My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 145:21 is the fitting conclusion to David’s psalm of praise. He began, “I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever” (v.1). He declared that the LORD is great and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable (v.3). He rehearsed God’s mighty acts, gracious compassion, everlasting kingdom, faithful words, righteous ways, and nearness to those who call upon Him in truth. Now he ends where true praise must end: his own mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh should bless His holy name for ever and ever.
“My mouth.” David brings his own speech under the purpose of praise. He does not leave the mouth to chance, mood, custom, fear, or silence. The mouth has been a repeated theme in many psalms: wicked mouths lie, flatter, curse, boast, deceive, and speak vanity; but David’s mouth is consecrated to praise. The man who has seen God’s greatness, mercy, righteousness, and nearness must not have an idle mouth.
This is personal before it is universal. David will soon call upon “all flesh,” but first he says, “My mouth.” A man should not urge the world to bless God while his own mouth is cold. Public exhortation must begin with personal devotion. David adds his own voice to the praise he commands from others.
“Shall speak.” Praise is not left as inward admiration only. It must be spoken. David will use words. He will confess, declare, rehearse, bless, and magnify the LORD. The mouth was made for such holy use. God has given speech so His people may give thanks, call upon His name, make known His deeds, declare His works, teach His truth, and bless His name.
The word “shall” gives resolution. David does not say his mouth may speak if circumstances remain pleasant, enemies are quiet, health continues, or feelings rise. He says it shall speak. Praise is fixed because God’s worth is fixed. The LORD’s greatness is unsearchable, His kingdom everlasting, His mercy great, and His name holy; therefore, David’s mouth has settled work to do.
This agrees with David’s resolve elsewhere: “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). Again, “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long” (Psalm 35:28). The New Testament gives the same duty: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). God’s praise is not to be trapped in silent admiration. It is the fruit of the lips, spoken from a heart that knows His greatness.
“The praise.” David’s mouth has a defined subject. It will not speak chiefly of self, trouble, men, complaints, or earthly things. It shall speak “the praise” of the LORD. Praise is the honour due to God for who He is and what He has done. In Psalm 145 this includes His greatness, goodness, compassion, mercy, dominion, providence, righteousness, holiness, nearness, preservation, and judgment.
This phrase should govern the saint’s speech. There is a time to discuss duties, dangers, sins, sorrows, and needs; David himself does this throughout the Psalms. But the great current of the redeemed mouth should run toward praise. If God’s works fill the psalm, God’s praise should fill the mouth.
“Of the LORD.” The praise belongs to Jehovah. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah, the self-existent, faithful, covenant-keeping God of His people. David’s mouth does not praise an unknown deity, a human invention, or a vague providence. He praises Jehovah, the God whose greatness is unsearchable and whose mercy is over all His works.
This keeps praise from becoming man-centered. David does not praise praise itself, religious emotion, public worship, or his own devotion. He praises the LORD. The best words about worship are not enough unless God Himself is the object. True praise rises from the creature to the Creator, from the redeemed to the Redeemer, from the servant to the King.
“And let all flesh.” David now widens the call. His own mouth is not enough. All flesh should bless God’s holy name. “All flesh” reminds us of man’s weakness and creatureliness. Flesh is frail, passing, needy, dependent, and soon gone. Yet all flesh owes blessing to God. No man is exempt because of nation, rank, language, age, wealth, poverty, strength, weakness, or station.
David’s praise cannot remain private, for the glory of Jehovah belongs before all flesh. Psalm 145 is not small praise for one man’s private comfort. The LORD’s works are great enough for all men to hear, His kingdom is everlasting, and His dominion endureth throughout all generations (v.13). Therefore, all flesh should bless Him. David’s praise reaches beyond himself to every creature under God’s rule.
This universal call agrees with the rest of Scripture. “O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come” (Psalm 65:2). “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name” (Psalm 86:9). The last psalm commands, “Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD” (Psalm 150:6). In the fullest view, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). David’s “all flesh” is therefore no small closing flourish; it is the proper end of all creatures before the holy name of God.
“Bless.” To bless God is to speak well of Him with reverence, gratitude, love, and worship. Men cannot add anything to God’s blessedness, for He is infinitely blessed in Himself. But they can bless His name by confessing His excellency, praising His works, thanking Him for mercy, and honouring Him with words that agree with His revealed glory.
This is another right use of the mouth. To bless God is the opposite of cursing, murmuring, boasting, and vanity. James warns that the same mouth should not bless God and curse men made after the similitude of God (James 3:9-10). Psalm 145:21 calls for the mouth to be consistent with its highest duty: blessing the holy name of the LORD.
“His holy name.” God’s name is the revelation of who He is. It is holy because He is holy. His name must not be treated lightly, used vainly, altered by imagination, or mixed with false worship. To bless His holy name is to bless Him as He has revealed Himself: gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger, of great mercy, righteous in all His ways, holy in all His works, nigh unto true callers, preserver of those who love Him, and destroyer of the wicked (vv.8,17-20).
The holiness of His name should govern the manner of praise. God is not blessed by careless noise, fleshly excitement, false doctrine, irreverent speech, or worship invented by men. His name is holy; therefore, praise must be holy. The mouth that blesses Him should speak with fear, truth, gratitude, and submission. “Holy and reverend is his name” (Psalm 111:9), and our Lord taught His disciples to begin prayer with this reverence: “Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).
“For ever and ever.” The psalm ends with eternity. David began with the same thought: “I will bless thy name for ever and ever” (v.1). Now he ends by calling all flesh to bless God’s holy name for ever and ever. God’s praise has no rightful ending because His greatness has no ending. His kingdom is everlasting. His dominion endures through all generations. His name will be blessed when all earthly honours have perished.
This phrase also humbles present praise. Our best praise now is small, brief, interrupted, and imperfect. But it belongs to an eternal work. The saints begin now what they shall never finish. Every true word of praise is a small part of the everlasting blessing due to God’s holy name.
The eternal scope of this praise is shown in heaven. John heard every creature in heaven, earth, under the earth, and in the sea saying, “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:13). He also saw a great multitude which no man could number crying, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10). Psalm 145:21 reaches toward that everlasting chorus.
Jesus Christ gives the fullest ground for this praise. By Him the grace and truth of God are revealed. In Him the redeemed see the kindness and love of God our Saviour. Through Him they have access to call upon God in truth, and by Him they offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of their lips giving thanks to His name (Hebrews 13:15). The Lamb who was slain is praised by the redeemed multitude, and God’s holy name is magnified in Him.
Psalm 145:21 therefore gives the final duty of the mouth in this psalm of praise. Let David’s mouth speak the praise of Jehovah. Let all flesh bless His holy name. Let praise be personal, spoken, God-centered, holy, and everlasting. The LORD is too great for silence, too good for ingratitude, too holy for careless speech, and too glorious for temporary praise. Let every saint begin now what eternity will continue: “My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD.”
My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Psalm 145:21 is the fitting conclusion to David’s psalm of praise. He began, “I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever” (v.1). He declared that the LORD is great and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable (v.3). He rehearsed God’s mighty acts, gracious compassion, everlasting kingdom, faithful words, righteous ways, and nearness to those who call upon Him in truth. Now he ends where true praise must end: his own mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD, and all flesh should bless His holy name for ever and ever.
“My mouth.” David brings his own speech under the purpose of praise. He does not leave the mouth to chance, mood, custom, fear, or silence. The mouth has been a repeated theme in many psalms: wicked mouths lie, flatter, curse, boast, deceive, and speak vanity; but David’s mouth is consecrated to praise. The man who has seen God’s greatness, mercy, righteousness, and nearness must not have an idle mouth.
This is personal before it is universal. David will soon call upon “all flesh,” but first he says, “My mouth.” A man should not urge the world to bless God while his own mouth is cold. Public exhortation must begin with personal devotion. David adds his own voice to the praise he commands from others.
“Shall speak.” Praise is not left as inward admiration only. It must be spoken. David will use words. He will confess, declare, rehearse, bless, and magnify the LORD. The mouth was made for such holy use. God has given speech so His people may give thanks, call upon His name, make known His deeds, declare His works, teach His truth, and bless His name.
The word “shall” gives resolution. David does not say his mouth may speak if circumstances remain pleasant, enemies are quiet, health continues, or feelings rise. He says it shall speak. Praise is fixed because God’s worth is fixed. The LORD’s greatness is unsearchable, His kingdom everlasting, His mercy great, and His name holy; therefore, David’s mouth has settled work to do.
This agrees with David’s resolve elsewhere: “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). Again, “And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long” (Psalm 35:28). The New Testament gives the same duty: “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15). God’s praise is not to be trapped in silent admiration. It is the fruit of the lips, spoken from a heart that knows His greatness.
“The praise.” David’s mouth has a defined subject. It will not speak chiefly of self, trouble, men, complaints, or earthly things. It shall speak “the praise” of the LORD. Praise is the honour due to God for who He is and what He has done. In Psalm 145 this includes His greatness, goodness, compassion, mercy, dominion, providence, righteousness, holiness, nearness, preservation, and judgment.
This phrase should govern the saint’s speech. There is a time to discuss duties, dangers, sins, sorrows, and needs; David himself does this throughout the Psalms. But the great current of the redeemed mouth should run toward praise. If God’s works fill the psalm, God’s praise should fill the mouth.
“Of the LORD.” The praise belongs to Jehovah. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah, the self-existent, faithful, covenant-keeping God of His people. David’s mouth does not praise an unknown deity, a human invention, or a vague providence. He praises Jehovah, the God whose greatness is unsearchable and whose mercy is over all His works.
This keeps praise from becoming man-centered. David does not praise praise itself, religious emotion, public worship, or his own devotion. He praises the LORD. The best words about worship are not enough unless God Himself is the object. True praise rises from the creature to the Creator, from the redeemed to the Redeemer, from the servant to the King.
“And let all flesh.” David now widens the call. His own mouth is not enough. All flesh should bless God’s holy name. “All flesh” reminds us of man’s weakness and creatureliness. Flesh is frail, passing, needy, dependent, and soon gone. Yet all flesh owes blessing to God. No man is exempt because of nation, rank, language, age, wealth, poverty, strength, weakness, or station.
David’s praise cannot remain private, for the glory of Jehovah belongs before all flesh. Psalm 145 is not small praise for one man’s private comfort. The LORD’s works are great enough for all men to hear, His kingdom is everlasting, and His dominion endureth throughout all generations (v.13). Therefore, all flesh should bless Him. David’s praise reaches beyond himself to every creature under God’s rule.
This universal call agrees with the rest of Scripture. “O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come” (Psalm 65:2). “All nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship before thee, O Lord; and shall glorify thy name” (Psalm 86:9). The last psalm commands, “Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD” (Psalm 150:6). In the fullest view, every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11). David’s “all flesh” is therefore no small closing flourish; it is the proper end of all creatures before the holy name of God.
“Bless.” To bless God is to speak well of Him with reverence, gratitude, love, and worship. Men cannot add anything to God’s blessedness, for He is infinitely blessed in Himself. But they can bless His name by confessing His excellency, praising His works, thanking Him for mercy, and honouring Him with words that agree with His revealed glory.
This is another right use of the mouth. To bless God is the opposite of cursing, murmuring, boasting, and vanity. James warns that the same mouth should not bless God and curse men made after the similitude of God (James 3:9-10). Psalm 145:21 calls for the mouth to be consistent with its highest duty: blessing the holy name of the LORD.
“His holy name.” God’s name is the revelation of who He is. It is holy because He is holy. His name must not be treated lightly, used vainly, altered by imagination, or mixed with false worship. To bless His holy name is to bless Him as He has revealed Himself: gracious, full of compassion, slow to anger, of great mercy, righteous in all His ways, holy in all His works, nigh unto true callers, preserver of those who love Him, and destroyer of the wicked (vv.8,17-20).
The holiness of His name should govern the manner of praise. God is not blessed by careless noise, fleshly excitement, false doctrine, irreverent speech, or worship invented by men. His name is holy; therefore, praise must be holy. The mouth that blesses Him should speak with fear, truth, gratitude, and submission. “Holy and reverend is his name” (Psalm 111:9), and our Lord taught His disciples to begin prayer with this reverence: “Hallowed be thy name” (Matthew 6:9).
“For ever and ever.” The psalm ends with eternity. David began with the same thought: “I will bless thy name for ever and ever” (v.1). Now he ends by calling all flesh to bless God’s holy name for ever and ever. God’s praise has no rightful ending because His greatness has no ending. His kingdom is everlasting. His dominion endures through all generations. His name will be blessed when all earthly honours have perished.
This phrase also humbles present praise. Our best praise now is small, brief, interrupted, and imperfect. But it belongs to an eternal work. The saints begin now what they shall never finish. Every true word of praise is a small part of the everlasting blessing due to God’s holy name.
The eternal scope of this praise is shown in heaven. John heard every creature in heaven, earth, under the earth, and in the sea saying, “Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever” (Revelation 5:13). He also saw a great multitude which no man could number crying, “Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Revelation 7:9-10). Psalm 145:21 reaches toward that everlasting chorus.
Jesus Christ gives the fullest ground for this praise. By Him the grace and truth of God are revealed. In Him the redeemed see the kindness and love of God our Saviour. Through Him they have access to call upon God in truth, and by Him they offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, the fruit of their lips giving thanks to His name (Hebrews 13:15). The Lamb who was slain is praised by the redeemed multitude, and God’s holy name is magnified in Him.
Psalm 145:21 therefore gives the final duty of the mouth in this psalm of praise. Let David’s mouth speak the praise of Jehovah. Let all flesh bless His holy name. Let praise be personal, spoken, God-centered, holy, and everlasting. The LORD is too great for silence, too good for ingratitude, too holy for careless speech, and too glorious for temporary praise. Let every saint begin now what eternity will continue: “My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD.”