In the past, many children had amongst their first books, one called ‘A to Z,’ teaching the alphabet through pictures of animals and objects starting with each letter of the alphabet in order (like Z for Zebra!)
At times over the centuries, poets have also written poems, called acrostic poems, in which the first letter of each line spells out the alphabet (or a particular word). The Bible is no exception. In fact, there are 14 such acrostic poems in the Bible and nine are found in the Psalms.
Psalm 145 is the last of them, using the whole of the Hebrew alphabet to exalt, praise, extol, tell, proclaim, celebrate, sing and speak the praises of God for ever and ever from generation to generation. Why? So that all people may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. With the aim that every creature [will] praise his holy name for ever and ever. In other words, praise that brings forth more praise to God the King.
Its title is A psalm of praise. Of David. The English word praise being the Hebrew word, tehillah, which occurs “only here in the psalm titles… from the plural form (tehillim) has come the traditional Hebrew name of the Psalter.” (NIV Study Bible)
And so, the psalmist begins his tehillah:
1 I will exalt you, my God the King;
I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you
and extol your name for ever and ever.
And then goes on with just a few of the multiple reasons why he praises:
3 Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
5 They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They tell of the power of your awesome works—
and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The Lord is good to all;
he has compassion on all he has made.
Concerning this psalm, Brueggemann comments:
“This psalm is a representative statement of Israel’s joyous and grateful confidence in the Creator… What is true from beginning to end is that Yahweh securely governs, and that he can be counted on… [The psalm] asserts the fullness and comprehensiveness of creation, to praise God for a world well-arranged and oriented, from A to Z… This is Israel in its most trustful, innocent, childlike faith.” (# 2)
What a wonderful psalm, with so many wonderful reasons to praise God. But, even with all these great reasons to praise and worship the psalmist has to admit that this is still totally inadequate as he reminds us that his greatness no one can fathom. (v. 3) Or as the Amplified Bible puts it: His greatness is [so vast and deep as to be] unsearchable. (AMPC)
Paul, writing to the Romans says a similar thing:
33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unfathomable (inscrutable, unsearchable) are His judgments (His decisions)! And how untraceable (mysterious, undiscoverable) are His ways (His methods, His paths)! (Romans 11:33 AMPC)
Possibly part of the inspiration behind Matt Redmond’s song, 10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord) when he sings:
You’re rich in love
And You’re slow to anger
Your name is great
And Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness
I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons
For my heart to find…
And on that day
When my strength is failing
The end draws near
And my time has come
Still my soul will
Sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years
And then forevermore. (Written by Matt Redmond and Jonas Myrin, 2011)
Paul concludes:
36 For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. [For all things originate with Him and come from Him; all things live through Him, and all things center in and tend to consummate and to end in Him.] To Him be glory forever! Amen (so be it). (Romans 11:36 AMPC)
Worship and Wisdom - Psalms and Proverbs 