Worship: Jesus explained salvation in terms of worship. The Father seeks true worshippers who worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:23). This is indeed God’s purpose in the New Covenant, to draw all the nations, Jews and Gentiles alike, to worship and praise the living God both now and forever.[1] Our lives are meant to be an act of worship and a living sacrifice (Rom. 12:1) and we are to be a spiritual house where spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God are offered (1 Pet. 2:5), even a holy temple in the Lord (Eph. 2:21). This praise of God is to be our preoccupation from now unto all eternity (Ps. 61:7-8; Rev. 7:10).
Reverberation: Psalm 145 is the preface to the finale of the five Hallelujah psalms. This psalm not only expresses David’s own personal worship of the LORD but the global propagation of that worship.[2] It begins with him, then it becomes generational then finally universal (Ps. 145:1-2, 4, 10, 21). This spread of worship comes about through His people’s enthusiastic declaration of God’s works and name. It is as one generation praises God’s works to another (Ps. 145:4) that men speak and tell of God’s awesome acts and attributes (Ps. 145:5-9). They eagerly utter and shout joyfully because they have heard the testimony of those before them. God has ordained men to instill in their children not only the knowledge of the LORD (Deut. 6:4-9; Ps. 78:3-4; Eph. 6:4) but the extolment of Him. Men, lead your families in the worship of God.
[1] For praises now, cf. Rom. 15:8-11; Eph.
5:18-19; Heb. 13:15. For praise forever, cf. Ps. 84:4; 86:12; 89:1; 113:1-2;
115:18; 145:21; Isaiah 66:22-23; Rev. 15:4.
[2] Psalm 145 begins with David’s personal
worship of God and ends with that of “all flesh” (Ps. 145:21). “All flesh” may refer
to all living creatures, but in v10, “all Your works” parallel “all Your godly
ones” and are men who make known God’s mighty acts to “the sons of men” (Ps.
145:10-11). David had in mind humanity. He often calls the nations to worship the
LORD (Ps. 67:2-5; 86:9; 96:3, 10).