Psalms 146

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“Do not put your trust in princes” (Psalms 146:3 NKJV).

June 28, 2020

POLITICS CAN’T CHANGE PEOPLE’S HEARTS Those who put their trust in political leaders and parties will always be disappointed because they are led by mere men. Only the One who can change the human heart can change the human condition. This proverb, along with today’s Old Testament reading from 2 Kings, both proclaim and illustrate

“The Lord frees the prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are weighed down” (Psalm 146:7-8 NLT).

June 28, 2019

ONLY THE LORD CAN . . . Only the Lord can truly set free those who are enslaved by sin and their own addictions to their over-desires for more, even though more never satisfies. “The Lord frees the prisoners.”   Only the Lord can truly open the eyes of the spiritually blind, who wonder aimlessly

“The Lord protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked.” (Psalm 146:9 NLT).

December 27, 2018

WHO THE LORD PROTECTS AND CARES FOR
The psalmist observed that the Lord protected the foreigner and cared for the orphan and the widow. These are the least of the inhabitants, not only in Israel, but in any nation. They have little in the way of possessions, power or prestige. So, they are often overlooked, or worse, they are used and abused. Yet, the Lord is their unseen protector.

However, the wicked in Israel, who apparently had all that the former lacked, did not have the Lord’s protection. In fact, they had attracted His enmity. The Lord worked against them to frustrate their plans.

I was raised in the house of a widow, the firstborn of four children. My father died of cancer when I was eight. We had little in the way of worldly things, yet we knew the Lord’s protection. I and my siblings are a testimony to this psalm. My mother often prayed the psalms to the Lord, especially that God would be a “Father to the fatherless and a defender of widows” (Psa. 68:5) as He promised.

I wonder what stand the Body of Christ should take concerning foreigners, orphans and widows? Aren’t we called to join our Lord in protecting and caring for the least of these? As the apostle James wrote, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress” (James 1:27).

If we find our plans being frustrated, perhaps we should reconsider our stance. Let us stand with the Lord in this.

“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 NKJV).

December 28, 2017

What was the psalmist’s resolution? To “praise the Lord!” The psalmist directed both his own “soul” and that of his audience to “praise the Lord!” This was a matter of firm resolve. He recognized the tendency of his soul to droop into discouragement and to focus on worldly things. Yet, he was determined that as long as he lived, he would live a life of worship.

In this season of making new year’s resolutions, perhaps we can join the psalmist. Let us resolve that while we “live” and have “being,” we will praise the Lord!

“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever” (Psalm 146:5-6 ESV)

June 28, 2016

The God of creation is also the God of revelation. Not only did He leave His fingerprints on the earth and the heavens for us to see, He spoke His promises and had them recorded for us to read. Do you doubt whether the sun will rise and set again tomorrow? Will the earth stop its annual journey through the seasons? Do you worry that the stars will cease to shine at night? God’s promises were spoken with the same voice that declared, “Let there be light,” and there was light. The same God who made everything, made the promises found in His Word.

“He made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He keeps every promise forever” (Psalm 146:6 NLT)

June 28, 2014

The God of creation is also the God of revelation. Not only did He leave His fingerprints on the earth and the heavens for us to see, He spoke His promises and had them recorded for us to read. Do you doubt whether the sun will rise and set again tomorrow? Will the earth stop its annual journey through the seasons? Do you worry that the stars will cease to shine at night? God’s promises were spoken with the same voice that declared, “Let there be light,” and there was light. The same God who made everything, made the promises found in His Word.

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish” (Psalm 146:3-4)

December 27, 2013

Those who put their trust in governments should recognize that they are only made up of men. These “princes” cannot save. Only God can save. Put your trust in God alone. Less politics. More prayer.