King James Version

What Does Psalms 145:3 Mean?

Psalms 145:3 in the King James Version says “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. and his: Heb. and of his greatness ther...” — study this verse from Psalms chapter 145 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. and his: Heb. and of his greatness there is no search”

Psalms 145:3 · KJV

Context

1

David's Psalm of praise. I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

2

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

3

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable. and his: Heb. and of his greatness there is no search

4

One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.

5

I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. works: Heb. things, or, words

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Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
This verse emphasizes God's incomparable greatness: 'Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: and his greatness is unsearchable.' The repetition of 'great' and 'greatly' hammers home the central affirmation. 'Greatly to be praised' indicates that praise itself is an appropriate human response proportional to God's nature. The concluding phrase 'his greatness is unsearchable' (Hebrew 'ein cheker') means incomprehensible, beyond investigation or measurement. This creates a paradox: God is so great that His greatness cannot be fully fathomed by finite minds. Yet the psalm calls for perpetual praise of this incomprehensible greatness. The verse establishes that praise does not require complete understanding - indeed, God's infinite nature exceeds human categories. The theological implication is that worship of God is appropriate regardless of whether we comprehend His full nature. This liberates prayer from the burden of needing to fully explain or justify God.

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Historical & Cultural Context

In ancient Near Eastern royal ideology, king-worship involved formal declarations of the monarch's greatness and power. This psalm subversively redirects such language toward YHWH, establishing that God's greatness infinitely exceeds that of any earthly ruler. During the exile, when Israel had lost political independence and their temple was destroyed, maintaining theological affirmation of God's greatness provided spiritual continuity. The concept of God's 'unsearchable greatness' appears throughout wisdom literature, particularly in Job (chapters 36-37) and in the prophetic vision of Isaiah (chapter 40). In the Second Temple period, when Israel remained under Persian, Hellenistic, and then Roman rule, the affirmation that God's greatness is 'unsearchable' meant that imperial power and political circumstances could not diminish theological truth. The verse provides hope in circumstances where God's power is not evident in military or political terms.

Reflection Questions

  1. How does acknowledging that God's greatness is 'unsearchable' affect our confidence in prayer and petition?
  2. Why is perpetual praise ('greatly to be praised') called for in response to incomprehensible greatness?
  3. In what ways does this recognition of God's transcendent greatness challenge anthropomorphic understandings of God?
  4. How might the affirmation of God's unsearchable greatness provide comfort in circumstances where divine action is not evident?
  5. What is the relationship between recognizing God's incomprehensibility and claiming to know His will and character?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 7 words
גָּ֘ד֤וֹל1 of 7

“Great”

H1419

great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent

יְהוָ֣ה2 of 7

“is the LORD”

H3068

(the) self-existent or eternal; jeho-vah, jewish national name of god

וּמְהֻלָּ֣ל3 of 7

“to be praised”

H1984

to be clear (orig. of sound, but usually of color); to shine; hence, to make a show, to boast; and thus to be (clamorously) foolish; to rave; causativ

מְאֹ֑ד4 of 7

“and greatly”

H3966

properly, vehemence, i.e., (with or without preposition) vehemently; by implication, wholly, speedily, etc. (often with other words as an intensive or

וְ֝לִגְדֻלָּת֗וֹ5 of 7

“and his greatness”

H1420

greatness; (concretely) mighty acts

אֵ֣ין6 of 7
H369

a nonentity; generally used as a negative particle

חֵֽקֶר׃7 of 7

“is unsearchable”

H2714

examination, enumeration, deliberation

Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Psalms. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Psalms 145:3 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Psalms 145:3 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Psalms 147:5Job 5:9Romans 11:33Isaiah 40:28Job 9:10Psalms 139:6

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