Chapter 146
Themes, discussion questions, Christ connections, and denomination lenses.
Just read this chapter →Scripture
KJV1Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.
3Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.
4His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.
5Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:
6Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:
7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:
8The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:
9The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.
10The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God.”
Overview
Psalm 146 begins the final Hallel section of the Psalter (Psalms 146-150), each psalm opening and closing with 'Praise ye the LORD.' The psalmist resolves to praise God as long as he lives. He warns against trusting in princes or mortal men, whose plans perish when they die. Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, who made heaven and earth, keeps truth forever, executes judgment for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, opens the eyes of the blind, raises the bowed down, loves the righteous, preserves the strangers, and relieves the fatherless and widow. The LORD shall reign forever.
Key Themes
Trust God, Not Princes
Human leaders, no matter how powerful, are mortal and their plans die with them — only God is eternally dependable.
God's Heart for the Vulnerable
The psalm catalogs God's care for the oppressed, hungry, blind, bowed down, strangers, fatherless, and widows — revealing His passionate concern for the marginalized.
Lifelong Praise
The psalmist commits to praise God as long as he lives — praise is not seasonal but the lifelong posture of the faithful.
Study Questions
Why does the psalm warn against trusting in princes (vv. 3-4)?
How does the list of God's actions (vv. 7-9) reveal His priorities?
What does it mean that God 'openeth the eyes of the blind' and 'raiseth them that are bowed down' (v. 8)?
How does this psalm speak to political engagement and where Christians place their ultimate trust?
What does it look like to praise God 'while I have any being' (v. 2)?
Connection to Christ
Jesus fulfills every action listed in this psalm — He gave sight to the blind, fed the hungry, raised the bowed down, and showed compassion to strangers, orphans, and widows. When John the Baptist asked if Jesus was the Messiah, Jesus pointed to these very works as evidence (Luke 7:22). He is the eternal King whose reign shall never end.
Personal Reflection
Take time to journal or meditate on what God is teaching you through Psalms 146. How can these truths transform your thinking and actions today?