What does "call on Him in truth" mean in Psalm 145:18? Psalm 145:18 “The LORD is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.” Immediate Literary Context Psalm 145 is an acrostic hymn of praise by David, climaxing the collection of Davidic psalms before the final Hallel (Psalm 146-150). Verses 14-20 highlight Yahweh’s covenant care: He upholds, satisfies, listens, saves, preserves. Verse 18 functions as the hinge—God’s nearness is the linchpin that makes every preceding promise experientially real, but that nearness is not indiscriminate; it is conditioned by calling “in truth.” Synthesis: What “Call on Him in Truth” Denotes • Authenticity—approaching God without pretense, echoing David’s “surely You desire truth in the inmost being” (Psalm 51:6). • Doctrinal fidelity—prayer shaped by God’s self-revelation rather than human imagination; truth as objective correspondence to Scripture (John 17:17). • Covenant loyalty—coming in faith and repentance, acknowledging sin, trusting Messiah’s atonement (Psalm 32:5; Romans 10:9-13). • Undivided devotion—whole-hearted pursuit (Jeremiah 29:13), the opposite of idolatrous syncretism (Hosea 10:2). Old Testament Parallels • Psalm 34:18—nearness to the contrite hints that “truth” entails humility. • Isaiah 55:6-7—seeking the LORD while He may be found includes forsaking wicked ways. • Zephaniah 3:9—purified lips “to call on the name of the LORD, to serve Him shoulder to shoulder,” linking righteous life with true invocation. New Testament Continuity • John 4:23-24—Father seeks worshipers “in spirit and truth,” aligning with Psalm 145:18’s requisite. • Hebrews 10:22—“let us draw near with a sincere heart,” enabled by Christ’s atoning blood. • 1 John 3:21-22—confidence in prayer flows from obedience and God-pleasing living. Theological Implications 1. Soteriological: Only those reconciled through Christ’s resurrection can fully meet the criterion of “truth,” for He is “the truth” (John 14:6). Regeneration enables genuine calling (1 Corinthians 12:3). 2. Pneumatological: The Spirit of truth (John 14:17) indwells believers, prompting and purifying their petitions (Romans 8:26-27). 3. Moral‐ethical: Persistent hypocrisy erects a barrier (Isaiah 59:2; 1 Peter 3:7). True prayer and righteous living are inseparable. Concise Definition To “call on Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18) is to approach Yahweh in prayer with sincere, undivided hearts, fully aligned with the revelatory realities of His Word, repentantly trusting His covenant faithfulness revealed and fulfilled in Jesus Christ. |
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