Psalms 145:7 (KJV)

What does Psalms 145:7 mean?

Psalms 145:7 describes people openly and joyfully speaking about God’s great goodness and singing about His righteousness. The verse highlights a response of praise and celebration, focusing on remembering and declaring God’s character.

King David is the speaker in Psalms 145, addressing God in a psalm of praise. In this verse, David pictures a community that does not keep quiet about God’s kindness but instead talks about it with enthusiasm and sings about how just and fair God is. The verse fits into a larger song where David is encouraging ongoing, public praise for God’s actions and character.

The Hebrew behind Psalms 145:7

• The word "utter" (נָבַע, nava‘) means to gush forth or bubble up, often used for springs of water. Here, it suggests that people’s praise for God’s goodness is overflowing and cannot be contained.
• "Memory" (זֵכֶר, zeker) refers to remembrance or recalling something important. In this context, it highlights the act of keeping God’s goodness alive in people’s minds and conversations.
• "Great" (רַב, rav) means abundant or much, emphasizing the vastness of God’s goodness.
• "Goodness" (טוּב, tuv) points to God’s kindness, generosity, and benevolence, not just moral goodness but also practical acts of care.
• "Sing" (רָנַן, ranan) means to shout for joy or sing out, showing that the response to God’s righteousness is not just quiet reflection but loud, joyful song.
• "Righteousness" (צְדָקָה, tsedaqah) refers to God’s justice, fairness, and faithfulness to what is right.

Why Psalms 145:7 matters

• Psalms 145:7 clears up the idea that praise for God is only private or silent; the verse shows it as something overflowing and shared out loud.
• The verse emphasizes that remembering God’s goodness is not passive but active—people are encouraged to talk about and sing of God’s character together.
• This verse connects to the whole psalm’s theme: God’s greatness and goodness are so abundant that they naturally lead to joyful, public praise from generation to generation.