Psalm 145:9

The context

This is the acrostic psalm of praise attributed to David, in its earlier half, where the psalmist declares the Lord's greatness and his goodness to those who fear him. The line widens the scope from the faithful to all his works. It leads into the declaration of the kingdom's everlasting character.

What it establishes

The psalm claims that God's goodness and mercy are not confined to one people or one class of creature, and it grounds that claim in his character rather than in the recipients' merit.

What it does not establish

It does not establish universal salvation. The verse speaks of goodness in providence and mercy shown in the created order, which is a different claim from the final salvation of every person, and the psalm nowhere makes that further claim.

Short note, first pass, October 2026. Corrections welcome.

Cited in these answers

• So all infants and children who have ever lived and died as non-Christians are sentenced by God to suffer eternally in hell? That's kind and 'all-loving'.

Part of Scripture, Opened — the exegetical layer behind every citation on this site. Scripture quotations are from the ESV.