The Book of Psalms

Psalm 146

Psalm CXLVI · Vol. II, p. 1078

1 The psalmist voweth perpetual praises to God. 3 He exhorteth not to trust in man. 5 God, for his power, justice, mercy, and kingdom, is only worthy to be trusted.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

1 Praise ye the LORD.¹ Praise^a the LORD, O my soul.²

1 Heb. Hallelujah, Ps.104.35.

a Ps.103.1,2;104.1,35.

2 See note * below.

* 'This is a general psalm of praise, containing thoughts such as are appropriately suggested by a contemplation of the character of God, and his dealings with men. The idea is that of the blessedness of trusting in God; the security of those who do it; the superiority of this confidence and peace over any that is reposed in princes; and the evidence that it will be safe to trust in him, furnished by his merciful interpositions in behalf of the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the blind, the bowed down, the righteous, the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow' (Barnes).—P.

2 While^b I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.³

b Ps.104.33,34;145.1,2,5,21;71.8,14-24;119.164.

3 'In my eternal being.'—A. Clarke.

3 Put^c not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.⁴

c Ps.62.9;118.8,9;33.16;144.10. Pr.21.31. Is.2.22. Je.17.5-7.

4 Or, salvation.

4 His^d breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.

d Ps.104.29. Ec.12.7. Is.2.22. Job 14.10;17.11.

5 Happy^e is he that hath the God of Jacob⁵ for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God;

e Je.17.7,8. Is.45.17,24,25. Ps.144.15;84.12;2.12.

5 That is the Word that was with God and was God. See Ge.15.1,2,4,7,8,18;17.1-22;32.24-30. Ho.12.3-5.—C.

6 Which^g made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is; ^hwhich keepeth truth for ever;

g Ge.1.1. Ex.20.11. Je.32.17. Re.14.7.

h Ps.100.5;89.2. Mi.7.20.

7 Whichⁱ executeth judgment for the oppressed; which ^jgiveth food to the hungry. The^k LORD looseth the prisoners:

i Ps.103.6;12.5;72.4. Is.49.25,26.

j Ps.145.15,16;136.25.

k Ps.68.6;107.14. Is.61.1. Zec.9.11.

8 The^l LORD openeth the eyes of the blind:⁶ the LORD ⁿraiseth them that are bowed down: the ^oLORD loveth the righteous:

l Mat.9.30. Jn.9.6-32. Is.35.5. 1 Pe.2.9.

6 Which was fully verified to the letter, Lu.4.18,21.—C.

n Ps.147.6;145.14. Lu.13.11-13. Mat.11.5.

o De.33.3. Ps.11.7. Jn.14.21,23.

9 The LORD ^ppreserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the ^qway of the wicked he turneth upside down.⁷

p Pr.15.25. De.10.18,19. Ps.10.14,18;68.5. Je.49.11. Ho.14.3.

q Job 5.12,13;40.11,12. Pr.4.19. Ps.83.13-17;21.8-12.

7 The way of the wicked is—lies, imposture, and oppression; and all that sustain these, the Lord will utterly overturn.—C.

10 The^r LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.

r Ex.15.18;145.13. Re.11.15,17. Is.9.7. Da.6.26;7.14.

Notes

Ver. 1. The Son, as Prophet of the church, first calls upon all, and then upon that 'reasonable soul' which he took when he 'became flesh' to praise Jehovah, Father, Son, and Spirit. C.

Ver. 9. Strangers. Those who confess that they are 'strangers and pilgrims on the earth,' 'who desire a better country, that is, an heavenly,' He. 11. 13-16. C.

Reflections.—Happy are they whose God is the Lord, and whose praises never end! But the greatest on earth appear as insignificant nothings before God, or even to a gracious heart. Nothing on earth is properly a man's property but his grave. But though in man there be no help, no ground of hope, our Godman is mighty to save; and hope in him knows no disappointment. Be stirred up, therefore, my soul, to depend on him, who is my almighty Maker, my faithful and promise-performing Friend, my kind and righteous Protector, my bountiful Provider, my omnipotent Deliverer, my gracious Enlightener, my seasonable Restorer, my perpetual Preserver, and the just Punisher of all evil—my King, my God, and my All.