The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
Read it in contextA Psalm of Praise of David
Start reading at Psalms 145:1 (Psalms 145:1 to Psalms 145:21).
The entire Psalm 145 is a unified hymn of praise, making the first verse the natural starting point for understanding the context.
145:1I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
145:2Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
145:3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
145:4One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
145:5I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.
145:6And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.
145:7They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.
145:8The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
145:9The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
145:10All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.
145:11They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
145:12To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
145:13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
145:14The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
145:15The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.
145:16Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
145:17The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
145:18The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
145:19He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
145:20The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
145:21My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Study content, not yet reviewed.
Who
Who wrote the book? Multiple writers contributed to Psalms, including David, Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, and Moses; some psalms have no named attribution. The traditional Hebrew headings distinguish many of these contributions. Biblical references: Acts 2:25; Acts 4:25. book background
Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Psalms 145:1–145:21): The singer addresses God the King and calls successive generations and all flesh to praise Him. stated in the text
Who was the book written to? Israel's worshipping community, including individuals and assemblies using the psalms for prayer, praise, lament, and instruction. A particular psalm may speak directly to God, to the congregation, or to another group. Biblical references: Psalms 22:22; Psalms 78:1; Psalms 100:1. book background
What
What is the main event or theme? The main theme of Psalm 145 is the praise of the LORD for His greatness, goodness, and righteous character. Specifically, verse 8 highlights His graciousness, compassion, slowness to anger, and great mercy, which are foundational to His interactions with creation and humanity.
What is God revealing? God is revealing His unchanging character as gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and abundant in mercy. He also reveals His goodness to all His works, His righteousness in all His ways, His holiness, and His faithfulness to those who call upon Him in truth.
What is the literary style? The literary style is Hebrew poetry, characteristic of worship literature.
When
When was it written? This psalm, attributed to David, would have been written during his lifetime, approximately 1000 B.C. The collection of Psalms was assembled between c. 1400 and 450 B.C.
When does the event take place? The psalm describes the eternal attributes of God, which are timeless. The act of praising God for these attributes is ongoing and perpetual.
Where
Where did it happen? The psalm describes God's universal attributes and actions, not a specific geographical event.
Where was the author located? The author, David, was located in Israel.
Where does the context start?
This passage sits in A Psalm of Praise of David (Psalms 145:1 to Psalms 145:21).
Start reading at Psalms 145:1. The entire Psalm 145 is a unified hymn of praise, making the first verse the natural starting point for understanding the context.
How
How does it fit the broader context? Psalm 145:8 serves as a central declaration of God's character, providing the theological foundation for the extensive praise that precedes and follows it. The preceding verses (145:1-7) declare God's greatness and mighty acts, while verse 8 explains the benevolent nature behind these actions. The subsequent verses (145:9-21) elaborate on His goodness, mercy, and care for all creation, which are direct manifestations of the attributes stated in verse 8. stated in the text
How does it point to Christ? Jesus Christ is the perfect embodiment and revelation of God's graciousness, compassion, and mercy. He demonstrated these attributes throughout His earthly ministry through His healing, teaching, and ultimately in His sacrificial death on the cross, which is the ultimate expression of God's great mercy and slowness to anger towards sinful humanity. As the image of the invisible God, Jesus fully reveals the character of God described in this verse. interpretation
How do I apply it today? This passage encourages believers today to trust in God's unchanging character, especially His mercy and patience, even amidst difficulties. It calls us to praise Him for these attributes and to reflect His graciousness and compassion in our own lives towards others. It also reminds us that God is good to all and cares for all His works, prompting us to rely on His faithful provision and care in every season of life. interpretation
David and others, including Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, and MosesNamed in Scripture
What Scripture saysThe superscriptions name their writers: David most often, and also Asaph, the sons of Korah, Solomon, and Moses. The New Testament quotes psalms as David's words. Psalm 3:1Psalm 90:1Acts 2:25Acts 4:25
Early traditionJewish and Christian tradition preserves the superscriptions as ancient.
What is debatedSome scholars regard certain superscriptions as later additions. The collection was assembled over centuries.
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Psalms 145
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Psalms is a collection of prayers and songs with multiple attributed writers and many unspecified occasions. Read each psalm as a poetic unit and distinguish a speaker's lament, petition, vow, and praise. The five-book arrangement does not make all psalms one continuous speech. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement. A quoted heading uses the opening KJV words of that stanza; the speaker and the psalm as a whole still govern its meaning.
FocusThanksgiving, pilgrimage, and concluding praise
Connection to the wholeThis opening unit introduces the chapter’s movement. The final collection gathers varied songs, the songs of degrees, and concluding calls to praise. Each psalm should first be read in its own poetic movement.
FocusThanksgiving, pilgrimage, and concluding praise
Connection to the wholeThe final collection gathers varied songs, the songs of degrees, and concluding calls to praise. Each psalm should first be read in its own poetic movement.
interpretation
“The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow…”
FocusThanksgiving, pilgrimage, and concluding praise
Connection to the wholeThe final collection gathers varied songs, the songs of degrees, and concluding calls to praise. Each psalm should first be read in its own poetic movement.
interpretation
“The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up…”
FocusThanksgiving, pilgrimage, and concluding praise
Connection to the wholeThe final collection gathers varied songs, the songs of degrees, and concluding calls to praise. Each psalm should first be read in its own poetic movement.
FocusThanksgiving, pilgrimage, and concluding praise
Connection to the wholeThis unit closes the chapter’s selected reading divisions. The final collection gathers varied songs, the songs of degrees, and concluding calls to praise. Each psalm should first be read in its own poetic movement.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Psalms
Prefilled outline, not yet reviewed.
Psalms is a collection of prayers and songs with multiple attributed writers and many unspecified occasions. Read each psalm as a poetic unit and distinguish a speaker's lament, petition, vow, and praise. The five-book arrangement does not make all psalms one continuous speech.
Connection to the wholeThe opening collection brings individual and communal prayer into the setting introduced by Psalms 1 and 2, ending with a doxology.
Connection to the wholeThe second collection continues varied prayers and songs and closes with royal prayer and a doxology; its individual psalms retain distinct voices and occasions.
FocusThe sanctuary, the nation, and covenant questions
Connection to the wholeThis collection gives prominent space to communal distress and worship, ending with the tension between the Davidic promise and the king's humiliation.
Connection to the wholeThese psalms include reflection on human frailty, the LORD's kingship, worship, and Israel's history, and close with a doxology.
FocusThanksgiving, pilgrimage, and concluding praise
Connection to the wholeThe final collection gathers varied songs, the songs of degrees, and concluding calls to praise. Each psalm should first be read in its own poetic movement.
interpretation
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.