One Chapter, Four Truths: Memorizing Psalm 145

This post is by Kelli LaFram.

It’s mid-May as I begin to write this post, and as a teacher, with the school year winding down, I’m finding it harder and harder to get out of bed each morning. I’ve placed my Bible right next to my bed so I’m more likely to reach for it instead of the snooze button—but sometimes even that isn’t enough. This is just one reason why memorizing Scripture matters. 

For the past several weeks, I’ve been memorizing Psalm 145. This chapter is a song that centers my mornings in the truth of who God is—so I don’t forget who I am. When the struggle to give God the first part of my day is real, I can call to mind the first few verses and begin there.

I will extol You, my God, O King: And I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable. (vv1-3)

Psalm 145 is the final psalm in the book attributed to King David. It’s an acrostic poem, which suggests it was written to be memorized. In Jewish tradition, this psalm is often recited three times a day—twice in the morning and once in the afternoon. And for good reason: it is all about praising God for some very specific traits. 

Take a moment to read through Psalm 145 now. As you do, jot down any words or themes that are repeated.

Did you read it? I wish we were sitting together, talking in person about everything you found. Since we can’t, I’ll point out four core truths in Psalm 145 that help us frame our morning praise—and reframe how we approach the day ahead.

God is great, so we don’t have to be in control. We see God’s greatness in verses 1–3 and 4–7. When we begin our day by remembering that God is great, we’re reminding ourselves that He is in control—we’re not. No matter what you’re facing today, you can say, “I don’t run the world. God does.” There is immense comfort in knowing that the weight of your to-do list doesn’t actually rest on your shoulders.

God is glorious, so we don’t have to fear others. God’s glory shines throughout verses 4–7 and 10–13. His brilliance outshines anyone else. Because of that, we don’t have to live in fear of others’ opinions. Each morning, we can remind ourselves: “God’s glory defines me, not the approval of others.”

God is good, so we don’t have to look elsewhere. We see God’s goodness in verses 8–9 and 14–16. There will always be hurdles in our path, but we don’t have to strive to get over them alone. God is a good Father who delights in providing for His children. When life is tough, you can remind yourself, “God knows what I need before I even ask.”

God is gracious, so we don’t have to prove ourselves. Verses 8–9 and 17–21 speak of God’s grace. We all have things we are good at, things we are okay at, and things we are bad at. That’s being human. But our value isn’t rooted in our performance. It’s anchored in the precious blood that flowed from the cross. Jesus hung on the cross and proved His love for us so we don’t have to prove ourselves. God’s grace means we don’t have to earn His love—it’s already ours. Now we can remember, “I am already held, loved, and seen before I do anything.”

Psalm 145 is worth memorizing. Start small—just one verse or section at a time. Or, if tackling the entire chapter seems too daunting, choose just one section based on the truth you most need to hear, and start there. Repeating these verses each morning will build a new internal script that helps you start each day trusting God.

Tool tip: The Bible Memory app is a great resource. It lets you track your progress, quiz yourself, and review verses during pockets of downtime—like waiting in the school pickup line or sipping your morning coffee.

You don’t have to memorize the whole psalm to experience its power. Even one verse, spoken daily, can be enough to start your morning off right (even when you’re tempted to reach for the snooze button). Use King David’s words in Psalm 145 to reshape your mornings with truth—because when we remember that God is great, glorious, good, and gracious, we can face whatever the day may bring.

Kelli LaFram is actually Kelli LaFramboise, but no one can pronounce that, so with the permission of her family she writes under the shorter pen name. Her neighbors have started referring to her bunch as the LaFram Fam. Kelli has led Bible studies in her home and serves in the worship and children’s ministries at her local church. Kelli is an elementary school teacher and her hobbies include blogging about God’s word, listening to audiobooks with her children, and drinking good (decaf) coffee. Currently, she is only writing for Hello Mornings, but you can connect with her at https://www.instagram.com/kellilafram/.

Photo by Julian Hochgesang on Unsplash