Quite in order, this Psalm prepares thanksgiving for the victory and the peace anticipated in the preceding Psalm. And this introduces the praises of the kingdom, which occupy the Prophet’s harp from thenceforward to the end. The first verse is very significant of this. “I will extol thee, my God, O King”—it is God as King that the prophet’s heart now peculiarly or exclusively celebrates. This gives strong and decisive character to this Psalm as being millennial, or touching the kingdom.
The Lord was as “a man of war” in the preceding Psalm, but here, the war being over, He is a “king.” The Jewish millennial people had been just pronounced to be happy (Psa. 144:15), and here they utter their happiness. As it were, others had said, “the Lord has done great things for them;” and they now reply, “the Lord has done great things for us, whereof we are glad.”
Praise and song express this gladness. And so does their conversation; for they speak of His glory and talk of His power (Psa. 145:11). In sadness, disciples once talked of the things which had happened at Jerusalem (Luke 24), but now her people help each other’s joy, as they walk and talk together. And converse tunes the heart to praise, and then rapture breaks in on the even flow of their ever cheered and happy spirits. As in the progress of the Book of Revelation the family in heaven are at times heard in their rapture, in the swelling of their joy beyond its orderly current. (See Rev. 5; 7; 11; 12; 14; 15; 19.)
The materials for this unceasing praise are also largely prepared—His mighty acts—the glorious honor of His majesty—His greatness, goodness, and righteousness—His upholding of the weak—His fulfilling of the desire of the needy—His preserving of them that love Him—His vengeance on the wicked—these are among the themes of praise which will engage the joys and songs of the coming kingdom. One generation is to rehearse them to another. And the Lord Himself is the leader of this praise, according to what He had vowed in His distress (Psa. 22:22). Jesus—the saints or Jewish people—the sons of men or all flesh—the works of creation—all join in their way and measure. The saints, as it were, take it from the lips of the Lord and teach it to the nations, and one generation teaches it to another.
For now, the character or generation of the Jewish people has changed. It has hitherto been “perverse and crooked” (Deut. 32), “stubborn and rebellious” (Psa. 78). But the final generation will be a new creation—a people formed by God to show forth His praise (Psa. 22:30; 102:18; Isa. 43:21). The first generation has not yet passed away (Matt. 24:34). Israel is still perverse; but the Lord will have a seed in Israel that shall be accounted to Him “for a generation.” And such Psalms as this let us see and hear some of their happy enjoyments (See Psa. 12).
NOTE—Psalm 145:1. Christ is surely the “King” (See Psa. 45:2). David here owns Him as his “God,” and in Psalm 110 he owns Him as his “Lord.” (See John 20:28.)