Psalm 145:5 kjv
I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.
Psalm 145:5 nkjv
I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works.
Psalm 145:5 niv
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty? and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
Psalm 145:5 esv
On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
Psalm 145:5 nlt
I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
Psalm 145 5 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 15:11 | "Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness..." | God's unique majesty and wonders. |
| Ps 8:1 | "O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!..." | God's majestic glory declared. |
| Ps 9:1 | "I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds." | Proclaiming wondrous works. |
| Ps 19:1 | "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." | Creation revealing God's glory and work. |
| Ps 29:3-4 | "The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders... The voice of the LORD is powerful..." | Manifestation of God's powerful glory. |
| Ps 40:5 | "You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us..." | Abundance of God's wondrous works. |
| Ps 71:15-17 | "My mouth will tell of Your righteous acts, of Your deeds of salvation all the day..." | Telling of God's deeds and righteousness. |
| Ps 77:11-12 | "I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember Your wonders of old." | Remembering and pondering God's wonders. |
| Ps 96:3 | "Declare his glory among the nations, His marvelous works among all the peoples!" | Universal proclamation of God's glory/works. |
| Ps 105:2 | "Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; tell of all His wondrous works!" | Command to speak of wondrous works. |
| Ps 111:2-4 | "Great are the works of the LORD... His work is full of splendor and majesty..." | God's works are great and glorious. |
| Ps 119:15 | "I will meditate on Your precepts and fix my eyes on Your ways." | Meditating on God's truth. |
| Ps 139:14 | "I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made..." | Wonder of creation pointing to God's handiwork. |
| Isa 6:3 | "And one called to another and said: 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!'" | Fullness of God's glory. |
| Isa 28:29 | "This also comes from the LORD of hosts; He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom." | God's wisdom evident in His works. |
| Hab 2:14 | "For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea." | Future filling of the earth with God's glory. |
| John 1:14 | "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory..." | Jesus as the manifestation of God's glory. |
| Rom 1:20 | "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived..." | God's invisible attributes seen through creation. |
| Eph 1:18 | "...that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you... and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us..." | Knowledge of God's great power. |
| Col 3:16 | "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another..." | Deeper meditation leading to teaching. |
| 1 Pet 2:9 | "...that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness..." | Proclaiming God's excellent deeds. |
| Rev 15:3 | "Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!" | Heavenly praise for God's deeds. |
Psalm 145 verses
Psalm 145 5 Meaning
Psalm 145:5 declares the psalmist's resolute commitment to reflect deeply upon and vocally proclaim the inherent, magnificent attributes of God and the astounding deeds He performs. It underscores a personal vow to meditate on and publicly share the awe-inspiring, weighty glory of the Most High, as well as His miraculous acts that demonstrate His power and wisdom throughout creation and history.
Psalm 145 5 Context
Psalm 145 is the only psalm in the psalter titled "A Praise of David" (Hebrew: Tehillah L'David), emphasizing its unique purpose as a psalm of pure praise. It is an alphabetic acrostic psalm, where each verse (mostly) begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet, signifying a comprehensive and orderly praise. This particular psalm concludes the Book of Psalms, presenting a culminating song of adoration for YHWH's character and kingdom. Verse 5 follows the psalmist's commitment in verse 4 to tell "the coming generation of Your glorious deeds, and of Your might." Thus, verse 5 deepens this personal commitment, revealing what the psalmist will specifically focus on: God's intrinsic glory and His powerful acts. Historically, during David's reign, the concept of a powerful and majestic God was central to Israel's identity, contrasting with the limited and often human-like deities of surrounding nations. The psalmist, as king, sets an example of devout reflection and vocal testimony concerning the uniqueness of Israel's God.
Psalm 145 5 Word analysis
וְאֶשִׂיחָה (wᵉʾeśîḥāh): This is the first-person singular imperfect Qal form of the verb שׂוּח (śūaḥ) or שִׂיח (śîaḥ). It means "I will meditate," "I will muse," "I will talk," "I will declare," or "I will utter." The nuance implies a thoughtful and deliberate process of pondering and reflecting internally, which then leads to a vocal or public proclamation. It is not mere idle talk but a deep consideration expressed outwardly.
עַל (ʿal): A preposition meaning "upon," "concerning," "about," or "over." It indicates the object or subject of the meditation/speaking.
הֲדַר (hadar): From the root הָדַר (hadar), meaning "splendor," "honor," "majesty," "magnificence," "glory," "beauty." It refers to the radiant, dignified, and awe-inspiring outward display of greatness.
כְּבוֹד (kᵉvōd): From the root כָּבַד (kāvaḏ), meaning "glory," "honor," "weight," "substance," "reputation." This term denotes the intrinsic, heavy weight or substance of something that makes it impressive or honorable. When applied to God, it refers to His inherent greatness, His self-existent excellence, and His visible manifestation. The phrase הֲדַר כְּבוֹד (hadar kᵉvōd) forms a construct phrase, best rendered "the glorious splendor" or "the splendor of glory," signifying an intensified expression of divine magnificence that is both intrinsic and outwardly manifest.
הוֹדְךָ (hōdeḵā): This is הוֹד (hōd) with the second-person masculine singular suffix "-Your." הוֹד means "majesty," "splendor," "glory," "honor." It is very similar in meaning and usage to hadar and kevōd, often used poetically in parallel or conjunction to magnify God's supreme authority, dignity, and awesome presence. It points to His royal eminence.
וְנִפְלְאוֹתֶיךָ (wᵉnip̄lᵉʾōṯeyḵā): This is וְ (we - "and") plus נִפְלְאוֹת (nip̄lᵉʾōṯ) with the second-person masculine singular suffix "-Your." נִפְלְאוֹת is the plural noun for "wonders," "marvels," "miracles," or "extraordinary deeds." It comes from the verb פָּלָא (pālāʾ), meaning "to be marvelous," "to be extraordinary," "to be difficult to comprehend." These are God's unique, astounding acts that transcend human power and understanding, such as creation, the Exodus, or providential care.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
"I will meditate" / "I will speak": This opening phrase reveals the psalmist's deep personal commitment and active response to God's character. The dual nature of śîaḥ encompasses both internal reflection (meditation) and external declaration (speaking/proclaiming). This indicates a holistic worship experience where contemplating God's greatness leads naturally to voicing that greatness, thus engaging both mind and mouth in praise.
"On the glorious splendor of Your majesty": This majestic phrase combines three powerful Hebrew words for divine glory and majesty. It refers to God's inherent, intrinsic, and majestic being—His weighty essence, His radiant beauty, and His royal authority. This is about who God is, His very character and sovereign nature. It is the overwhelming awe-inspiring aspect of God's presence and rule.
"and on Your wondrous works": This complements the previous phrase by shifting focus from who God is to what God does. "Wondrous works" refer to His powerful, miraculous, and astonishing actions throughout creation and in the history of salvation. These are the tangible demonstrations of the "glorious splendor of His majesty." His works reveal His wisdom, power, and faithfulness. This emphasizes the divine acts that are beyond human capacity and comprehension, causing awe and wonder.
Psalm 145 5 Bonus section
- The structure of Psalm 145 is largely an acrostic, a literary device where successive verses begin with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This orderliness in praise (missing the letter Nun, possibly due to a scribal error or a lost verse) itself mirrors the ordered majesty of God's character and works.
- The personal vow "I will meditate/speak" contrasts with the communal calls to praise often found in the Psalms, but this personal devotion naturally feeds into and strengthens community worship, as seen in other verses of Psalm 145 (e.g., v. 4, v. 10).
- The connection between God's "majesty" and His "works" is foundational. His works are the outworking of His majestic character; His majesty is demonstrated and understood through His works. They are inseparable aspects of His self-revelation.
- This verse lays a foundation for the New Testament understanding of beholding God's glory in Jesus Christ, where God's ultimate splendor and wondrous work (redemption) are manifested. As stated in John 1:14, Jesus embodies the "glory as of the only Son from the Father."
- The word śîaḥ (to meditate/speak) carries a connotation of pouring out one's heart, which includes both inward musing and outward expression. This comprehensive engagement transforms the mind and compels the tongue to glorify God.
Psalm 145 5 Commentary
Psalm 145:5 stands as a profound declaration of personal worship, encapsulating the psalmist's (David's) devotion to God. The verse reveals two primary objects of profound consideration and proclamation: God's intrinsic character and His demonstrated actions. The phrase "the glorious splendor of Your majesty" points to God's very being – His inherent glory, transcendent beauty, kingly authority, and weighty essence that evokes awe and adoration. This is a recognition of God as He is in Himself. Following this, "Your wondrous works" highlights God's specific interventions and deeds in the world, from the marvels of creation to acts of salvation and sustenance. These "works" are not just impressive but truly astonishing, defying natural explanation and showcasing divine power and wisdom. The verb "I will meditate" or "I will speak" (depending on the translation, both are implicit in the Hebrew śîaḥ) signifies an active, deliberate, and sustained engagement with these truths. It's a call to both profound internal reflection that shapes one's soul and outward proclamation that testifies to others, inviting them into similar praise. This personal commitment serves as an example for all believers to dwell on God's greatness, recognizing that true understanding and worship flow from both contemplating who He is and what He has done. This consistent meditation and articulation foster a deeper relationship with the Creator and King.