“Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul! While I live I will praise the Lord. I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.” Psalm 146:1-2
In 2 Samuel 6:16, Michal considered it beneath David’s dignity to dance to the Lord before his nation, but he felt that the Lord was worthy of love expressed with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength. David felt his position gave him even more reason to lead others in worship. [1]
David resolved to praise God all his days. Since God created us to bring Him glory, it should surprise no one that worshipping Him yields great joy to the worshipper.
“Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. His spirit departs he returns to his earth. In that very day, his plans perish.” Psalm 146:3-4
David was a king, yet he warned people not to put their trust in earthly rulers. He could have expected people to depend upon him because of his position and the great things he had done for Israel. Instead, he directed them away from himself and toward God. [2]
We should not place our complete confidence in human leaders because their plans can fail, and circumstances can become greater than their ability to control them. In 2 Samuel 3:39, David admitted, “I am this day weak, though anointed king.” [3]
Sometimes though authorities have the means to help us, they are preoccupied with other matters or they simply choose to not to respond to us.
Earthly rulers are temporary. Even if a ruler has the ability to help us today, he may be replaced by someone else or die suddenly tomorrow. [4]
“Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God.” Psalm 146:5
Who receives God’s help? Those who have the God of Jacob as their helper! The God of Jacob welcomes us to depend on Him to meet our personal needs. [5]
“Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps truth forever.” Psalm 146:6
We should trust God because He created us and the environment that we live in. God has complete power over everything. His ability to save is never limited. [6]
God “keeps truth forever.” He watches over truth to ensure that it prevails over lies just as light dispels darkness. Christ is called “the faithful witness” in Revelation 3:14. [7]
“Who executes justice for the oppressed! Who gives food to the hungry! The Lord gives freedom to the prisoners.” Psalm 146:7
Our Lord brings about justice for oppressed people who have no earthly advocate. In 1 John 3:8, it is written, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” In Acts 10:38, Peter testified, “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.” Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Jesus is still doing these works through His body the Church.
God “gives food to the hungry.” He ordinarily provides food for people through the normal processes of life, but Scripture also records times when he provided food in extraordinary ways, such as when ravens fed Elijah. Christ also demonstrated this power when He made much food out of little food, and miraculously fed thousands of people. [8]
Christ provides physical food for our bodies and the bread of life to nourish our souls. [9]
“The Lord sets prisoners free.” God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt and later from captivity in Babylon. Christ also demonstrated this power by freeing people from various physical afflictions. [10] His greatest work of liberation is freeing sinners from slavery to sin.
“The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord raises those who are bowed down. The Lord loves the righteous.” Psalm 146:8
In Matthew 11:5, Christ sent testimonies of His works to John the Baptist, saying, “The blind see and the lame walk. The lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear. The dead are raised up and the poor have the Gospel preached to them.” He gave sight to the blind. He raised the dead. In Luke 13:12, He healed a woman who had been unable to straighten herself up for 18 years. [11]
Jesus continues to lift people from being spiritually dead to God to being spiritually alive to Him.
“The Lord loves the righteous.” God has a special love for everyone who seeks to do what is right in His sight. In John 8:29, Jesus said, “He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” [12]
“The Lord watches over the strangers. He relieves the fatherless and widow, but the way of the wicked He turns upside down.” Psalm 146:9
Strangers often have few friends or people to defend them, yet God watches over them. Christ welcomed Gentiles, who were once strangers to God’s covenant, into His kingdom. [13]
Widows and orphans are vulnerable to exploitation, but God defends and helps them. [14]
God turns the way of the wicked upside down. He will ultimately destroy the plans of those who oppose Him and His people. When God is for us, no one can prevail against us. [15]
“The Lord shall reign forever—Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 146:10
God's kingdom will last forever. Earthly kingdoms rise and fall. Kings die, governments change, and nations disappear. But God’s kingdom never ends. [16]
Thus, put your hope in God. He forgives your sin, heals your body, defends you from enemies, fills you with love, peace and joy, and is your invincible and everlasting King. Amen! Praise the Lord!
[1-16] Material developed and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
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