Scripture Daily

Context No. 1287 of 4322 · Psalms

Context · Reflection

Psalms 145:17-21: in context

17The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works. 18The LORD is near to all those who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19He will fulfill the desire of those who fear him. He also will hear their cry, and will save them. 20The LORD preserves all those who love him, but he will destroy all the wicked. 21My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD. Let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

The closing verses of David's great psalm of praise gather up several truths about God. The LORD is righteous in all his ways and gracious in all his works. He is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them. He preserves all who love him. And the psalm ends with a resolve: my mouth will speak the praise of the LORD; let all flesh bless his holy name forever.

The heart of these verses is a promise of nearness: the LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. It is a remarkable claim about the God who is high above the heavens, that he is also near, close at hand, to anyone who calls. Not near only to the impressive or the deserving, but to all who call, without limit; his nearness is offered to everyone who reaches out to him. But notice the qualifier, to all who call on him in truth. The nearness is for real calling, not the hollow, going-through-the-motions kind, but honest calling, calling that actually means it. God draws near to genuine prayer, to the heart that truly turns to him, not to the lips that merely recite. There is both a wide-open welcome and a searching test in that. The welcome is that God is near to all, everyone who calls; the test is that it must be in truth, an honest turning rather than an empty form. And it is paired with a promise of his character, righteous in all his ways, gracious in all his works, so that the God who is near is also good, safe to draw near to. To call on him in truth is to find him near, and to find him near is to find him good.

Do I call on God in truth, honestly and meaning it, or only in empty form, and do I believe the promise that he is near, righteous and gracious, to everyone who genuinely reaches out to him?

Sources