Psalm 145:9 tells us that the LORD is good to everyone and that his tender compassion extends over everything he has made. The verse answers a basic question about God’s character: his goodness is not reserved for a favored few, but is spread across all of creation, from the human heart to the smallest of his works. The words come from David, traditionally recognized as the author of this psalm, and they were written as a song of praise addressed to God himself, meant to be sung by the community of his people.
The LORD is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works.
Psalm 145:9 (WEB)
What Psalm 145:9 Means
The verse opens with a statement about who God is: he is good. In Hebrew the word carries the sense of kindness, generosity and what is right for the world. The psalmist then says this goodness reaches “all,” meaning that God’s care is not limited to Israel, to the righteous, or to those who deserve it. Rain falls on fields, sunlight warms strangers, and God’s kindness shows up in ordinary provision whether or not a person thinks about him.
The second line shifts from God’s goodness to his “tender mercies,” a word picture drawn from the compassion a parent feels toward a child. Those mercies are said to rest “over all his works,” which means God’s compassion covers the whole of what he has made. The verse does not promise that every person will feel comfortable, that hard seasons will disappear, or that everyone will receive what they want. It teaches that God’s posture toward his creation is one of gentle, faithful care, and that this care is wide enough to hold the whole world.
The Context of Psalm 145:9
Psalm 145 is the last of the acrostic psalms in the Psalter, and it is a hymn of praise that moves from David’s personal commitment to bless God forever toward a call for every generation and every creature to join in. The surrounding verses describe God as gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abounding in loving kindness. Verse 9 sits at the center of that description, acting as the hinge that moves from God’s character to the scope of his care.
Read in that setting, the verse is not a stray observation about nature. It is part of a sustained testimony that the works of God, including his mighty acts and the glory of his kingdom, are recounted and thanked by all he has made. The goodness described in verse 9 is the same goodness that verse 10 invites creation to praise, so the verse gives the reason for the thanksgiving that follows.
Key Phrases in Psalm 145:9
Psalm 136:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his loving kindness endures forever.
(WEB)
This verse shares the same basic confession that the LORD is good and that his steadfast love endures. Psalm 136 repeats that refrain throughout its lines, showing how the goodness of God is meant to be remembered and sung across generations, just as Psalm 145:9 calls all creation to recognize his kindness.
Lamentations 3:22-23
22 It is because of the LORD’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because his compassion doesn’t fail. 23 They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness.
(WEB)
Written by a people in ruin, these verses affirm that the mercies of the LORD do not run out, and that his faithfulness is renewed each morning. They pair well with Psalm 145:9 by showing that God’s tender mercies are not only broad in scope but also steady over time, even when life feels broken.
A Short Prayer From Psalm 145:9
Lord, you are good to all, and your tender mercies rest over everything you have made. Thank you that your kindness is not limited to what I deserve or what I can understand. When my heart feels heavy or my plans fall apart, help me remember that your care is already at work around me. Teach me to notice your goodness in ordinary gifts, and to extend some of that same kindness to the people you have placed in my life. Let my days become a quiet thanksgiving for the wide mercy you show to all your works. Amen.
