Day 355: God's Hand is On You (Psalm 145:13–21, Revelation 13:1–18, Ezra 7:11–8:14)

Day 355: God's Hand is On You (Psalm 145:13–21, Revelation 13:1–18, Ezra 7:11–8:14): Psalm 145:13–21   13 The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises    and faithful in all he does.   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. Psalm Commentary God’s hand is open and generous ‘You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing’ (v.16). This metaphor of the extraordinary generosity of God, who opens his hand to you to satisfy your desires, comes in the middle of a section of the psalm that describes God’s great love and faithfulness. The poet, Robert Browning, wrote, ‘I have lived, seen God’s hand through a lifetime, and all 

Psalm 145:13–21

  13 The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises
   and faithful in all he does.
  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.

Psalm Commentary

God’s hand is open and generous

‘You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing’ (v.16). This metaphor of the extraordinary generosity of God, who opens his hand to you to satisfy your desires, comes in the middle of a section of the psalm that describes God’s great love and faithfulness.

The poet, Robert Browning, wrote, ‘I have lived, seen God’s hand through a lifetime, and all was for best.’ ‘God gives a hand to those who are down on their luck’ (v.14a, MSG). ‘The trademark on all his works is love’ (v.17b, MSG).

‘The Lord is faithful to all his promises’ (v.13b). This psalm is full of wonderful promises. The Lord will uphold you (v.14). ‘The Lord is near’ to you (v.18), he fulfils your desires (v.19), he watches over you (v.20). All this inspires praise: ‘My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever’ (v.21).

Prayer

‘Father, let me hold your hand, and like a child walk with you down all my days, secure in your love and strength’ (Prayer of Thomas à Kempis, c.1380–1471).


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