Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The psalm doesn't just say God's greatness is vast; it highlights that it's unsearchable, meaning there are no depths to His being or power that we can fully plumb or exhaust. Our praise, therefore, isn't about fully comprehending Him, but about responding with awe to the infinite we can never completely grasp.
Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm is a declaration of God's praise, beginning with a personal vow to extol and bless the Lord daily. The psalmist immediately moves to a universal statement about God's greatness, emphasizing that this greatness is so immense it cannot be fully comprehended or searched out. This sets the stage for the rest of the psalm, which will elaborate on God's powerful and righteous deeds across generations.
Ever feel like you're trying to count every grain of sand on a beach? That's a bit like trying to fully understand God's greatness.
The verse declares God is 'great' and 'greatly to be praised,' but the final phrase, 'his greatness is unsearchable,' is key.
No Limits, No End
This isn't just a poetic flourish; it's a profound theological statement. It means God's power, wisdom, and being are so vast that our minds can't fully comprehend them. We can't 'investigate' or 'search out' the entirety of who God is.
Practical Implications
This truth should humble us, but also free us. We don't need to have all the answers about God to trust Him. His unsearchable greatness means He is more than capable of handling any situation, far beyond our ability to strategize or understand.
When you encounter something truly amazing, what's your natural reaction? The psalmist says with God, it should be extravagant praise!
The verse starts with an exclamation: 'Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised!' This isn't a suggestion; it's a divine imperative and a reflection of reality.
Praising Beyond Capacity
'Greatly to be praised' suggests praise that matches His greatness, praise that is abundant, enthusiastic, and perhaps even beyond our full capacity to express. It’s praise that overflows because the object of our praise is infinite.
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A Daily, Eternal Task
This isn't a one-time event. David, in the broader psalm, commits to praising God 'daily' and 'for ever and ever.' Recognizing God's immeasurable greatness compels a continuous, heartfelt response of worship.
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 highlights that God's works are great and unsearchable, just as Psalms 145:3 states about His greatness. It emphasizes the mystery and vastness of divine actions that are beyond human comprehension.
Isaiah 40:28This verse speaks of the LORD as the Creator whose understanding is unsearchable, echoing the sentiment of Psalms 145:3 that God's greatness is beyond our ability to fully grasp. It connects God's immense power with His profound wisdom.
Romans 11:33Paul exclaims about the depth of God's wisdom and knowledge, stating His judgments and ways are unsearchable, which directly parallels the declaration in Psalms 145:3. Both passages point to the unfathomable nature of God's being and plans.
Psalm 96:4This verse calls the LORD 'great and most worthy of praise,' setting the stage for Psalms 145:3's declaration of God's greatness and praiseworthiness. It reinforces the idea that God's immensity calls for the highest form of worship.
Psalm 48:1This verse declares that the LORD is great and greatly to be praised, directly echoing the opening of Psalms 145:3. It emphasizes that God's greatness is the foundational reason for His immense praiseworthiness.
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 psalm doesn't just say God's greatness is vast; it highlights that it's unsearchable, meaning there are no depths to His being or power that we can fully plumb or exhaust. Our praise, therefore, isn't about fully comprehending Him, but about responding with awe to the infinite we can never completely grasp.
This psalm is a declaration of God's praise, beginning with a personal vow to extol and bless the Lord daily. The psalmist immediately moves to a universal statement about God's greatness, emphasizing that this greatness is so immense it cannot be fully comprehended or searched out. This sets the stage for the rest of the psalm, which will elaborate on God's powerful and righteous deeds across generations.
This psalm is a declaration of God's praise, beginning with a personal vow to extol and bless the Lord daily. The psalmist immediately moves to a universal statement about God's greatness, emphasizing that this greatness is so immense it cannot be fully comprehended or searched out. This sets the stage for the rest of the psalm, which will elaborate on God's powerful and righteous deeds across generations.
"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable." — The psalm doesn't just say God's greatness is vast; it highlights that it's unsearchable, meaning there are no depths to His being or power that we can fully plumb or exhaust. Our praise, therefore…
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Last reviewed October 2026