YOUR KINGDOM COME…
Play Audio
If you prefer listening to today’s Bible guide reading, play this audio file.
If the audio bar is not appearing, click here to play the audio.
Opening Prayer
Lord Jesus, I join with all of heaven in worshipping you today—for who you are, for all that you sacrificed for me, and for the grace and mercy you offer me each day.
Read PSALM 145
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Psalm 145[a]
A psalm of praise. Of David.
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.
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.[b]
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.
10 All your works praise you, Lord;
your faithful people extol you.
11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom
and speak of your might,
12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts
and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
and faithful in all he does.[c]
14 The Lord upholds all who fall
and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you,
and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand
and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways
and faithful in all he does.
18 The Lord is near to all who call on him,
to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The Lord watches over all who love him,
but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name
for ever and ever.
Footnotes
- Psalm 145:1 This psalm is an acrostic poem, the verses of which (including verse 13b) begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
- Psalm 145:5 Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); Masoretic Text On the glorious splendor of your majesty / and on your wonderful works I will meditate
- Psalm 145:13 One manuscript of the Masoretic Text, Dead Sea Scrolls and Syriac (see also Septuagint); most manuscripts of the Masoretic Text do not have the last two lines of verse 13.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
‘The Lord reigns …’ (Psalm 93:1). So, relax and celebrate that he is in charge!I love this psalm. It is a beautiful declaration of the kingdom of God— how life is meant to be and, ultimately, will be. It is a celebration of what should have been the glory of ancient Israel and foretells the kingdom brought about by Jesus. God’s rule is eternal, but constant- ly requires expression in the world. Notice how the psalmist talks about the timeless majesty of God and also commits to playing his part in his generation: ‘They tell … and I will meditate … They tell … and I will proclaim’ (vv. 4–6).
So, what are the distinctive features of the kingdom of God? There are, of course, God’s power and majesty (vv. 1–6), but there are many aspects that would not be shared by some regimes of the ancient world or of today. Compassion is a key feature (vv. 8, 9). God’s king- dom is a place where the weak are treated with special care. Unlike so many governments, God exercises power for his subjects, not just over them. He is responsive to the cry of the needy (vv. 14–16).
There is a place for judgment in God’s kingdom, though this only merits half a verse (v. 20). This has to be the case if the weak are to be defended and if ‘every creature’ (v. 21) is to thrive.
Apply
Jesus teaches us to pray, ‘Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth …’ Let this psalm guide you as you pray for our world.
Closing prayer
Help me, Father, in all I say and do, to exalt you and bring you praise so that others will know of your power, your compassion, and your faithfulness.
Book and Author Intros
Extras
Click here to sign up to receive the EXTRAs via email each quarter.
© 2025 Scripture Union U.S.A. All rights reserved. Reproduction of the whole or any part of the contents without written permission is prohibited.
Discovery is published in the USA under license from Scripture Union England and Wales, Trinity House, Opal Court, Opal Drive, Fox Milne, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DF.