TRV
Translation
King James Version
The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
Complete Jewish Bible
ADONAI will reign forever, your God, Tziyon, through all generations. Halleluyah!
Berean Standard Bible
The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Hallelujah!
American Standard Version
Jehovah will reign for ever, Thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye Jehovah.
World English Bible Messianic
The LORD will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!
Geneva Bible (1599)
The Lord shall reigne for euer: O Zion, thy God endureth from generation to generation. Prayse ye the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
Jehovah doth reign to the age, Thy God, O Zion, to generation and generation, Praise ye Jah!
In the KJVVerse 16,352 of 31,102
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Commentary on Psalms 146 verses 5–10
5 ¶ Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
7 Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
8 The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:
9 The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
10 The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
The psalmist, having cautioned us not to trust in princes (because, if we do, we shall be miserably disappointed), here encourages us to put our confidence in God, because, if we do so, we shall be happily secured: Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, that has an interest in his attributes and promises, and has them engaged for him, and whose hope is in the Lord his God.
I. Let us take a view of the character here given of those whom God will uphold. Those shall have God for their help, 1. Who take him for their God, and serve and worship him accordingly. 2. Who have their hope in him, and live a life of dependence upon him, who have good thoughts of him, and encourage themselves in him, when all other supports fail. Every believer may look upon him as the God of Jacob, of the church in general, and therefore may expect relief from him, in reference to public distresses, and as his God in particular, and therefore may depend upon him in all personal wants and straits. We must hope, (1.) In the providence of God for all the good things we need, which relate to the life that now is. (2.) In the grace of Christ for all the good things which relate to the life that is to come. To this especially the learned Dr. Hammond refers this and the following verses, looking upon the latter part of this psalm to have a most visible remarkable aspect towards the eternal Son of God in his incarnation. He quotes one of the rabbies, who says of Psa 146:10 that it belongs to the days of the Messiah. And that it does so he thinks will appear by comparing Psa 146:7, Psa 146:8, with the characters Christ gives of the Messiah (Mat 11:5, Mat 11:6), The blind receive their sight, the lame walk; and the closing words there, Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me, he thinks may very well be supposed to refer to Psa 146:5. Happy is the man that hopes in the Lord his God, and who is not offended in him.
II. Let us take a view of the great encouragements here given us to hope in the Lord our God. 1. He is the Maker of the world, and therefore has all power in himself, and the command of the powers of all the creatures, which, being derived from him, depend upon him (Psa 146:6): He made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and therefore his arm is not shortened, that it cannot save. It is very applicable to Christ, by whom God made the world, and without whom was not any thing made that was made. It is a great support to faith that the Redeemer of the world is the same that was the Creator of it, and therefore has a good-will to it, a perfect knowledge of its case, and power to help it. 2. He is a God of inviolable fidelity. We may venture to take God's word, for he keepeth truth for ever, and therefore no word of his shall fall to the ground; it is true from the beginning, and therefore true to the end. Our Lord Jesus is the Amen, the faithful witness, as well as the beginning, the author and principle, of the creation of God, Rev 3:14. The keeping of God's truth for ever is committed to him, for all the promises are in him yea and amen. 3. He is the patron of injured innocency: He pleads the cause of the oppressed, and (as we read it) he executes judgment for them. He often does it in his providence, giving redress to those that suffer wrong and clearing up their integrity. He will do it in the judgment of the great day. The Messiah came to rescue the children of men out of the hands of Satan the great oppressor, and, all judgment being committed to him, the executing of judgment upon persecutors is so among the rest, Jde 1:15. 4. He is a bountiful benefactor to the necessitous: He gives food to the hungry; so God does in an ordinary way for the answering of the cravings of nature; so he has done sometimes in an extraordinary way, as when ravens fed Elijah; so Christ did more than once when he fed thousands miraculously with that which was intended but for one meal or two for his own family. This encourages us to hope in him as the nourisher of our souls with the bread of life. 5. He is the author of liberty to those that were bound: The Lord looseth the prisoners. He brought Israel out of the house of bondage in Egypt and afterwards in Babylon. The miracles Christ wrought, in making the dumb to speak and the deaf to hear with that one word, Ephphatha - Be opened, his cleansing lepers, and so discharging them from their confinements, and his raising the dead out of their graves, may all be included in this one of loosing the prisoners; and we may take encouragement from those to hope in him for that spiritual liberty which he came to proclaim, Isa 61:1, Isa 61:2. 6. He gives sight to those that have been long deprived of it; The Lord can open the eyes of the blind, and has often given to his afflicted people to see that comfort which before they were not aware of; witness Gen 21:19, and the prophet's servant, Kg2 6:17. But this has special reference to Christ; for since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind till Christ did it (Joh 9:32) and thereby encouraged us to hope in him for spiritual illumination. 7. He sets that straight which was crooked, and makes those easy that were pained and ready to sink: He raises those that are bowed down, by comforting and supporting them under their burdens, and, in due time, removing their burdens. This was literally performed by Christ when he made a poor woman straight that had been bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself (Luk 13:12); and he still does it by his grace, giving rest to those that were weary and heavily laden, and raising up with his comforts those that were humbled and cast down by convictions. 8. He has a constant kindness for all good people: The Lord loveth the righteous, and they may with the more confidence depend upon his power when they are sure of his good-will. Our Lord Jesus showed his love to the righteous by fulfilling all righteousness. 9. He has a tender concern for those that stand in special need of his care: The Lord preserves the strangers. It ought not to pass without remark that the name of Jehovah is repeated here five times in five lines, to intimate that it is an almighty power (that of Jehovah) that is engaged and exerted for the relief of the oppressed, and that it is as much the glory of God to succour those that are in misery as it is to ride on the heavens by his name Jah, Psa 68:4. (1.) Strangers are exposed, and are commonly destitute of friends, but the Lord preserves them, that they be not run down and ruined. Many a poor stranger has found the benefit of the divine protection and been kept alive by it. (2.) Widows and fatherless children, that have lost the head of the family, who took care of the affairs of it, often fall into the hands of those that make a prey of them, that will not do them justice, nay, that will do them injustice; but the Lord relieveth them, and raiseth up friends for them. See Exo 22:22, Exo 22:23. Our Lord Jesus came into the world to help the helpless, to receive Gentiles, strangers, into his kingdom, and that with him poor sinners, that are as fatherless, may find mercy, Hos 14:3. 10. He will appear for the destruction of all those that oppose his kingdom and oppress the faithful subjects of it: The way of the wicked he turns upside down, and therefore let us hope in him, and not be afraid of the fury of the oppressor, as though he were ready to destroy. It is the glory of the Messiah that he will subvert all the counsels of hell and earth that militate against his church, so that, having him for us, we need not fear any thing that can be done against us. 11. His kingdom shall continue through all the revolutions of time, to the utmost ages of eternity, v. 10. Let this encourage us to trust in God at all times that the Lord shall reign for ever, in spite of all the malignity of the powers of darkness, even thy God, O Zion! unto all generations. Christ is set King on the holy hill of Zion, and his kingdom shall continue in an endless glory. It cannot be destroyed by an invader; it shall not be left to a successor, either to a succeeding monarch or a succeeding monarchy, but it shall stand for ever. It is matter of unspeakable comfort that the Lord reigns as Zion's God, as Zion's king, that the Messiah is head over all things to the church, and will be so while the world stands.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 5–10. Public domain.
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Augustine of HippoAD 430
Exposition on Psalm 146
"And the way of sinners He shall root out." What is, "the way of sinners"? To mock at these things which we say. Who is an orphan, who a widow? What kingdom of heaven, what punishment of hell is there? These are fables of the Christians. To what I see, to that will I live: "let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die." [1 Corinthians 15:32] Beware lest such men persuade you of anything: let them not enter through your ears into your heart; let them find thorns in your ears: let him, who seeks to enter thus, go away pierced: for "evil communications corrupt good manners." [1 Corinthians 15:33] But here perhaps you will say, "Wherefore then are they prosperous? Behold, they worship not God, and commit every kind of evil daily: yet they abound in those things, through want of which I toil." Be not envious against sinners. What they receive, you see, what is in store for them, do you not see?...Will you not believe even the Lord your God, who says, "Broad and spacious is the way that leads to destruction, and many there be that walk by it"? [Matthew 7:13] This "way the Lord will root out." And, when "the way of sinners" has been "rooted out," what remains for us? "Come, you blessed of My father, enjoy the Kingdom;" [Matthew 25:34] "The Lord shall reign for ever" [Psalm 146:10]. "O Sion, your God" shall reign for ever; surely your God will not reign without you. "For generation and generation." He has said it twice, because he could not say it for ever. And think not that eternity is bounded by finite words. The word eternity consists of four syllables; in itself it is without end. It could not be commended to you, save thus, "for generation and generation." Too little has he said: if he spoke it all day long, it were too narrow: if he spoke it all his life, must he not at length hold his peace? Love eternity: without end shall you reign, if Christ be your End, with whom you shall reign for ever and ever. Amen.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 146:10 culminates the psalm's theological argument by proclaiming the eternal and unwavering sovereignty of the LORD, affirming His perpetual reign over all creation and His enduring covenant faithfulness to His people, symbolized by Zion, throughout all generations. This climactic declaration serves as the ultimate ground for the psalm's concluding call to worship and an exhortation to place ultimate trust not in fleeting human power, but in the everlasting dominion of God.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Psalm 146 inaugurates the final collection of five "Hallelujah Psalms" (Psalms 146-150), each distinguished by beginning and ending with the exhortation "Praise ye the LORD." The psalm opens with a personal commitment to lifelong praise, immediately establishing a profound contrast between the transient, unreliable nature of human authority and the eternal, steadfast character of the LORD. Verses 3-4 explicitly warn against placing trust in "princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help," emphasizing their mortality and the perishing of their plans. In stark contrast, verses 5-9 extol the blessedness of those whose hope is in the LORD, detailing His attributes as Creator, Sustainer, and Champion of the vulnerable (the oppressed, hungry, prisoners, blind, bowed down, righteous, strangers, fatherless, and widow). Verse 10 serves as the triumphant theological capstone to this argument, firmly establishing God's eternal reign as the ultimate and unshakeable foundation for all hope, trust, and praise.
Historical & Cultural Context: Composed likely during or after the Babylonian exile, or reflecting the post-exilic period, Psalm 146 speaks to a people who had intimately experienced the rise and fall of earthly empires and the profound disappointment of human leadership. The concept of "king" or "reign" (Hebrew: malak) was central to ancient Near Eastern societies, where rulers often claimed divine authority or favor. However, the psalm subverts this common understanding by asserting that only the LORD, the God of Israel, possesses true, eternal, and righteous kingship. The reference to "Zion" (Jerusalem) carries immense historical and spiritual weight, representing not just a geographical location but the spiritual center of God's covenant people, His dwelling place, and the seat of His earthly kingdom. The declaration that the LORD is "thy God, O Zion" would have been a profound reassurance of God's enduring presence and faithfulness to His covenant promises, even when His people faced political instability or national distress.
Key Themes: The overarching theme of Psalm 146, powerfully culminating in verse 10, is the absolute and eternal sovereignty of God contrasted with the futility of human reliance. This theme underscores the necessity of placing one's hope and trust in the LORD alone, as He is the faithful Creator and Sustainer who consistently acts on behalf of the oppressed and vulnerable. The psalm also emphasizes God's covenant faithfulness to Israel, symbolized by His enduring relationship with "Zion," assuring His people of His perpetual presence and care across all generations. Finally, the repeated "Praise ye the LORD" (Hallelujah) throughout the psalm and at its conclusion highlights worship as the appropriate and necessary response to the recognition of God's incomparable character and eternal reign. This call to praise is not merely an emotional outburst but a theological declaration of God's worthiness, echoing the sentiment found in other psalms that exalt God's enduring reign, such as Psalm 10:16 and Psalm 93:1-2.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 146:10 employs several potent literary devices to convey its profound theological truth. The most prominent is Apostrophe, as the psalmist directly addresses "Zion," personifying the city and, by extension, the people of God. This creates a sense of intimacy and direct communication, emphasizing God's personal covenant relationship with His chosen community. The phrase "shall reign for ever... unto all generations" utilizes Hyperbole and Affirmation to underscore the absolute and unending nature of God's sovereignty, contrasting it sharply with the fleeting power of human rulers mentioned earlier in the psalm. The repetition of "Praise ye the LORD" at the beginning and end of the psalm (an Inclusio) frames the entire composition as a continuous call to worship, reinforcing the central theme that God's eternal reign is the ultimate ground for all praise. The verse also functions as a powerful Declaration, a definitive statement of theological truth that provides comfort and stability in the face of temporal uncertainties.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 146:10 stands as a foundational declaration of God's eternal kingship, a theme woven throughout the entire biblical narrative. It underscores the truth that while earthly kingdoms rise and fall, and human leaders prove fallible and mortal, the LORD's dominion is unshakeable and everlasting. This provides immense theological comfort, assuring believers that God's ultimate purposes will prevail, His promises will be fulfilled, and His justice will ultimately be established. The specific mention of "Zion" connects God's universal sovereignty to His particular covenant faithfulness to His people, emphasizing that His eternal reign is not abstract but deeply personal and redemptive, extending His care and presence through all ages. This verse serves as a powerful reminder that true security and hope are found only in the unchanging character and unending rule of the Almighty.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In a world characterized by constant change, political instability, and the rise and fall of human powers, Psalms 146:10 offers profound and enduring comfort. It calls us to shift our gaze from the temporary to the eternal, reminding us that our ultimate hope and security are not found in human leaders, economic systems, or societal structures, but in the unshakeable reign of the LORD. This truth liberates us from anxiety and despair, allowing us to live with confidence, knowing that God is sovereign over every circumstance, every generation, and every aspect of history. Recognizing His eternal kingship should naturally lead us to a posture of consistent worship and unwavering trust, motivating us to serve Him faithfully and to live in alignment with His eternal purposes, even amidst earthly turmoil. It compels us to re-evaluate our allegiances and to invest our lives in that which is truly everlasting.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "Zion" in this verse?
Answer: "Zion" refers primarily to the hill in Jerusalem where the Temple was built, and by extension, to the city of Jerusalem itself. Theologically, it represents the spiritual dwelling place of God, the center of His covenant with Israel, and metaphorically, the community of His people. In Psalms 146:10, addressing God as "thy God, O Zion" emphasizes God's specific and enduring covenant faithfulness to His chosen people and His presence among them, assuring them that His eternal reign directly benefits and secures His spiritual community through all generations.
How does God's eternal reign relate to the existence of earthly kings and governments?
Answer: Psalms 146:10 directly contrasts God's eternal reign with the temporary nature of human power, as articulated earlier in the psalm (e.g., Psalms 146:3-4). While God permits earthly rulers and institutions (as seen in passages like Romans 13:1), their authority is always subordinate to His. Their reigns are finite, their plans can fail, and they are ultimately accountable to the LORD. This verse serves as a critical reminder that ultimate allegiance and trust belong only to the God whose kingdom has no end, providing a stable anchor amidst the shifting sands of human politics and societal changes.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 146:10 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The declaration that "The LORD shall reign for ever" is fully realized in the eternal kingship of Christ, who is God incarnate. The New Testament consistently presents Jesus as the promised King, the one through whom God's eternal reign is inaugurated and will be consummated. His resurrection from the dead signifies His triumph over sin and death, establishing His authority "far above all principality and power and might and dominion" (Ephesians 1:20-21). He is the one to whom "all authority has been given in heaven and on earth" (Matthew 28:18). The "Zion" of the Old Testament, representing God's covenant people, finds its spiritual reality in the Church, the body of Christ, over which He reigns as Head (Colossians 1:18). Ultimately, Christ's reign will culminate in the establishment of His eternal kingdom, where "the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever" (Revelation 11:15). Thus, the psalmist's call to "Praise ye the LORD" becomes a perpetual call to worship Jesus, the King of kings and Lord of lords, whose reign is truly eternal and whose faithfulness extends to all generations, securing the hope of His people for eternity.