Praise the Lord, Not Human Power

146:1 Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! 146:2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live! I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist! 146:3 Do not trust in princes, or in human beings, who cannot deliver! 146:4 Their life’s breath departs, they return to the ground; on that day their plans die. 146:5 How blessed is the one whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, 146:6 the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who remains forever faithful, 146:7 vindicates the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry. The Lord releases the imprisoned. 146:8 The Lord gives sight to the blind. The Lord lifts up all who are bent over. The Lord loves the godly. 146:9 The Lord protects those residing outside their native land; he lifts up the fatherless and the widow, but he opposes the wicked. 146:10 The Lord rules forever, your God, O Zion, throughout the generations to come! Praise the Lord! Psalm 147

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NET) are from the NET Bible®, copyright ©1996, 2019 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Psalm 146 calls God’s people to praise him all their lives. It warns against trusting in rulers or any human power, because people die and their plans end. The Lord alone is the Maker of all things, the faithful King who helps the weak, defends the oppressed, and opposes the wicked.

The psalm begins with a personal call to praise. The psalmist speaks to his own soul and promises to praise the Lord as long as he lives. Then he warns against placing trust in princes or in any human being. Human leaders cannot save in the end, because they are mortal. When their life departs, their plans fail with them.

The blessed person is the one whose help and hope are in the God of Jacob. That name ties the psalm to Israel’s covenant God. He is not a local or temporary god. He is the Maker of heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them. His faithfulness lasts forever.

The Lord also acts in righteous care. He gives justice to the oppressed, feeds the hungry, and frees prisoners. He gives sight to the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down, loves the godly, protects the foreigner, and supports the fatherless and the widow. At the same time, he opposes the wicked. The psalm ends by returning to Zion and declaring that the Lord rules forever. For this reason, praise belongs to him alone.

• Praise should be lifelong, not temporary.
• Human rulers are limited and mortal.
• Ultimate trust belongs in the God of Jacob.
• The Lord is the Creator of all things.
• God is faithful forever.
• The Lord gives justice to the oppressed.
• He feeds the hungry and frees prisoners.
• He cares for the blind, the bowed down, the foreigner, the fatherless, and the widow.
• The Lord loves the godly and opposes the wicked.
• God rules forever over Zion and all generations.

• Do not trust in princes or in mere human power.
• Blessed are those whose help and hope are in the Lord.
• The Lord vindicates the oppressed and provides for the needy.
• The Lord opposes the wicked.
• Praise the Lord.

Psalm 146 belongs to Israel’s worship life and shows the Lord as the faithful covenant King. It reflects the Torah’s concern for the poor, the widow, the orphan, and the foreigner. In the wider Bible, this same pattern prepares the way for the Messiah, who fully reveals God’s justice and mercy. But the psalm itself is first a confession of Yahweh’s lasting reign and care.

Do not place your deepest hope in leaders, money, or human strength. Praise the Lord in every season, because his help does not fail. Care about the people this psalm names: the oppressed, the hungry, the imprisoned, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. Trust God’s character even when human help is weak.

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