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Psalms 146

BSB·10 verses ·Old Testament
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1Hallelujahהַֽלְלוּ־hal·lū- — To praise, boast, or shine; to celebrate or make a displayH1984 — Full Word Study →! Praiseהַלְלִ֥יhal·lî — To praise, boast, or shine; to celebrate or make a displayH1984 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָֽה׃Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study →, O my soulנַ֝פְשִׁ֗יnap̄·šî — soul, life, person, selfH5315 — Full Word Study →. 2I will praiseאֲהַלְלָ֣ה’ă·hal·lāh — To praise, boast, or shine; to celebrate or make a displayH1984 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָ֣הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → all my lifeבְּחַיָּ֑יbə·ḥay·yāy — alive, living, lifeH2416 — Full Word Study →; I will sing praisesאֲזַמְּרָ֖ה’ă·zam·mə·rāh — To sing praises, make music to GodH2167 — Full Word Study → to my Godלֵֽאלֹהַ֣יlê·lō·hay — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study → while I have my beingבְּעוֹדִֽי׃bə·‘ō·w·ḏî — still, yet, again, continuing or additional occurrenceH5750 — Full Word Study →. 3Put notאַל־’al- — do not; negative imperative particleH408 — Full Word Study → your trustתִּבְטְח֥וּtiḇ·ṭə·ḥū — to trust, rely on, have confidenceH982 — Full Word Study → in princesבִנְדִיבִ֑יםḇin·ḏî·ḇîm — Noble, willing, generous person or heartH5081 — Full Word Study →, in mortalבְּבֶן־bə·ḇen- — Son; descendant; member of a groupH1121 — Full Word Study → manאָדָ֓ם׀’ā·ḏām — Man, mankind, human beingH120 — Full Word Study →, who cannotשֶׁ֤אֵֽיןše·’ên — nothing, nonexistence, absenceH369 — Full Word Study → saveתְשׁוּעָֽה׃ṯə·šū·‘āh — Deliverance, salvation, victoryH8668 — Full Word Study →. 4When his spiritר֭וּחוֹrū·ḥōw — Spirit, breath, wind, or inner dispositionH7307 — Full Word Study → departsתֵּצֵ֣אtê·ṣê — To go out, come forth, exitH3318 — Full Word Study →, he returnsיָשֻׁ֣בyā·šuḇ — to turn back, return, restoreH7725 — Full Word Study → to the groundלְאַדְמָת֑וֹlə·’aḏ·mā·ṯōw — Land, soil, ground, earthH127 — Full Word Study →; on thatהַ֝ה֗וּאha·hū — He, she, it; the third person pronounH1931 — Full Word Study → very dayבַּיּ֥וֹםbay·yō·wm — day; time; period; ageH3117 — Full Word Study → his plansעֶשְׁתֹּנֹתָֽיו׃‘eš·tō·nō·ṯāw — Thought, device, scheme, intentionH6250 — Full Word Study → perishאָבְד֥וּ’ā·ḇə·ḏū — To perish, be destroyed, or lostH6 — Full Word Study →. 5Blessed is heאַשְׁרֵ֗י’aš·rê — blessed, happy, fortunateH835 — Full Word Study → whose helpבְּעֶזְר֑וֹbə·‘ez·rōw — Helper, aid, or one who assistsH5828 — Full Word Study → is the Godשֶׁ֤אֵ֣לše·’êl — God, Mighty OneH410 — Full Word Study → of Jacobיַעֲקֹ֣בya·‘ă·qōḇ — He grasps the heelH3290 — Full Word Study →, whose hopeשִׂ֝בְר֗וֹśib̲·rô — Hope; expectation of good; breaking/fracture (literal sense)H7664 — Full Word Study → is inעַל־‘al- — upon, over, against; concerningH5921 — Full Word Study → the LORDיְהוָ֥הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → his Godאֱלֹהָֽיו׃’ĕ·lō·hāw — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →, 6the Makerעֹשֶׂ֤ה׀‘ō·śeh — to do, make, or accomplish; to act or performH6213 — Full Word Study → of heavenשָׁ֘מַ֤יִםšā·ma·yim — The heavens; sky; dwelling place of GodH8064 — Full Word Study → and earthוָאָ֗רֶץwā·’ā·reṣ — Land, earth, or countryH776 — Full Word Study →, the seaהַיָּ֥םhay·yām — Sea, body of water; also directional (west, south)H3220 — Full Word Study →, and everythingכָּל־kāl- — All, every, whole, totalityH3605 — Full Word Study → in them. He remainsהַשֹּׁמֵ֖רhaš·šō·mêr — To guard, keep, observe, preserveH8104 — Full Word Study → faithfulאֱמֶ֣ת’ĕ·meṯ — Truth; faithfulness; reliability; what is established and sureH571 — Full Word Study → foreverלְעוֹלָֽם׃lə·‘ō·w·lām — forever, eternity, perpetual durationH5769 — Full Word Study →. 7He executesעֹשֶׂ֤ה‘ō·śeh — to do, make, or accomplish; to act or performH6213 — Full Word Study → justiceמִשְׁפָּ֨ט׀miš·pāṭ — Justice, judgment, or legal decisionH4941 — Full Word Study → for the oppressedלָעֲשׁוּקִ֗יםlā·‘ă·šū·qîm — To oppress, defraud, or exploitH6231 — Full Word Study → and gives foodלֶ֭חֶםle·ḥem — Bread; food; sustenanceH3899 — Full Word Study → to the hungryלָרְעֵבִ֑יםlā·rə·‘ê·ḇîm — hungry, suffering from hungerH7457 — Full Word Study →. The LORDיְ֝הוָ֗הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → setsמַתִּ֥ירmat·tîr — to shake, leap, or loosen violentlyH5425 — Full Word Study → the prisoners free, 8the LORDיְהוָ֤ה׀Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → opens the eyes of the blindעִוְרִ֗ים‘iw·rîm — blind; unable to see physically or spirituallyH5787 — Full Word Study →, the LORDיְ֭הוָהYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → liftsזֹקֵ֣ףzō·qêp̄ — to raise up, lift up, set uprightH2210 — Full Word Study → those who are weighed downכְּפוּפִ֑יםkə·p̄ū·p̄îm — to bend, bow down, humble oneselfH3721 — Full Word Study →, the LORDיְ֝הוָ֗הYah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → lovesאֹהֵ֥ב’ō·hêḇ — To love; affection, attachment, or preferenceH157 — Full Word Study → the righteousצַדִּיקִֽים׃ṣad·dî·qîm — Righteous, just person; one who is right with GodH6662 — Full Word Study →. 9The LORDיְהוָ֤ה׀Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → protectsשֹׁ֘מֵ֤רšō·mêr — To guard, keep, observe, preserveH8104 — Full Word Study → foreignersגֵּרִ֗יםgê·rîm — Resident alien; temporary inhabitant without full citizenship rightsH1616 — Full Word Study →; He sustainsיְעוֹדֵ֑דyə·‘ō·w·ḏêḏ — to testify, witness, or solemnly affirmH5749 — Full Word Study → the fatherlessיָת֣וֹםyā·ṯō·wm — A child without a father; an orphanH3490 — Full Word Study → and the widowוְאַלְמָנָ֣הwə·’al·mā·nāh — A woman whose husband has died; widowH490 — Full Word Study →, but the waysוְדֶ֖רֶךְwə·ḏe·reḵ — way, path, journey, conductH1870 — Full Word Study → of the wickedרְשָׁעִ֣יםrə·šā·‘îm — wicked, guilty, morally corruptH7563 — Full Word Study → He frustratesיְעַוֵּֽת׃yə·‘aw·wêṯ — To twist, bend, or pervert from the correct pathH5791 — Full Word Study →. 10The LORDיְהוָ֨ה׀Yah·weh — The LORD; God's covenant nameH3068 — Full Word Study → reigns foreverיִמְלֹ֤ךְyim·lōḵ — to reign; to rule as kingH4427 — Full Word Study →, your Godאֱלֹהַ֣יִךְ’ĕ·lō·ha·yiḵ — God, the divine beingH430 — Full Word Study →, O Zionצִ֭יּוֹןṣî·yō·wn — The Lord's MountainH6726 — Full Word Study →, for all generationsלְדֹ֥רlə·ḏōr — generation; age; lifetime; posterityH1755 — Full Word Study →. Hallelujahהַֽלְלוּ־hal·lū- — To praise, boast, or shine; to celebrate or make a displayH1984 — Full Word Study →!
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Chapter Commentary — Psalms 146
Chapter Overview

Chapter Overview

Psalm 146 is a magnificent call to personal praise and a powerful declaration of God's trustworthiness. This final hallel psalm (146–150) invites the believer to abandon misplaced confidence in human leaders and instead fix their hope entirely on the Lord, the eternal God of Jacob. Through vivid descriptions of God's compassion—feeding the hungry, freeing prisoners, healing the blind, and protecting the vulnerable—the psalmist calls us to recognize that true security and blessing come only from our Creator, who reigns forever over all generations.

Verses 1–2: A Personal Resolution to Praise

The psalm opens with an urgent, repeated command: "Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul." This is not a casual suggestion but a passionate call, directed first to others and then inward to the psalmist's own heart. The phrase "while I live" and "while I have any being" emphasizes that praise is not a temporary activity but a lifelong commitment. The believer's entire existence—from this moment until death—should be devoted to singing praises and worshiping God. This reflects the evangelical conviction that worship is the heart of the Christian life, not merely a Sunday activity but a continuous orientation of the soul toward God.

Verses 3–4: A Warning Against Misplaced Trust

Here the psalmist delivers a sobering reality: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." No matter how powerful or well-intentioned earthly leaders may be, they are fundamentally limited and temporary. Verse 4 emphasizes this mortality with stark realism—when a person dies, their breath departs, they return to dust, and all their plans and thoughts vanish. This is not pessimism but biblical realism. Kings, politicians, and influential people cannot ultimately save us or provide lasting security. This speaks directly to our modern tendency to place hope in political movements, celebrity figures, or human institutions. True security comes only from the eternal God.

Verses 5–9: The Character and Compassion of God

In sharp contrast to the limitations of human help, the psalmist celebrates "he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God." True happiness (the Hebrew word ashrey means blessed or happy) comes from personal trust in God. Verses 6–9 provide a sweeping portrait of God's character and actions. God is the Creator of all things (v. 6), faithful to His word, and actively just—executing judgment for the oppressed. He is compassionate, providing food for the hungry, releasing prisoners, giving sight to the blind, lifting up the bowed down, and loving the righteous. Most remarkably, He cares for society's most vulnerable: strangers, fatherless children, and widows. Yet His justice is real—He turns the way of the wicked upside down. Here is a God who combines perfect justice with perfect mercy.

Verse 10: Eternal Reign and Final Praise

The psalm concludes with a declaration of God's eternal sovereignty: "The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations." This affirms that God's reign is not temporary or threatened but extends forever. Every generation of believers can stake their hope on this unchanging reality. The final exhortation, "Praise ye the LORD," brings the psalm full circle, calling us again to worship the God whose kingdom knows no end.

Application for Today

In a world that constantly encourages us to trust in political leaders, financial systems, or human achievement, Psalm 146 calls us back to reality. Where are you placing your ultimate confidence? True blessing comes not from any earthly source but from knowing and trusting the living God. Make praise—not complaint or anxiety—your default response to life, and watch how your perspective on both security and service to others transforms.

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