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Psalms146

The psalm opens with a fervent call to praise the LORD, emphasizing a lifelong commitment to glorifying God. It warns against placing trust in mortal princes or any human, as their help is fleeting and their plans perish. Instead, it declares blessedness for those who hope in the God of Jacob, who is the eternal Creator and compassionate provider for the needy and oppressed.

Call to Praise and Lifelong Commitment

1
Halleluyah! Praise ADONAI, my soul! ​
2
I will praise ADONAI as long as I live. I will sing praise to my God all my life. ​

The Danger of Trusting Mortals

3
Don't put your trust in princes or in mortals, who cannot help. ​
4
When they breathe their last, they return to dust; on that very day all their plans are gone. ​

The Happiness of Trusting the Creator God

5
Happy is he whose help is Ya'akov's God, whose hope is in ADONAI his God. ​
6
He made heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them; he keeps faith forever. ​

God's Active Care for the Oppressed

7
He secures justice for the oppressed, he gives food to the hungry. ADONAI sets prisoners free, ​
8
ADONAI opens the eyes of the blind, ADONAI lifts up those who are bent over. ADONAI loves the righteous.
9
ADONAI watches over strangers, he sustains the fatherless and widows; but the way of the wicked he twists.
10
ADONAI will reign forever, your God, Tziyon, through all generations. Halleluyah! ​

Study Notes for Psalms 146

Verse 1

This psalm is the first of the final Hallel Psalms (146-150) and begins and ends with the command 'Hallelujah' (Praise the LORD), setting the tone for personal and communal worship.

Verse 2

The commitment to praise 'while I have any being' emphasizes that worship is not a fleeting emotion but a fundamental, lifelong existence dependent upon God.

Verse 3

This verse provides a powerful contrast between the transitory nature of human power ('princes') and the eternal reliability of God, warning against placing ultimate security in mortal rulers.

Verse 4

The Hebrew word for 'breath' (ruach) emphasizes the fragility of life; when breath departs, all human plans ('thoughts') are instantly terminated, highlighting the futility of relying on them.

Verse 5

This verse introduces the concept of blessedness (ashrei) for those whose hope is fixed in the covenant God, explicitly referred to here as the 'God of Jacob'.

Verse 6

God's ability to keep truth forever is grounded in His role as the sovereign Creator of the cosmos, ensuring the eternal reliability of His justice and promises.

Verse 7

Verses 7–9 catalogue God's actions, demonstrating practical justice (mishpat) and righteousness (tzedeqah) by fulfilling the role of the true king for the most vulnerable groups in society.

Verse 10

This verse shifts the focus from God’s merciful actions to the certainty of His eternal sovereignty, confirming that the compassionate justice described is a manifestation of His everlasting kingship over Zion.

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