Psalms 146:1-10: a reflection

1Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, my soul. 2While I live, I will praise the LORD. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist. 3Don’t put your trust in princes, in a son of man in whom there is no help. 4His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish. 5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD, his God, 6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever; 7who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. 8The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD raises up those who are bowed down. The LORD loves the righteous. 9The LORD preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down. 10The LORD will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!

This psalm of praise gives a clear warning about where not to place our trust: Do not put your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help; his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish. Human leaders, however impressive, cannot finally help us; they are mortal, and their power ends with their lives. But then the psalm turns to the one in whom trust is well placed: Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God.

Notice the contrast the psalm draws. On one side are princes, human leaders, in whom there is no lasting help; they die, and their plans die with them, so it is folly to place our ultimate trust in them. On the other side is God, who made heaven and earth, and who, the psalm goes on to say, executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, frees the prisoner, opens the eyes of the blind, upholds the widow and the orphan. God is the help that does not fail.

That warns against a trust we easily give. We are prone to place our hope in human leaders, in those with influence or power, imagining they can secure our future or solve our problems; but they are mortal, and their help is limited and passing. The God who made all things, and who cares for the oppressed and the vulnerable, is the only help that does not fail. Do not put your ultimate trust in human leaders or power, which cannot finally save. Place your trust and your hope in God, who made heaven and earth, cares for the vulnerable, and does not die or fail. Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob; make him your trust, rather than the princes who cannot finally help, and whose plans perish with them.

Lord, this psalm warns me not to put my trust in princes, in human leaders in whom there is no lasting help, for they die and their plans perish with them; and it turns instead to you, who made heaven and earth, and who care for the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the blind, the widow, and the orphan. Warn me against a trust I easily give. I am prone to place my hope in human leaders, in those with influence or power, imagining they can secure my future or solve my problems; but they are mortal, and their help is limited and passing. You, who made all things and care for the vulnerable, are the only help that does not fail. Keep me from putting my ultimate trust in human leaders or power, which cannot finally save. Help me place my trust and my hope in you, who made heaven and earth, care for the vulnerable, and do not die or fail. Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob; help me make you my trust, rather than the princes who cannot finally help, and whose plans perish with them.