Psalms 145:3
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse emphasizes that God's greatness isn't just immense, but fundamentally beyond our ability to fully grasp or "search out." This means true worship acknowledges this mystery, delighting in what we can know of God while revering the vastness we cannot.
This verse is part of David's psalm of praise, where he declares his intention to exalt God and bless His name throughout all time. He follows by asserting God's immense greatness, which is so profound that it cannot be fully comprehended or searched out, setting the stage for the rest of the psalm to explore God's mighty works and wondrous deeds.
We often sing 'Great is the LORD,' but do we truly grasp what that means? This verse calls us to a specific kind of response to God's immensity.
The psalm opens with a powerful declaration: 'Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised.' It's not just that God is great; His greatness is so immense that it demands a commensurate response from us. 'Greatly to be praised' isn't simply a suggestion; it's the fitting reaction to His character and actions.
Think about it: when we encounter something truly awe-inspiring – a breathtaking landscape, a profound act of kindness – our natural response is often to exclaim or express wonder. God's greatness is infinitely beyond any earthly comparison. Therefore, our praise should also be full and overflowing, reaching the limits of our capacity.
We can't fully comprehend God's greatness, but that doesn't stop us from praising Him. In fact, it's part of what makes Him so worthy of worship.
The verse concludes with a profound statement: 'and his greatness is unsearchable.' This isn't a limitation on God; it's a testament to His infinite nature. We can't 'investigate' or 'find out' the full extent of His might, His wisdom, or His love. Our minds are finite, but God is infinite.
This unsearchability isn't meant to frustrate us, but to humble us. It reminds us that there will always be more to discover about God. Our praise, therefore, is not based on a complete understanding, but on faith and the revelation He has given us. It's an acknowledgment that He is far greater than we can ever fully grasp.
Understand the original words
YHWH · Hebrew Noun
The personal name of the covenant-keeping God of Israel, revealed to Moses as 'I AM WHO I AM.' It signifies God's self-existence, eternity, and faithfulness to His covenant promises.
gadol · Hebrew Adjective
Possessing superior worth, power, or character; a quality of God that evokes awe and reverence. It signifies that God's nature surpasses all human understanding or comparison.
cheqer · Hebrew Noun
That which cannot be fathomed, tracked, or fully grasped by the human mind; it implies an infinite depth to God's nature and actions that transcends human limits.
This passage also speaks to the unsearchable nature of God's greatness, asking rhetorically if we know not or have not heard that the LORD's greatness is beyond our full comprehension.
Job 11:7-9Like Psalms 145:3, this passage emphasizes that God's wisdom and understanding are profound and cannot be fully searched out or discovered by human effort.
Romans 11:33This New Testament passage echoes the awe of God's unsearchable judgments and wisdom, connecting the depth of His ways to the vastness of His greatness.
Psalm 48:1This verse, also a psalm of praise, declares that the LORD is great and greatly to be praised, setting a thematic parallel for the opening of Psalms 145.
Psalm 96:4This verse directly states that the LORD is to be greatly feared and praised above all gods, reinforcing the idea that God's greatness demands immense praise.
barnesPsalms 145:3: "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable."
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised - See Psalm 96:4 , note; Psalm 18:3 , note. And his greatness is unsearchable - See Job 5:9, note; Job 9:10, note; Job 11:7-8, notes.
pulpitPsalms 145:3: "Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable."
Verse 3. - Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised (comp. Psalm 48:1; Psalm 96:4). And his greatness is unsearchable; literally, and of his greatness there is no search (comp. Romans 11:33).
The verse emphasizes that God's greatness isn't just immense, but fundamentally beyond our ability to fully grasp or "search out." This means true worship acknowledges this mystery, delighting in what we can know of God while revering the vastness we cannot.
This verse is part of David's psalm of praise, where he declares his intention to exalt God and bless His name throughout all time. He follows by asserting God's immense greatness, which is so profound that it cannot be fully comprehended or searched out, setting the stage for the rest of the psalm to explore God's mighty works and wondrous deeds.
This verse is part of David's psalm of praise, where he declares his intention to exalt God and bless His name throughout all time. He follows by asserting God's immense greatness, which is so profound that it cannot be fully comprehended or searched out, setting the stage for the rest of the psalm to explore God's mighty works and wondrous deeds.
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"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable." — The verse emphasizes that God's greatness isn't just immense, but fundamentally beyond our ability to fully grasp or "search out." This means true worship acknowledges this mystery, delighting in wha…
