and holy in all his works; in all his works of providence; doing no evil, though he suffers it for wise ends, and overrules it for good: and in all his works of grace; in election, which is through holiness and to it; in the redemption of his people, which is from a vain conversation, and that they might be a peculiar people, zealous of good works; in the calling of them with an holy calling, and to holiness; in bringing them to glory, which is through regeneration and sanctification. It may be rendered, is “merciful” or “bountiful in all his works” k; all he does flowing from his grace, mercy, and goodness.
k “misericors”, Pagninus, Montanus, so Ainsworth; “benignus”, Tigurine version, Musculus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Gejerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
17. Jehovah is righteous in all his ways. He does not now speak of God’s goodness merely in providing all his creatures with their daily food, but comprehends other parts of his providence, as in correcting men for their sins, restraining the wicked, trying the patience of his people under the cross, and governing the world by judgments which are often inscrutable to us. The ground upon which praise is here ascribed to God may seem a common one, being in every one’s mouth; but in nothing is wisdom shown more than in holding fast the truth, that God is just in all his ways, so as to retain in our hearts an unabated sense of it amidst all troubles and confusions. Though all acknowledge God to be just, most men are no sooner overtaken by affliction than they quarrel with his severity: unless their wishes are immediately complied with, they are impatient, and nothing is more common than to hear his justice impeached. As it is everywhere abused by the wicked imputations men cast upon it, here it is very properly vindicated from such ungrateful treatment, and asserted to be constant and unfailing, however loudly the word may disparage it. It is expressly added, in all his ways and works, for we fail to give God due honor unless we recognize a consistent tenor of righteousness in the whole progress of his operation. Nothing is more difficult in the time of trouble, when God has apparently forsaken us, or afflicts us without cause, than to restrain our corrupt feelings from breaking out against his judgments; as we are told of the emperor Mauricius in a memorable passage of history, that seeing his sons murdered by the wicked and perfidious traitor Phocas, and being about to be carried out himself to death, he cried out — “Thou art righteous, O God, and just are thy judgments!” As this man of no bad character opposed such a shield to the cruel trials he met with, we must learn to put a check upon our spirits, and always give God’s righteousness the honor due to it. David, however, goes farther still, intimating that God, even when he seems to be most severe, is so far from being cruel as to temper his heaviest judgments with equity and clemency.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
Every verse is full of the same assurances of divine goodness, mercy, and love. God in Christ is righteous, is nigh to his people, is attentive to them, knows them, loves them, guards them, blesses them, and will bless them to the end. Well may the Psalm conclude with praises. And if we hear Jesus’s voice, in blessing Jehovah for the redemption of his people in him, and by him, every mouth and heart will join in the song, and bless a God in Christ forever. Amen.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 145:17 The LORD [is] righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
Ver. 17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways ] This we must hold for an undoubted truth, though we see not always the reason of his proceedings. Sinful men dare to reprehend oft times what they do not comprehend.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 145:17-21
17The Lord is righteous in all His ways
And kind in all His deeds.
18The Lord is near to all who call upon Him,
To all who call upon Him in truth.
19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
20The Lord keeps all who love Him,
But all the wicked He will destroy.
21My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord,
And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever.
Psa 145:17 And kind in all His deeds This is the Hebrew word hesed, which speaks of God’s covenant loyalty. It was used earlier in Psa 145:8 to describe God’s character and here to describe God’s acts.
Psa 145:18 The Lord is near This is an emphasis on the eminence of God, while Psa 145:5 is denoting His transcendence, cf. Psa 34:18; Psa 119:151; and especially Deu 4:7.
To all who call upon Him There is a series of conditions (i.e., Psa 145:18-20). It must be remembered that all of God’s covenants are unconditional on His part but conditional on human response. These four conditions speak of repentance and faith, both initial and ongoing, on the part of the people of God. See notes at Rom 10:9-13 online.
Psa 145:19 those who fear Him See Special Topic: Fear (OT).
Psa 145:20 But all the wicked He will destroy This does not speak of annihilation in death but of physical judgment, cf. Eze 14:9; Amo 9:8; Hab 2:2 (see Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, p. 178).
Psa 145:21 And all flesh will bless His holy name forever and ever Again, this is like Psa 145:1; Psa 145:3. It is not an affirmation of an afterlife, but that certainly is implied, as in Php 2:6-11.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk n the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. List the praise-worthy attributes of God.
2. This Psalm refers to YHWH’s acts in several verses and in several ways. What acts is it referring to?
3. How does Psa 145:8-16 (and Psa 145:21) communicate YHWH’s universal love?
4. Who are the godly ones of Psa 145:10?
5. Who are the sons of men of Psa 145:12?
6. Does the OT focus on an eternal kingdom or a millennium?
7. How does the transcendence of Psa 145:5 relate to the eminence of Psa 145:18?
8. List the four conditions of Psa 145:18-20 which relate to faithful followers.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
holy = gracious.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
righteous: Psa 50:6, Psa 89:14, Psa 97:2, Psa 99:3, Psa 99:4, Psa 103:6, Gen 18:25, Deu 32:4, 1Sa 2:2, 1Sa 2:3, Isa 45:21, Zep 3:5, Zec 9:9, Rom 3:5, Rom 3:6, Rom 3:25, Rom 3:26, Rev 4:8, Rev 15:3, Rev 15:4, Rev 16:5-7, Rev 19:2, Rev 19:11
holy: or, merciful, or bountiful
Reciprocal: Exo 9:27 – the Lord Exo 15:11 – glorious Neh 9:33 – Howbeit Job 4:17 – Shall mortal Job 34:12 – surely Job 36:3 – ascribe Psa 22:3 – But Psa 36:6 – righteousness Psa 48:10 – thy right Psa 65:5 – righteousness Psa 92:15 – and Psa 111:3 – honourable Psa 116:5 – and righteous Psa 119:137 – General Jer 12:1 – Righteous Lam 1:18 – Lord Eze 18:25 – my Dan 4:37 – all Rom 2:2 – judgment Rom 9:14 – Is there unrighteousness Rev 3:7 – he that is holy
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 145:17. The Lord is righteous in all his ways And not unrighteous in any of them; and holy in all his works Always acting like himself, with perfect rectitude and purity. In all his acts of government he is just, injurious to none, but administering justice to all: his ways are equal, though ours are unequal. In giving laws, in deciding controversies, in recompensing services, and punishing offences, he is incontestably righteous and holy, and we are in duty bound to acknowledge it. But the word , here rendered holy, generally signifies merciful, and, it seems, ought to have been so translated here. There is a mixture of mercy in the most severe and terrible works and dispensations of God toward men in this life, judgment without mercy being reserved for the next life, Jas 2:13; Rev 14:10.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
145:17 The LORD [is] {k} righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
(k) He praises God, not only because he is beneficial to all his creatures, but also in that he justly punishes the wicked, and mercifully examines his by the cross, giving them strength and delivering them.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
4. God’s responsiveness to prayer 145:17-21
Everything the Lord does is right. Kindness also marks all His deeds. He is attentive to those who pray to Him sincerely. He will grant the petitions of believers and will deliver them in times of need. He will protect those who love Him, but will destroy those who do not. For these reasons, David said he would praise Yahweh, and all people will bless Him forever.
This psalm is a great catalogue of reasons to praise God. Like the other acrostic psalms, it is a model for us to use in recalling many of the things about God for which we should praise Him.