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英文原文
The five foregoing psalms were all of a piece, all full of prayers; this, and the five that follow it to the end of the book, are all of a piece too, all full of praises; and though only this is entitled David's psalm yet we have no reason to think but that they were all his as well as all the foregoing prayers. And it is observable, 1. That after five psalms of prayer follow six psalms of praise; for those that are much in prayer shall not want matter for praise, and those that have sped in prayer must abound in praise. Our thanksgivings for mercy, when we have received it, should even exceed our supplications for it when we were in pursuit of it. David, in the last of his begging psalms, had promised to praise God (Ps 145:9), and here he performs his promise. 2. That the book of Psalms concludes with psalms of praise, all praise, for praise, is the conclusion of the whole matter; it is that in which all the psalms centre. And it intimates that God's people, towards the end of their life, should abound much in praise, and the rather because, at the end of their life, they hope to remove to the world of everlasting praise, and the nearer they come to heaven the more they should accustom themselves to the work of heaven. This is one of those psalms which are composed alphabetically (as Ps. 25 and 34, etc.), that it might be the more easily committed to memory, and kept in mind. The Jewish writers justly extol this psalm as a star of the first magnitude in this bright constellation; and some of them have an extravagant saying concerning it, not much unlike some of the popish superstitions, That whosoever will sing this psalm constantly three times a day shall certainly be happy in the world to come. In this psalm, I. David engages himself and others to praise God, Ps 145:1,2,4-7,10-12. II. He fastens upon those things that are proper matter for praise, God's greatness (Ps 145:3), his goodness (Ps 145:8,9), the proofs of both in the administration of his kingdom (Ps 145:13), the kingdom of providence (Ps 145:14-16), the kingdom of grace (Ps 145:17-20), and then he concludes with a resolution to continue praising God (Ps 145:21) with which resolution our hearts must be filled, and in which they must be fixed, in singing this psalm.
1-9
Grateful Acknowledgments
简体中文
感恩的承认
大卫的赞美诗。
¹ 我的神我的王啊，我要尊崇你；我要永永远远称颂你的名。
² 我要天天称颂你；也要永永远远赞美你的名。
³ 耶和华本为大，该受大赞美；其大无法测度。
⁴ 这代要对那代颂赞你的作为，也要传扬你的大能。
⁵ 我要默念你威严的尊荣和你奇妙的作为。
⁶ 人要传说你可畏之事的能力；我也要传扬你的大德。
⁷ 他们记念你的大恩就必传出，并要歌颂你的公义。
⁸ 耶和华有恩惠，有怜悯，不轻易发怒，大有慈爱。
⁹ 耶和华善待万民；他的慈悲覆庇他一切所造的。
本篇题作「大卫的赞美诗」，可能不仅表明他是作者，也表明他对此篇格外喜悦、常常歌颂；它是他无论何往都随身的伴侣。在本篇前半部分，所赞美的是神荣耀的属性；在本篇后半部分，所赞美的是他的国与国的施行。请看，
一、谁当被用来将荣耀归给神。
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无论他人如何，诗人自己必多多赞美神。他在此激励自己、约束自己去作这善工，并在这事上心大大宽广。他所行的，他要尽心去行，在其中越久越得满足。这是他的本分，也是他的喜乐。请看，（1）他如何表达这工本身：「我要尊崇你，称颂你的名」（诗145:1）；我要照你所启示的而言好话，借此表明我对你崇高的思想，并努力激发他人同样的思想。当我们恭敬地谈论神时，他恩惠地解释并悦纳为对他的「尊崇」。又（诗145:2）：「我要称颂你，赞美你的名」；这重复表明他对此工的爱慕之深、他决心恒久行此工的坚定，以及他屡次如此行的频繁。又（诗145:5）：「我要默念你的尊荣」；（诗145:6）「我要传扬你的大德」。他要将荣耀归给神，不仅在他的庄严灵修中，也在他日常的谈话中。心若满有神，口必因那丰盛，在一切场合带敬畏而言，为他的赞美。还有何题目比神的荣耀更崇高、更丰富、更悦人、更有用、更无可指摘呢？（2）他如何表达他恒守此工的决心。〔1〕他要在此工上恒久：「我要天天称颂你。」赞美神必须是我们每日的工。无论何日，再忙之日、再苦之日，都不可不赞美神。我们当以这为我们日常最必需的本分，也是日常最甘甜的安慰。神天天赐福我们，为我们行善；我们因此理当日日称颂他，说他好话。〔2〕他要在此工上持续：「我要永永远远称颂你」（诗145:1-2）。这表明：第一，他决心一生持守此工，直到在世「永远」的末了。第二，他所写的诗篇必被教会用来赞美神，直到末了（代下29:30）。第三，他盼望在另一个世界里永远赞美神。在地上以赞美为恒业的人，在天上必以赞美为永福。
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他不怀疑他人也会踊跃参与此工。（1）「他们现在必同心参与；他们必与我一同行此：当我『传扬你的大德』，『人要传说』它（诗145:6）；『他们就必传出』」（诗145:7），或作「倾倒出来」；他们必以蒙恩的流畅赞美神，胜过最精巧的辞令。大卫的热心必激发许多人，也确已如此。（2）「我离去之后，他们必在连续不断的传承中持守」（诗145:4）：「这代要对那代颂赞你的作为。」将过去的一代要把所见的告诉正兴起的一代，要把他们那日子所见所闻、并从他们父辈所听的告诉他们（诗78:3）；正兴起的一代要效法将过去的一代的榜样：如此，神敬拜者的离世不至使他的敬拜减少，因为新的一代要起来接续他们，或多或少地继续这善工直到末了；到那时，这工要交托给那不再有代代相传的世界。
二、我们当将何事的荣耀归给神。
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他的伟大与他大能的作为。我们必须宣告：「耶和华本为大」——他的同在无限，他的权能无可抵挡，他的光辉不可逼视，他的威严可畏，他的国无边无际，他的主权无可争辩；所以毫无争议地，「耶和华本为大」；既为大，便「该受大赞美」——用我们里面的一切，尽我们的全力，并以一切可想的庄严情境来赞美。他的伟大诚然不能测透，因为无可搜索；谁能想象或表达神有多大？但正因此越发当受赞美。当我们不能借查究寻到底时，便当坐在岸边，敬拜那深处的奥秘（罗11:33）。神为大，因为：（1）他的威严在上面的世界——就是在诸天之上、他设立他荣耀之处——荣耀辉煌；所以我们传扬他的大时，必不可忘「默念你威严的尊荣」，即他威严之荣耀的光辉（诗145:5），看他在上面的世界照耀得何等明亮，甚至天使也目眩，不得不遮脸，因为不能忍受其光泽。（2）他的作为在这下面的世界奇妙。一切受造之物的保全、供应与治理，都宣告造化之主甚大。所以我们传扬他的大时，必注意其无可置疑的证据，并要「传扬你的大能」（诗145:4），「默念你奇妙的作为」（诗145:5），「传说你可畏之事的能力」（诗145:6）。我们必须看见神在这下面世界一切事务中的作为与工作。各样的器皿都被使用，但在一切事件中神是至高的指导者；成就万事的乃是他。他护理的运行中大有他的权能可见（那些是「大能的作为」，是任何受造者的力量所不能比拟的），也大有他的公义可见——那些是「可畏的作为」，令圣徒敬畏，令罪人恐惧。我们当在一切场合多多谈论这些，看见神的手指、神的手、神的膀臂在其中，好叫我们惊奇。
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他的良善；这是他的荣耀（出33:19）。这是他所夸耀的（出34:6-7），也是我们必须将荣耀归给他的：「他们记念你的大恩就必传出」（诗145:7）。神的良善是大良善，其宝库永不能耗尽，甚至永不能减少，因为他必永远像往昔一样富有怜悯。这是可记念的良善；是我们当时时摆在眼前、时时记念、保存其纪念的，因为它「配得永远记念」；我们对神良善所保留的记忆，我们当传扬，当「丰盛地」传扬，像那些心中满溢的人，并愿他人也认识、也受感。然而每当我们传扬神的大恩时，必不可忘同时「歌颂你的公义」；因为他既信实地奖赏那些忠心事奉他的人，也公义地惩罚那些背叛他的人。神之中既有不偏不倚、毫不通融的公义，也有用之不竭的良善；我们必须同唱两者（罗11:22）。（1）神的本性中有一良善的源头（诗145:8）：「耶和华有恩惠」——向事奉他的人；「有怜悯」——向需要他的人；「不轻易发怒」——向得罪他的人；「大有慈爱」——向一切寻求他、向他恳求的人。他随时赐给，随时赦免；比我们求得更急，比我们悔改得更早。（2）他一切护理的安排中都有良善的江河（诗145:9）。他既为善，便行善；他「善待万民」——善待他一切受造之物，从最高的天使到最卑微的虫，善待一切除了那将自己拒于他良善之外的魔鬼与沉沦罪人之外的所有。「他的慈悲覆庇他一切所造的。」〔1〕他一切所造的、一切受造之物，都领受他怜悯看顾与丰盛的果子；这怜悯延伸到他们一切之上；他所造的他无一恨恶。〔2〕他怜悯之工胜过他一切别的作为，也最彰显他，过于其中任何一项。神之荣耀在蒙怜悯、预备得荣耀的器皿上必永远最为显赫。众圣徒永世的哈利路亚，必向神的良善而唱。
英文原文
Grateful Acknowledgments
David's psalm of praise.
¹ I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.
² Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.
³ Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.
⁴ One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.
⁵ I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.
⁶ And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.
⁷ They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.
⁸ The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.
⁹ The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.
The entitling of this David's psalm of praise may intimate not only that he was the penman of it, but that he took a particular pleasure in it and sung it often; it was his companion wherever he went. In this former part of the psalm God's glorious attributes are praised, as, in the latter part of the psalm, his kingdom and the administration of it. Observe,
I. Who shall be employed in giving glory to God.
1. Whatever others do, the psalmist will himself be much in praising God. To this good work he here excites himself, engages himself, and has his heart much enlarged in it. What he does, that he will do, having more and more satisfaction in it. It was his duty; it was his delight. Observe, (1.) How he expresses the work itself: "I will extol thee, and bless thy name (Ps 145:1); I will speak well of thee, as thou hast made thyself known, and will therein express my own high thoughts of thee and endeavour to raise the like in others." When we speak honourably of God, this is graciously interpreted and accepted as an extolling of him. Again (Ps 145:2): I will bless thee, I will praise thy name; the repetition intimates the fervency of his affection to this work, the fixedness of his purpose to abound in it, and the frequency of his performances therein. Again (Ps 145:5): I will speak of thy honour, and (Ps 145:6) I will declare thy greatness. He would give glory to God, not only in his solemn devotions, but in his common conversation. If the heart be full of God, out of the abundance of that the mouth will speak with reverence, to his praise, upon all occasions. What subject of discourse can we find more noble, more copious, more pleasant, useful, and unexceptionable, than the glory of God? (2.) How he expresses his resolution to persevere in it. [1.] He will be constant to this work: Every day will I bless thee. Praising God must be our daily work. No day must pass, though ever so busy a day, though ever so sorrowful a day, without praising God. We ought to reckon it the most needful of our daily employments, and the most delightful of our daily comforts. God is every day blessing us, doing well for us; there is therefore reason that we should be every day blessing him, speaking well of him. [2.] He will continue in it: I will bless thee for ever and ever, Ps 145:1,2. This intimates, First, That he resolved to continue in this work to the end of his life, throughout his ever in this world. Secondly, That the psalms he penned should be made use of in praising God by the church to the end of time, 2Ch 29:30. Thirdly, That he hoped to be praising God to all eternity in the other world. Those that make praise their constant work on earth shall have it their everlasting bliss in heaven.
2. He doubts not but others also would be forward to this work. (1.) "They shall concur in it now; they shall join with me in it: When I declare thy greatness men shall speak of it (Ps 145:6); they shall abundantly utter it" (Ps 145:7), or pour it out (as the word is); they shall praise God with a gracious fluency, better than the most curious oratory. David's zeal would provoke many, and it has done so. (2.) "They shall keep it up when I am gone, in an uninterrupted succession (Ps 145:4): One generation shall praise thy works to another." The generation that is going off shall tell them to that which is rising up, shall tell what they have seen in their days and what they have heard from their fathers; they shall fully and particularly declare thy mighty acts (Ps 78:3); and the generation that is rising up shall follow the example of that which is going off: so that the death of God's worshippers shall be no diminution of his worship, for a new generation shall rise up in their room to carry on that good work, more or less, to the end of time, when it shall be left to that world to do it in which there is no succession of generations.
II. What we must give to God the glory of.
1. Of his greatness and his great works. We must declare, Great is the Lord, his presence infinite, his power irresistible, his brightness insupportable, his majesty awful, his dominion boundless, and his sovereignty incontestable; and therefore there is no dispute, but great is the Lord, and, if great, then greatly to be praised, with all that is within us, to the utmost of our power, and with all the circumstances of solemnity imaginable. His greatness indeed cannot be comprehended, for it is unsearchable; who can conceive or express how great God is? But then it is so much the more to be praised. When we cannot, by searching, find the bottom, we must sit down at the brink, and adore the depth, Ro 11:33. God is great, for, (1.) His majesty is glorious in the upper world, above the heavens, where he has set his glory; and when we are declaring his greatness we must not fail to speak of the glorious honour of his majesty, the splendour of the glory of his majesty (Ps 145:5), how brightly he shines in the upper world, so as to dazzle the eyes of the angels themselves, and oblige them to cover their faces, as unable to bear the lustre of it. (2.) His works are wondrous in this lower world. The preservation, maintenance, and government of all the creatures, proclaim the Creator very great. When therefore we declare his greatness we must observe the unquestionable proofs of it, and must declare his mighty acts (Ps 145:4), speak of his wondrous works (Ps 145:5), the might of his terrible acts, Ps 145:6. We must see God acting and working in all the affairs of this lower world. Various instruments are used, but in all events God is the supreme director; it is he that performs all things. Much of his power is seen in the operations of his providence (they are mighty acts, such as cannot be paralleled by the strength of any creature), and much of his justice—they are terrible acts, awful to saints, dreadful to sinners. These we should take all occasions to speak of, observing the finger of God, his hand, his arm, in all, that we may marvel.
2. Of his goodness; this is his glory, Ex 33:19. It is what he glories in (Ex 34:6,7), and it is what we must give him the glory of: They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, Ps 145:7. God's goodness is great goodness, the treasures of it can never be exhausted, nay, they can never be lessened, for he ever will be as rich in mercy as he ever was. It is memorable goodness; it is what we ought always to lay before us, always to have in mind and preserve the memorials of, for it is worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance; and the remembrance we retain of God's goodness we should utter, we should abundantly utter, as those who are full of it, very full of it, and desire that others may be acquainted and affected with it. But, whenever we utter God's great goodness, we must not forget, at the same time, to sing of his righteousness; for, as he is gracious in rewarding those that serve him faithfully, so he is righteous in punishing those that rebel against him. Impartial and inflexible justice is as surely in God as inexhaustible goodness; and we must sing of both together, Ro 11:22. (1.) There is a fountain of goodness in God's nature (Ps 145:8): The Lord is gracious to those that serve him; he is full of compassion to those that need him, slow to anger to those that have offended him, and of great mercy to all that seek him and sue to him. He is ready to give, and ready to forgive, more ready than we are to ask, than we are to repent. (2.) There are streams of goodness in all the dispensations of his providence, Ps 145:9. As he is good, so he does good; he is good to all, to all his creatures, from the highest angel to the meanest worm, to all but devils and damned sinners, that have shut themselves out from his goodness. His tender mercies are over all his works. [1.] All his works, all his creatures, receive the fruits of his merciful care and bounty. It is extended to them all; he hates nothing that he has made. [2.] The works of his mercy out-shine all his other works, and declare him more than any of them. In nothing will the glory of God be for ever so illustrious as in the vessels of mercy ordained to glory. To the divine goodness will the everlasting hallelujahs of all the saints be sung.
10-21
Grateful Acknowledgments
简体中文
感恩的承认
¹⁰ 耶和华啊，你一切所造的都要称谢你；你的圣民也要称颂你。
¹¹ 他们要传说你国的荣耀，讲述你的大能，
¹² 好叫世人知道你大能的作为，并你国度威严的荣耀。
¹³ 你的国是永远的国，你执掌的权柄存到万代。
¹⁴ 凡跌倒的，耶和华将他们扶持；凡被压下的，将他们扶起。
¹⁵ 万民都举目仰望你；你随时给他们食物。
¹⁶ 你张手，使有生气的都随愿饱足。
¹⁷ 耶和华在他一切所行的，无不公义；在他一切所作的都有慈爱。
¹⁸ 凡求告耶和华的，就是诚心求告他的，耶和华便与他们相近。
¹⁹ 敬畏他的，他必成就他们的心愿；也必听他们的呼求，拯救他们。
²⁰ 耶和华保护一切爱他的人，却要灭绝一切的恶人。
²¹ 我的口要说出赞美耶和华的话；惟愿凡有血气的都永永远远称颂他的圣名。
那位optimus et maximus——至善至大的存在者——他的伟大与良善，已在本诗前半部分被颂扬；在此处的经文里，我们受教当归他国的荣耀*给他，因为他的伟大与良善在他国度的治理之中，如此清楚地、如此明亮地照耀出来。请看，如前文一样，
一、向谁期待赞美的贡物（诗 145:10）：你一切所造的都要称谢你。它们都为我们预备了赞美的题材，所以照它们的容量赞美他；甚至连那些不肯把荣耀归给他的，他也要从他们身上为自己得荣耀。但他的圣民却要称颂他——不仅因为他们从他领受了别受造之物所无的特别福分，更因为他们是主动地赞美他，而他的别的作为只是被动地赞美他。他们称颂他，因为他们从下级的受造之物收集赞美的贡物，缴入天上的府库。神一切的作为都赞美他，正如一座华美的建筑赞美建筑师，或一幅精工的图画赞美画家；但圣民称颂他，如同贤慧慈爱之父母的儿女起来称他们有福。在神一切作为之中，他的圣民——他恩典的杰作，他受造之物的初熟果子——最有理由称颂他。
二、这赞美是为何事而献：*他们要传说你国的荣耀。*神在人中间的国度，是当常常思想、当常常谈论的事。如前文他把神的伟大与良善总体地加以高举，此处他把它们应用于神的国而加以高举。那么请思想：
1. 他国度的伟大。它确实伟大，因为地上一切君王与国度都在他掌管之下。为表明神国的伟大，他指出：（1）其威荣。我们若凭信看幔子之内，就必看见，并且信了就必传说你国的荣耀（诗 145:11），并其威严的荣耀（诗 145:12），因为他已在天上预备了他的宝座，它又高又升，又有无数的天使环绕。所罗门和亚哈随鲁的宫廷虽华美，但与神国威严的荣耀相比，也不过如萤火之于太阳。这事理当使我们在一切亲近神的事上心生敬畏。（2）其权能：当他们传说神国的荣耀之时，他们也必讲述他的大能——其宽广，其功效——他的权能借着他所能作的任何事、和他所乐意作的一切事而显出（诗 145:11）；作为其凭据，让他们叫世人知道他大能的作为（诗 145:12），使世人受感甘心归顺他，从而把自己置于这样一位大有权能的君王的保护之下。（3）其长久（诗 145:13）。地上君王的宝座摇动，他们冠冕上的花凋残，列国的君主制度也告终；但主啊，你的国是永远的国。神要治理世界直到末时，那时现在受托治理他国的中保，要将国交与父神，使父在万物之上为万物之主，存到永远。他的权柄存到万代，因为他自己是永恒的，他的谋略不变而又一致；而那设立国度与他对抗的撒但，已被征服，被锁链拘禁。
2. 他国度的良善。他君王的尊号与样式是：主神，是有怜悯有恩典的；他的治理与他的尊号相符。神的良善显明在他所行的事上：
（1）对一切受造之物普遍而论（诗 145:15-16）：他赐粮食给凡有血气的，在其中显出他永远的慈爱（诗 136:25）。一切受造之物都靠神活着，他们既从他从起初得着生命，也从他得着维持生命的一切供给，并靠他得以延续。〔1〕他们期望的眼目仰望他：万民都举目仰望你。低等的受造之物诚然没有对神的认识，也不能有，然而他们被说成仰望神，因为他们照着自然之神所赐的本能寻找食物（他们也不种，也不收，太 6:26），又因为他们接受自然之神为他们所预备的，在他所定的时侯和方式中接受，并以之为足。〔2〕他施恩的手向他们伸出：你随时给他们食物——给他们合宜的食物，并当其所需之时给他们；所以受造之物通常并不因缺少食物而灭亡，就是在冬天也不。你张手，慷慨而丰盛地，使有生气的都随愿饱足——除非某些无理的人子，他们什么也不以此为足，仍不住地怨言，仍不住地喊给呀，给呀。
（2）对人子——他所治理的有理性受造之物——特别而论。
〔1〕他不行他们任何人不义之事，因为（诗 145:17）耶和华在他一切所行的，无不公义——在一切之中没有不义；他是圣洁的，行事与他自己的本性相符，在他一切所作的都有完全的公正。在治理的一切作为上，他是公正的，不伤害任何人，反将公义施与众人。主的道路是公平的，虽然我们的不公平。在颁布律法、决断争讼、赏赐事奉、刑罚过犯上，他都无可争辩地公正，我们理当承认他确是如此。
〔2〕他行他们一切人益处之事，特别对他自己的子民。
第一，他扶持那些下沉的人，扶助软弱的人正是他的尊荣（诗 145:14）。他扶持凡跌倒的——他们虽然跌倒，却不至全然被抛弃。许多人子因疾病与别的患难而被打得极低，似乎要掉入坟墓，然而护理却奇妙地扶持他们，把他们扶起来，说：归回（诗 110:3）。凡一度看似将死之人都死了的话，世界便会十分稀疏。许多神的儿女曾几乎要陷入罪中，几乎要陷入绝望之中，却在他禁止其跌倒、或速速以他的恩惠与安慰使其复原之上，经历过他的良善；所以虽然跌倒，却不至全然被抛弃（诗 37:24）。那些因欺压与苦难而被压下的人若得扶起，那就是神扶起他们的。至于一切在罪的重担下劳苦担重担的人，他们若凭信来到基督那里，他必使他们得安息，他必使他们抬起。
第二，他极其乐意垂听并应允他百姓的祈祷（诗 145:18-19）。他国的恩典在此显出，他的子民不但有祈求的自由，且有祈求的一切勉励。1. 所赐的是何等丰盛：神必与一切求告他的人相近——他常在他们祈祷可及之处，他们也常发现自己在他帮助可及之处。相近的邻舍胜过远方的弟兄（箴 27:10），更何况是相近的神。不但如此，他不仅与他们相近，使他们有蒙垂听的安慰，且要成就他们的心愿——他们必得着所求的，寻见所寻的。诗 145:16 说他使凡有生气的都随愿饱足，他更要成就那敬畏他之人的心愿；因为那喂养他小鸟的，不会不喂养他的婴孩。他必听他们的呼求，拯救他们——这才是有果效的垂听，正如他听了大卫——就是救他脱离野牛的角（诗 22:21）。2. 条件是何等合理。他必垂听帮助我们：（1）若我们敬畏他，以对他圣洁的敬畏敬拜事奉他；不然我们怎能指望他悦纳我们呢？（2）若我们诚心求告他；因为他在乎内心的诚实。我们向神必须忠信，在我们仰赖他、献己于他的承认上必须真诚。在一切敬虔的事上，内心的印象必须与外表的表达相符，否则便不是在真理之中献上的。
第三，他把那些对他怀有信靠与喜悦的人置于他的特别保护之下（诗 145:20）：耶和华保护一切爱他的人；他们在这世上暴露于危险之中，但他借保全他们的纯正，必有效地护卫他们，使真正的凶恶不至临到他们。
〔3〕若有被毁灭的，他们只能怪自己：一切的恶人他必灭绝，但他们因自己的邪恶已使自己适合于毁灭。这在他保护义人之事上更显他的良善，因为他们要亲眼看见恶人遭报（诗 91:8）；神也要借此法保护他的百姓——毁灭那要害他们的恶人。
最后，诗人作结：1. 立志自己归荣耀与神（诗 145:21）：*我的口要说出赞美耶和华的话。*我们赞美神之时，说尽所能说的，仍有更多可说，所以我们不可只像他起初那样（诗 145:1）以这心志开始感恩，也要像他在此处所作的，以这心志作结，因为我们很快又要再开始。一件恩惠的终结，就是另一件恩惠的开始；一件感恩的终结，也当如此。只要我一息尚存，我的口仍要述说神的赞美。2. 呼召别人也如此行：惟愿凡有血气的——全人类——永永远远称颂他的圣名。人类之中必有人永远称颂神；可惜他们不都如此献身。
英文原文
Grateful Acknowledgments
¹⁰ All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.
¹¹ They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;
¹² To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.
¹³ Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.
¹⁴ The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.
¹⁵ The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.
¹⁶ Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.
¹⁷ The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.
¹⁸ The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.
¹⁹ He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.
²⁰ The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.
²¹ My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
The greatness and goodness of him who is optimus et maximus—the best and greatest of beings, were celebrated in the former part of the psalm; here, in these verses, we are taught to give him the glory of his kingdom, in the administration of which his greatness and goodness shine so clearly, so very brightly. Observe, as before,
I. From whom the tribute of praise is expected (Ps 145:10): All God's works shall praise him. They all minister to us matter for praise, and so praise him according to their capacity; even those that refuse to give him honour he will get himself honour upon. But his saints do bless him, not only as they have peculiar blessings from him, which other creatures have not, but as they praise him actively, while his other works praise him only objectively. They bless him, for they collect the rent or tribute of praise from the inferior creatures, and pay it into the treasury above. All God's works do praise him, as the beautiful building praises the builder or the well-drawn picture praises the painter; but the saints bless him as the children of prudent tender parents rise up and call them blessed. Of all God's works, his saints, the workmanship of his grace, the first-fruits of his creatures, have most reason to bless him.
II. For what this praise is to be given: They shall speak of thy kingdom. The kingdom of God among men is a thing to be often thought of and often spoken of. As, before, he had magnified God's greatness and goodness in general, so here he magnifies them with application to his kingdom. Consider then,
1. The greatness of his kingdom. It is great indeed, for all the kings and kingdoms of the earth are under his control. To show the greatness of God's kingdom, he observes, (1.) The pomp of it. Would we by faith look within the veil, we should see, and, believing, we should speak of the glory of his kingdom (Ps 145:11), the glorious majesty of it (Ps 145:12), for he has prepared his throne in the heavens, and it is high and lifted up, and surrounded with an innumerable company of angels. The courts of Solomon and Ahasuerus were magnificent; but, compared with the glorious majesty of God's kingdom, they were but as glow-worms to the sun. The consideration of this should strike an awe upon us in all our approaches to God. (2.) The power of it: When they speak of the glory of God's kingdom they must talk of his power, the extent of it, the efficacy of it—his power, by which he can do any thing and does every thing he pleases (Ps 145:11); and, as a proof of it, let them make known his mighty acts (Ps 145:12), that the sons of men may be invited to yield themselves his willing subjects and so put themselves under the protection of such a mighty potentate. (3.) The perpetuity of it, Ps 145:13. The thrones of earthly princes totter, and the flowers of their crowns wither, monarchies come to an end; but, Lord, thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. God will govern the world to the end of time, when the Mediator, who is now entrusted with the administration of his kingdom, shall deliver it up to God, even the Father, that he may be all in all to eternity. His dominion endures throughout all generations, for he himself is eternal, and his counsels are unchangeable and uniform; and Satan, who has set up a kingdom in opposition to him, is conquered and in a chain.
2. The goodness of his kingdom. His royal style and title are, The Lord God, gracious and merciful; and his government answers to his title. The goodness of God appears in what he does,
(1.) For all the creatures in general (Ps 145:15,16): He provides food for all flesh, and therein appears his everlasting mercy, Ps 136:25. All the creatures live upon God, and, as they had their being from him at first, so from him they have all the supports of their being and on him they depend for the continuance of it. [1.] The eye of their expectation attends upon him: The eyes of all wait on thee. The inferior creatures indeed have not the knowledge of God, nor are capable of it, and yet they are said to wait upon God, because they seek their food according to the instinct which the God of nature has put into them (and they sow not, neither do they reap, Mt 6:26), and because they take what the God of nature has provided for them, in the time and way that he has appointed, and are content with it. [2.] The hand of his bounty is stretched out to them: Thou givest them their meat in due season, the meat proper for them, and in the proper time, when they need it; so that none of the creatures ordinarily perish for want of food, no, not in the winter. Thou openest thy hand freely and liberally, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing, except some of the unreasonable children of men, that will be satisfied with nothing, but are still complaining, still crying, Give, give.
(2.) For the children of men in particular, whom he governs as reasonable creatures.
[1.] He does none of them any wrong, for (Ps 145:17) the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and not unrighteous in any of them; he is holy, and acts like himself, with a perfect rectitude in all his works. In all the acts of government he is just, injurious to none, but administering justice to all. The ways of the lord are equal, though ours are unequal. In giving laws, in deciding controversies, in recompensing services, and punishing offences, he is incontestably just, and we are bound to own that he is so.
[2.] He does all of them good, his own people in a special manner.
First, He supports those that are sinking, and it is his honour to help the weak, Ps 145:14. He upholds all that fall, in that, though they fall, they are not utterly cast down. Many of the children of men are brought very low by sickness and other distresses, and seem ready to drop into the grave, and yet Providence wonderfully upholds them, raises them up, and says, Return, Ps 110:3. If all had died who once seemed dying, the world would have been very thin. Many of the children of God, who have been ready to fall into sin, to fall into despair, have experienced his goodness in preventing their falls, or recovering them speedily by his graces and comforts, so that, though they fell, they were not utterly cast down, Ps 37:24. If those who were bowed down by oppression and affliction are raised up, it was God that raised them. And, with respect to all those that are heavy-laden under the burden of sin, if they come to Christ by faith, he will ease them, he will raise them.
Secondly, He is very ready to hear and answer the prayers of his people, Ps 145:18,19. In this appears the grace of his kingdom, that his subjects have not only liberty of petitioning, but all the encouragement that can be to petition. 1. The grant is very rich, that God will be nigh to all that call upon him; he will be always within call of their prayers, and they shall always find themselves within reach of his help. If a neighbour that is near is better than a brother afar off (Pr 27:10), much more a God that is near. Nay, he will not only be nigh to them, that they may have the satisfaction of being heard, but he will fulfil their desires; they shall have what they ask and find that they seek. It was said (Ps 145:16) that he satisfies the desire of every living thing, much more will he fulfil the desire of those that fear him; for he that feeds his birds will not starve his babes. He will hear their call and will save them; that is hearing them to purpose, as he heard David (that is, saved him) from the horn of the unicorn, Ps 22:21. 2. The proviso is very reasonable. He will hear and help us, (1.) If we fear him, if we worship and serve him with a holy awe of him; for otherwise how can we expect that he should accept us? (2.) If we call upon him in truth; for he desires truth in the inward part. We must be faithful to God, and sincere in our professions of dependence on him, and devotedness to him. In all devotions inward impressions must be answerable to the outward expressions, else they are not performed in truth.
Thirdly, He takes those under his special protection who have a confidence and complacency in him (Ps 145:20): The Lord preserves all those that love him; they lie exposed in this world, but he, by preserving them in their integrity, will effectually secure them, that no real evil shall befal them.
[3.] If any are destroyed they may thank themselves: All the wicked he will destroy, but they have by their wickedness fitted themselves for destruction. This magnifies his goodness in the protection of the righteous, that with their eyes they shall see the reward of the wicked (Ps 91:8); and God will by this means preserve his people, even by destroying the wicked that would do them a mischief.
Lastly, The psalmist concludes, 1. With a resolution to give glory to God himself (Ps 145:21): My mouth shall speak the praise of the Lord. When we have said what we can, in praising God, still there is more to be said, and therefore we must not only begin our thanksgivings with this purpose, as he did (Ps 145:1), but conclude them with it, as he does here, because we shall presently have occasion to begin again. As the end of one mercy is the beginning of another, so should the end of one thanksgiving be. While I have breath to draw, my mouth shall still speak God's praises. 2. With a call to others to do so too: Let all flesh, all mankind, bless his holy name for ever and ever. Some of mankind shall be blessing God for ever; it is a pity but that they should be all so engaged.
前五篇都是同一体裁,都充满祈祷;本篇及其后到卷末的五篇也都是同一体裁,都充满赞美;虽然只有本篇题为「大卫的诗」,我们却没有理由不认为它们都出于大卫,正如前面那些祷告一样。可注意者有二:1. 五篇祷告之后,接着便是六篇赞美;因多祷告的人,必不缺赞美的话;祷告已蒙允的人,必更在赞美上丰盛。我们得怜悯时当献的感恩,甚至当超过我们未得时追求中所发的恳求。大卫在他末了一篇乞求之诗中,曾应许要赞美神(诗145篇末),此处便履行他的应许。2.《诗篇》全书以赞美之诗、纯赞美作结,因赞美是全事的总结;它是众诗篇汇聚之处。这暗示神的百姓当在生命末了大大多赞美,更因他们在生命末了盼望迁到永远赞美的世界,愈近天堂便愈当习惯于天堂的功课。本篇是按字母次序编排的诗篇之一(如诗25、34等),为的是更易于记诵、存留于心。犹太作者公正地称赞本诗为这明亮星座中的一等星;他们中有些人有一句近乎天主教的迷信夸张语,说凡一日三次恒常唱这首诗的人,必在来世得福。在本诗中:一、大卫自勉并勉人赞美神(诗145:1,2,4-7,10-12);二、他选定那些适合作赞美内容的事——神的伟大(诗145:3)、神的良善(诗145:8,9)、二者在其国度治理中的证据——即护理的国度(诗145:14-16)、恩典的国度(诗145:17-20),最后他决意持续赞美神(诗145:21)——我们唱这首诗时,心思当被这决意充满,并在其上坚定。