The LORD is good to all;
This phrase emphasizes the universal benevolence of God. The goodness of the LORD is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, highlighting His nature as inherently good (Psalm 100:5). This goodness is not limited to a select group but extends to all creation, reflecting the idea of common grace. In the context of the ancient Near East, where gods were often seen as capricious and favoring certain people, this statement is radical. It aligns with the New Testament teaching in Matthew 5:45, where God causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. This universal goodness is a reflection of God's character and His desire for all to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

His compassion rests on all He has made.
The compassion of God is a central theme in Scripture, often linked with His mercy and love. The Hebrew word for compassion here can also be translated as "tender mercies," indicating a deep, parental care. This compassion is not passive but active, as seen in God's interactions with humanity throughout history. The phrase "all He has made" underscores the inclusivity of God's care, extending to every part of creation. This is echoed in the New Testament, where Jesus demonstrates compassion through His healing and teaching (Matthew 9:36). Theologically, this compassion is a type of Christ, who embodies God's mercy and love through His life, death, and resurrection. The idea that God's compassion "rests" suggests a continual, abiding presence, offering comfort and hope to believers.

1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and faithfulness to His promises. In this Psalm, He is portrayed as good and compassionate.

2. David
The attributed author of Psalm 145, a king of Israel known for his heart for God and his poetic contributions to the Psalms.

3. Creation
Refers to "all He has made," indicating the entirety of God's creation, both human and non-human, which experiences His goodness and compassion.God's Universal Goodness
God's goodness is not limited to a select few but extends to all of creation. This challenges us to reflect His goodness in our interactions with others, regardless of their background or beliefs.

Compassion as a Divine Attribute
The Hebrew word for compassion, "racham," implies a deep, tender love. As believers, we are called to emulate this compassion in our daily lives, showing kindness and mercy to those around us.

Creation's Testimony of God's Character
All of creation bears witness to God's goodness and compassion. We should cultivate a sense of gratitude and stewardship for the world He has made.

Imitating God's Character
As followers of Christ, we are called to imitate God's goodness and compassion, becoming conduits of His love in a broken world.1. What is the meaning of Psalm 145:9?

2. How does Psalm 145:9 reveal God's character towards all His creation?

3. What actions can we take to reflect God's compassion in our lives?

4. How does Psalm 145:9 connect with Jesus' teachings on loving others?

5. In what ways can we show kindness to all, as God does?

6. How can understanding God's compassion deepen our relationship with Him?

7. How does Psalm 145:9 align with the existence of suffering and evil in the world?

8. Does Psalm 145:9 suggest God's goodness extends to all people, regardless of their actions?

9. How do historical interpretations of Psalm 145:9 influence modern Christian theology?

10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Psalm 145?

11. If God is perfectly good, why did He create a world where sin is inevitable?

12. (Psalm 145:9) If God is truly “good to all,” why does widespread suffering and evil persist throughout human history?

13. In 1 John 1:5, God is described as having no darkness at all. How do we reconcile a perfectly good deity with the evil and suffering observed in the world?

14. How do the severe punishments in Deuteronomy 28 compare with the portrayal of a merciful God in other parts of the Bible (e.g., Psalm 145:9)? The LORD

Psalm 145:9 opens by naming “the LORD.” That title speaks of the personal, covenant-keeping God who first revealed Himself to Moses as “I AM” (Exodus 3:14). David is not talking about a distant deity; he is praising the God who hears, sees, and acts. Because the verse begins with His name, everything that follows flows from His unchanging character.

• Psalm 100:3 reminds us, “Know that the LORD is God. It is He who has made us, and we are His.”

• Isaiah 42:8 underscores His uniqueness: “I am the LORD; that is My name.”

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is good

God’s goodness is more than a pleasant trait; it is the flawless moral purity that defines all He does. “Taste and see that the LORD is good” (Psalm 34:8) invites us to experience that reality. Jesus affirmed the same standard when He said, “No one is good except God alone” (Mark 10:18).

• His goodness means His plans, commands, and gifts can always be trusted (Psalm 84:11).

• His goodness is celebrated in worship: “For the LORD is good and His loving devotion endures forever” (Psalm 100:5).

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to all;

David widens the lens: God’s goodness reaches every person without distinction. This is the doctrine often called common grace.

• Matthew 5:45 notes that He “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good.”

• Acts 14:17 echoes, “He shows you kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons.”

No one on earth lives a single day apart from some expression of God’s generosity—life, breath, sustenance, beauty, opportunity. That universal kindness leaves humanity “without excuse” (Romans 1:20) and urges all to repent (Romans 2:4).

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His compassion rests

“Compassion” speaks of tender mercy that feels deeply and acts practically. The verb “rests” paints a picture of mercy that settles down and stays.

• Lamentations 3:22–23 declares, “Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed… His compassions never fail; they are new every morning.”

• Psalm 103:13 compares God’s compassion to a father who pities his children.

God is not merely sympathetic; He moves to relieve suffering, ultimately sending His Son “to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).

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on all He has made.

The verse concludes with a sweep of creation—people, animals, ecosystems, galaxies. Genesis 1:31 records God’s verdict: “God saw all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good.” His ongoing care upholds that creation: “You preserve men and beasts, O LORD” (Psalm 36:6).

• Even fallen creation groans under sin’s curse, yet God sustains it until final redemption (Romans 8:19–21).

• 1 Timothy 4:10 says He is “the Savior of all men, and especially of those who believe,” distinguishing between common preservation and saving grace.

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summary

Psalm 145:9 celebrates a God whose very name guarantees moral perfection, whose goodness touches every corner of humanity, and whose compassionate care lingers over all creation. Recognizing these truths moves us to gratitude, deepens our trust, and fuels worship of the LORD who is “gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in loving devotion” (Psalm 145:8).

(9, 10) All.--This wide outlook over the world as the object, with all that it contains, of the Divine pity and love, is a noble anticipation of our Lord's teaching in the Sermon on the Mount and is introduced in a similar manner. Just as the subjects of the kingdom of heaven should exceed the heathen in kindness and goodness, because they know the universal and impartial grace of the Father, so here the saints, the members of the covenant, are to bless Jehovah, who shows them peculiar favour, but also lets His tender mercies flow in an unchecked stream over all His works. All Jehovah's works confess Him, but His saints bless Him.

Verse 9. - The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works. "The Lord is good to all;" he "maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and send-eth rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45). He "wouldeth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he may turn from his wickedness and live," And his "tender mercies," or "compassions," are not only over his human creatures, but" over all his works" - all that he has made - animals as well as men, "creeping things," zoophytes, all that can feel.

Parallel Commentaries ...


The LORD
יְהוָ֥ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

is good
טוֹב־ (ṭō·wḇ-)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 2896: Pleasant, agreeable, good

to all;
לַכֹּ֑ל (lak·kōl)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

His compassion
וְ֝רַחֲמָ֗יו (wə·ra·ḥă·māw)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7356: Compassion, the womb, a maiden

rests on
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

all
כָּל־ (kāl-)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

He has made.
מַעֲשָֽׂיו׃ (ma·‘ă·śāw)
Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 4639: An action, a transaction, activity, a product, property


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OT Poetry: Psalm 145:9 Yahweh is good to all (Psalm Ps Psa.)