PRAISING THE LORD WE TRUST

Psalms 146:1-10  Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.  (2)  I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. (3)  Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.  (4)  When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 

(5)  Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,  (6)  the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them-- the LORD, who remains faithful forever.  (7)  He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,  (8)  the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.  (9)  The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.  (10)  The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

This psalm makes four things very clear:

First, IT IS GOD ALONE WHOM WE PRAISE (verses 1-2). 

Our soul, all our life, as long as we live, we will sing praise to God.  This is not just a spiritual statement or song.  It’s something that we believe.  The Hebrew word can also mean “boast”.  We praise God because it is in Him that we boast.  And we will boast in Him in our soul, all our life.

Second WE DO NOT PUT OUR TRUST IN MORTAL MAN (verses 3-4). 

Whether it was a prince, or any mortal man, we were not to put our trust in them. 

A “prince” was someone who was a noble leader who was very generous with his constituents.  This can also refer to rich, influential men in this life, or business or political leaders.  Or any other human being.  We are not to put our trust in them. 

Why?  Because they are mortal.  When they die, their plans come to nothing.  “his thoughts perish” in the NASB.

Third, WE ARE BLESSED BECAUSE GOD IS OUR HOPE AND OUR HELP (verses 5 -9). 

When a man puts his hope and trust in God he is blessed.  Why?

He is our Creator.

He upholds the cause of the oppressed.

He gives food to the hungry.

He sets prisoners free.

He lifts up those who are bowed down.

He watches over those who are oppressed.

He frustrates the way of the wicked.

This is why He is our hope.  It is God, not man, who blesses us.

Lastly, OUR GOD IS KING FOREVER. (verse 10). 

This is why we praise the Lord.  He is our King forever.  Unlike princes and mortal men whose spirits depart and return to the ground, and whose plans come to nothing, our God is eternal, and His plans are also eternal for those who recognize Him as our King.

Are our souls continually praising the Lord?  Are we boasting in Him for everything, for every blessing we receive?

Have we put our trust in man, in princes, whose plans will just come to nothing?  Or are we blessed to know that we have a God who is our Creator, who watches over us, who feeds the hungry, lifts up those who bow down?

Do we really believe that our God is King forever?  Or are we still putting our trust in our leaders – whether political or business leaders, or influential men?

Something to ponder on as we face the present circumstances we are in.