Psalm 146
Psalm 146, Praise to the LORD, Worthy of Our Trust
Scripture Text
Psalm 146:1, “Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.”
Psalm 146:2, “While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.”
Psalm 146:3, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.”
Psalm 146:4, “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”
Psalm 146:5, “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:”
Psalm 146:6, “Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:”
Psalm 146:7, “Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:”
Psalm 146:8, “The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:”
Psalm 146:9, “The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.”
Psalm 146:10, “The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.”
Introduction
Psalm 146 begins the final section of the Book of Psalms. Psalms 146 through 150 are often called the Hallelujah Psalms because each one begins and ends with “Praise ye the LORD.” After the long journey of the Psalter through lament, confession, suffering, persecution, deliverance, instruction, repentance, and hope, the book closes in sustained praise.
This is important. The Psalms do not ignore grief, shame, sin, enemies, fear, confusion, betrayal, and sorrow. They bring all of those things before the LORD. Yet the final word of the Psalter is praise. The life of faith may pass through the cave, the wilderness, the battlefield, the sickbed, the exile, and the place of repentance, but it ends with Hallelujah.
Psalm 146 teaches that the LORD alone is worthy of ultimate trust. Princes die. Human plans perish. Powerful men cannot save themselves, much less those who trust in them. But the God of Jacob made heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them. He keeps truth forever. He executes judgment for the oppressed. He feeds the hungry. He frees prisoners. He opens blind eyes. He raises the bowed down. He loves the righteous. He preserves strangers. He relieves the fatherless and widow. He overturns the way of the wicked. He reigns forever.
The psalm therefore moves from personal praise, to warning, to blessing, to theology, to practical compassion, to eternal kingship. It tells the believer where not to place ultimate trust, and where true happiness is found.
A. The Happiness of Trusting in the LORD
1. Psalm 146:1 and Psalm 146:2, A Declaration of Praise to Yahweh
Psalm 146:1, “Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.”
The psalm begins with “Praise ye the LORD.” This is the Hebrew idea behind Hallelujah. It is both a command and a declaration. The psalmist calls others to praise the LORD, and he also resolves to praise Him himself.
He then speaks to his own soul, “Praise the LORD, O my soul.” This shows that praise is not merely external. The soul must be summoned. The inner man must be awakened. The psalmist does not want empty words on the lips while the heart remains cold. He commands his own soul to bless the LORD.
This is a common pattern in the Psalms. The believer must sometimes preach to his own soul. He must call his soul away from fear, distraction, weariness, bitterness, and forgetfulness, and command it to praise God.
Psalm 103:1, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”
Psalm 103:2, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:”
The soul must be stirred to remember and praise. Psalm 146 begins with that same inward command.
Praise belongs to the LORD because He is worthy in Himself. He is not praised because man’s circumstances are always easy. He is praised because He is God, and because His character, works, mercy, justice, truth, and reign are worthy.
Psalm 146:2, “While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.”
The psalmist now makes a lifelong resolution. “While I live will I praise the LORD.” Praise is not a temporary mood. It is the purpose of life. As long as the psalmist lives, he will praise the LORD.
He continues, “I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.” This phrase reaches as far as existence itself. While he has life, breath, consciousness, strength, and being, he will sing praise to God.
This is the proper end of man. Man was created to glorify God. Sin turns man inward, downward, and away from God, but grace restores him to worship. The redeemed man is a praising man.
Psalm 104:33, “I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.”
Psalm 146 echoes this same holy resolve. Praise is not only for the temple, the congregation, or the easy season. It is for the whole life.
The believer’s praise should continue in youth and old age, in strength and weakness, in prosperity and loss, in public worship and private prayer, in life and approaching death. Even when the body weakens, the soul may still bless the LORD.
Habakkuk 3:17, “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in vines; labour of olive shall fail, and fields shall yield no meat; flock shall be cut off from fold, and there shall be no herd in stalls:”
Habakkuk 3:18, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in God of my salvation.”
The resolved worshiper praises God even when visible blessings are stripped away. Psalm 146 calls the soul to that kind of praise.
2. Psalm 146:3 and Psalm 146:4, A Caution Against Confidence in Man
Psalm 146:3, “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.”
After calling the soul to praise the LORD, the psalmist warns against misplaced trust. “Put not your trust in princes.” Princes represent the powerful, wealthy, influential, politically connected, and socially important. They may have authority, resources, armies, courts, titles, and status. Yet they are not worthy of ultimate trust.
The warning is not that all rulers are useless or that authority is evil. Scripture recognizes legitimate authority. The issue is ultimate confidence. Man must not place the trust that belongs to God in princes.
Psalm 118:8, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.”
Psalm 118:9, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.”
Psalm 146 repeats the same lesson. Trust in the LORD is better than confidence in men, even powerful men.
The psalm adds, “nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.” Man cannot provide ultimate salvation. He cannot defeat death. He cannot secure the soul. He cannot guarantee the future. He cannot keep every promise. He cannot sustain his own breath.
This is a needed warning in every generation. Men are tempted to place ultimate hope in politicians, kings, military leaders, wealthy patrons, experts, parties, movements, institutions, and influential friends. These may be used by God in limited ways, but none of them can bear the weight of ultimate trust.
Jeremiah 17:5, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”
Jeremiah 17:7, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
To trust man as ultimate refuge is to depart from the LORD. To trust the LORD is blessing.
Psalm 146:4, “His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.”
The reason princes cannot be trusted ultimately is simple. They die. “His breath goeth forth.” The most powerful man depends on breath. When breath leaves him, his power ends.
The psalm says, “he returneth to his earth.” Man was made from dust, and because of sin, he returns to dust.
Genesis 3:19, “In sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.”
The prince and the poor man share this condition. Death humbles all human greatness.
The verse continues, “in that very day his thoughts perish.” His plans, ambitions, policies, promises, strategies, and designs perish with him. Even the greatest ruler cannot carry out plans beyond the boundary God sets for his life.
This does not mean every human plan immediately disappears when a man dies, because some consequences remain. The point is that the man himself loses the ability to act, help, protect, promise, or execute his intentions. Death ends his earthly agency.
James 4:14, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on morrow. For what your life? It is even vapour, that appeareth for little time, and then vanisheth away.”
Man is a vapor. God is eternal. Therefore, the wise man does not place eternal hope in temporary flesh.
This warning is not cynical despair. It clears the ground for true hope. If the psalm only said, do not trust princes, it would be bleak. But it says this so the soul will trust the LORD.
3. Psalm 146:5 through Psalm 146:7, Happy Confidence in a Great God
Psalm 146:5, “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:”
The psalm now turns from warning to blessing. “Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help.” True happiness belongs to the man whose help is not in princes, but in the God of Jacob.
The phrase “God of Jacob” is full of grace. Jacob was not naturally impressive in righteousness. He was a schemer, a striver, and often weak in faith. Yet God chose him, pursued him, disciplined him, changed him, and kept covenant with him. To call the LORD the God of Jacob is to remember that God helps weak and undeserving people by covenant mercy.
Genesis 28:13, “And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am LORD God of Abraham thy father, and God of Isaac: land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to seed;”
Genesis 28:15, “And, behold, I with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done which I have spoken to thee of.”
God promised to be with Jacob, keep him, and complete what He had spoken. The man whose help is the God of Jacob is happy because his helper is covenant keeping.
The psalm adds, “whose hope is in the LORD his God.” Help and hope belong together. God is his present help and future hope. The happy man does not merely believe God exists. He hopes in the LORD as his God.
Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
This is the happiness of faith. It is not dependent on princes, circumstances, wealth, status, or human promises. It rests in the LORD.
Psalm 146:6, “Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:”
The psalmist now gives reasons why the LORD is worthy of trust. First, He is Creator. He “made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.” The God who made all things has power beyond every prince. The Creator is not limited by the creation. He is sovereign over heaven, earth, sea, and every creature.
Genesis 1:1, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.”
Exodus 20:11, “For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, sea, and all that in them is, and rested seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed sabbath day, and hallowed it.”
The Creator has power to help, sustain, provide, judge, and save.
Second, the LORD “keepeth truth for ever.” God is not only powerful. He is faithful. Power without truth would be terrifying. Truth without power would be unable to help. But the LORD has both infinite power and eternal faithfulness.
He keeps truth forever. He is true to His word, true to His covenant, true to His promises, true to His righteousness, and true to His people.
Numbers 23:19, “God is not man, that he should lie; neither son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath spoken, and shall he not make it good?”
Unlike princes whose breath departs and plans perish, God’s truth remains forever.
Psalm 146:7, “Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:”
The God who made all things and keeps truth forever is also morally active in the world. He “executeth judgment for the oppressed.” He sees oppression. He does justice. The oppressed are not invisible to Him.
Psalm 103:6, “The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.”
The LORD’s justice is not theoretical. He acts for those crushed by the wicked, exploited by the powerful, and forgotten by men.
He also “giveth food to the hungry.” God cares for bodily need. Hunger matters to Him. He provides through creation, providence, ordinary labor, generosity, and sometimes miraculous intervention.
Psalm 145:15, “The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.”
Psalm 145:16, “Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.”
God’s open hand feeds His creatures. Psalm 146 emphasizes that the hungry may look to Him.
The verse continues, “The LORD looseth the prisoners.” He brings freedom to those bound. This may refer to literal prisoners, captives, and those unjustly held. It also points spiritually to those bound by sin, fear, death, and darkness.
Isaiah 61:1, “The Spirit of Lord GOD is upon me; because LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto meek; he hath sent me to bind up brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and opening of prison to them that are bound;”
Jesus applies this kind of mission language to Himself.
Luke 4:18, “The Spirit of Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach gospel to poor; he hath sent me to heal brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to captives, and recovering of sight to blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,”
Christ is the fullest revelation of the LORD who gives liberty to captives.
B. The Helpfulness of the Holy God
1. Psalm 146:8 and Psalm 146:9, Declaring the Power and Loving Care of God
Psalm 146:8, “The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:”
The psalmist continues describing the LORD’s works of compassion and power. “The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind.” This can be understood literally and spiritually. God gives sight to blind eyes, and He also gives spiritual understanding to those who are blind in sin and darkness.
Jesus fulfilled this visibly in His earthly ministry.
Matthew 9:27, “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us.”
Matthew 9:28, “And when he was come into house, blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord.”
Matthew 9:29, “Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you.”
Matthew 9:30, “And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it.”
The LORD opens blind eyes, and Jesus opened blind eyes. This is one of the clear ways the works of Christ reveal His divine identity.
The psalm says, “The LORD raiseth them that are bowed down.” Those bowed down may be crushed by burdens, sickness, grief, oppression, guilt, or weakness. The LORD raises them.
Jesus also displayed this mercy.
Luke 13:11, “And, behold, there was woman which had spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.”
Luke 13:12, “And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.”
Luke 13:13, “And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”
The woman bowed down for eighteen years was raised by Christ. The LORD raises those bowed down.
David’s psalm also says, “The LORD loveth the righteous.” God has a special covenant love for those who belong to Him and walk in righteousness. This does not mean the righteous are sinless in themselves. It means they are those who fear the LORD, trust Him, and walk uprightly by His grace.
Psalm 11:7, “For righteous LORD loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold upright.”
God loves righteousness because He Himself is righteous. He loves His people and preserves them.
Psalm 146:9, “The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.”
The LORD’s compassion extends to those most vulnerable in society. “The LORD preserveth the strangers.” The stranger, or foreigner living among the people, often lacked natural protection, land inheritance, and family structure. God watched over them.
Deuteronomy 10:18, “He doth execute judgment of fatherless and widow, and loveth stranger, in giving him food and raiment.”
God’s law repeatedly commands care for the stranger because God Himself cares for the stranger.
The psalm adds, “he relieveth the fatherless and widow.” The fatherless and widow were often defenseless, economically vulnerable, and easily oppressed. The LORD takes special notice of them.
Psalm 68:5, “A father of fatherless, and judge of widows, is God in his holy habitation.”
God is not indifferent to those without earthly defenders. He is Father to the fatherless and Judge for widows.
The church is also commanded to reflect this concern.
James 1:27, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and Father is this, To visit fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from world.”
True religion includes care for the vulnerable and personal holiness.
The verse then gives the necessary contrast, “but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.” God’s compassion for the oppressed does not mean He ignores the wicked. He frustrates their way. He overturns their plans. He makes their path collapse.
Proverbs 10:29, “The way of LORD is strength to upright: but destruction shall be to workers of iniquity.”
God’s rule includes mercy and judgment. A God who helps the oppressed must also oppose the oppressor. A God who relieves the fatherless and widow must also turn the way of the wicked upside down.
This is also seen in Christ. He came with mercy for the broken, but He also confronted wickedness, hypocrisy, and corruption.
Matthew 21:12, “And Jesus went into temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in temple, and overthrew tables of moneychangers, and seats of them that sold doves,”
The Lord Jesus is gentle toward the repentant and severe toward unrepentant wickedness. Like Father, like Son.
2. Psalm 146:10, Praising the God Who Reigns Forever
Psalm 146:10, “The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.”
The psalm ends with the eternal reign of the LORD. “The LORD shall reign for ever.” Princes die, but the LORD reigns forever. Human breath departs, but God’s throne remains. Human thoughts perish, but God’s counsel stands.
This is the foundation of trust. The believer does not trust a dying prince, but the reigning LORD.
Psalm 10:16, “The LORD is King for ever and ever: heathen are perished out of his land.”
Daniel 4:34, “And at end of days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:”
The LORD’s reign has no end. Nebuchadnezzar learned this after being humbled. Zion must remember it always.
The psalm says, “even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations.” The eternal King is not distant from His people. He is “thy God, O Zion.” This is covenant comfort. The God who reigns forever belongs to His people, and they belong to Him.
The final phrase is the same as the opening, “Praise ye the LORD.” The psalm begins and ends with Hallelujah. The warning against trusting princes, the blessing of trusting the God of Jacob, the LORD’s care for the oppressed and needy, and His eternal reign all lead to one conclusion, praise the LORD.
Doctrinal and Practical Summary
Psalm 146 teaches that praise is the lifelong duty and joy of the believer. The psalmist commands his own soul to praise and resolves to sing praises to God while he has any being.
The psalm warns against ultimate trust in man, even in princes. Human rulers are temporary. Their breath departs, they return to the earth, and their plans perish. Therefore, they cannot bear the weight of ultimate hope.
Psalm 146 teaches that true happiness belongs to the one whose help is the God of Jacob and whose hope is in the LORD his God. The God of Jacob is the covenant keeping God who helps weak and undeserving people by mercy.
The psalm teaches that the LORD is trustworthy because He is Creator. He made heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them. He has power beyond all earthly rulers.
The psalm teaches that the LORD keeps truth forever. Unlike mortal men whose plans perish, God remains faithful to His word, covenant, and promises.
Psalm 146 teaches that God cares for the oppressed, hungry, prisoners, blind, bowed down, strangers, fatherless, and widows. His holiness is not cold distance. His holiness is joined to compassion, justice, and mercy.
The psalm points clearly toward the works of Jesus Christ, who opened blind eyes, raised the bowed down, proclaimed liberty to captives, cared for the vulnerable, and opposed wickedness. These works reveal that Jesus is the LORD in the flesh.
Psalm 146 also teaches that God overturns the way of the wicked. His mercy toward the afflicted includes His opposition to those who oppress, deceive, and rebel.
Finally, Psalm 146 teaches that the LORD reigns forever. Princes die, but God reigns to all generations. Therefore, the people of God should praise the LORD now and forever.
