Psalms 145:6 Meaning and Explanation
“And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Awe can silence us, especially when God's judgments, deliverances, and power exceed easy explanation. David gives awe a faithful direction. He expects people to speak of God's mighty acts, and he answers their testimony with his own declaration of God's greatness. The verse teaches a vocabulary for reverence that includes both holy fear and confident praise.
David foresees people speaking of God's mighty and awe-inspiring acts, while he personally declares God's greatness. The verse presents praise as a shared public witness shaped by God's deeds and character.
The Context of Psalms 145:6
Psalm 145 unfolds as a hymn in which David blesses God the King and calls every generation to recount his works. Verse 5 centers on the glorious honor of God's majesty and his wondrous works. Verse 6 continues that movement by naming the might of God's "terrible acts," then returns to David's first-person purpose: "I will declare thy greatness." Verse 7 immediately balances the theme by celebrating the memory of God's great goodness and righteousness. Verses 8 through 9 describe the Lord as gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, merciful, and good to all. Later verses praise his kingdom, provision, righteousness, nearness, and saving care.
What Does Psalms 145:6 Mean?
"And men shall speak" extends the many-voiced witness begun in verse 4. God's deeds are too weighty to remain hidden in one person's memory. The KJV phrase "terrible acts" uses "terrible" in its older sense of acts that inspire fear and awe. It does not mean morally evil acts. The focus is "the might" of those acts: God acts with power that creatures cannot command or fully measure. David then says, "I will declare thy greatness." He neither withdraws from the testimony of others nor merely repeats their words. He takes his place among those who publicly confess that the Lord is great.
The verse sits between two complementary emphases in the psalm. Verse 5 celebrates wondrous works and majestic honor; verse 7 remembers great goodness and sings of righteousness. Thus the mighty acts in verse 6 belong within a fuller portrait of God's holy rule. Psalm 145 names his power, yet it also speaks of compassion for the bowed down, food for every living thing, nearness to those who call in truth, and preservation for those who love him. David's praise gives God's fearful deeds their proper setting in God's righteous character. The chapter does not invite curiosity about terror for its own sake. It calls God's people to reverent remembrance of the King whose power serves his holy purposes.
Scripture often remembers God's mighty acts in both judgment and rescue. The exodus reveals a God who delivers his people and makes his name known; Israel's songs answer with fear, gratitude, and praise. The same biblical pattern reaches a clear focus in Jesus Christ, whose works brought awe, healing, forgiveness, and worship to those who saw them. His authority over sickness, uncleanness, storms, and death was never presented as spectacle. It displayed the nearness of God's kingdom and called forth faith. David's declaration of greatness therefore helps us approach Christ's mighty works with reverence, gratitude, and honest attention to what they reveal about God.
Bible Verses Related to Psalms 145:6
“Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?”
- Exodus 15:11
“He is thy praise, and he is thy God, that hath done for thee these great and terrible things, which thine eyes have seen.”
- Deuteronomy 10:21
“Come and see the works of God: he is terrible in his doing toward the children of men.”
- Psalm 66:5
“And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”
- Revelation 15:3
Where Psalms 145:6 Echoes in Scripture
Revelation 15:3 offers a particularly strong canonical echo by celebrating the Lord God Almighty for his great and marvellous works and righteous ways. Psalm 145:6 likewise joins God's mighty deeds to praise of his greatness. Both passages place God's power within worship that recognizes his righteousness. The later song also gathers this praise among those who have passed through conflict, giving hope that God's mighty acts remain worthy of trust and proclamation.
How to Apply Psalms 145:6 Today
When Scripture records a fearful act of God, we can resist quick explanations and stay close to what the passage actually says. We can remember both the seriousness of evil and the mercy, patience, righteousness, and compassion Psalm 145 declares around this verse. In our own lives, God's power may be recognized in rescue from danger, strength for obedience, exposure of what harms, or endurance through circumstances we cannot control. Speaking of such works with humility helps communities learn gratitude and holy fear. It also gives suffering people room for careful testimony instead of shallow answers.
Reflection & Prayer
Where have we reduced God's greatness to what feels easy to explain or comfortable to repeat? We may pray: "Holy and gracious Lord, give us reverence before thy mighty acts. Teach us to remember thy goodness and righteousness, to speak truthfully of thy help, and to trust thy greatness when our understanding is small."