Bible Commentaries
Psalms 146

Verses 1-10

Psalms 146:1-10.

V. 1. The Septuagint and the vulgate Latin ascribe this Psalm to Haggai and Zechariah : from an opinion, perhaps, that it suited the times of those prophets ; when the Jews found little encouragement to trust in the kings of Persia ; but when, simply trusting in God, they were prospered. It is, however, far more probable, that it was written by David, towards the close of his reign. It begins and ends with the word " Hallelujah." (Notes, Psalms 103:1-2; Psalms 103:20-22 )

V. 2. (Note, Psalms 145:1-2.) No doubt the following stanza gives the genuine meaning of the Psalmist : ’ I’ll praise my maker with my breath, ’ And when my voice is lost in death, ’ Praise shall employ my nobler powers : ’ My days of praise shall ne’er be past ’ While life and thought and being last, ’ And immortality endures.’ Watts.

V. 3, 4. (Note, Psalms 2:10-12. If he, who commonly styled himself " the Son of man," had not also been the Son of God, he must have been included in this general caution, or dissuasive : but on the contrary, the particulars mentioned in the subsequent part of the Psalm, were remarkably verified in ’him. ’ Earthly princes, if they have the will, ’ often want the power even to protect their friends. And ’ should they want neither will nor power to advance them, ’ yet still all depends upon the breath in their nostrils, ’ which, perhaps at the very critical moment, goeth forth, ’ they return to their earth ; their thoughts, and all the ’ thoughts of those who had hoped to rise by their means, ( fall into the same grave and are buried with them for ’ ever.’ Bp. Home. How often is this exemplified in this land, by the disappointed expectations of those, who are strongly attached to some eminent statesman, and are confident of preferment from him : but he dies and their hopes expire with him. (Notes,Psalms 62:8-10. Isaiah 2:22. Jeremiah 17:5-8.) No help. (3) " No salvation." Marg. His thoughts. : his splendid thoughts.

V. 5. ’ He, and he alone, is the truly happy man, who ’ expects help from the mighty God by whom Jacob was ’ fed all his life long ; (Genesis 48:15 ;) who trusts him that ’ is Lord of the world, and hath made him his Friend so ’ much, that he can call him his God.’ Bp. Patrick. (Notes,Psalms 84:11-12. Isaiah 26:3-4.)

V. 6. ’ He encourageth the godly to trust only in the ’ Lord, both for that his power is able to deliver them from ’ all danger ; and for his promise’ sake, his will is most ’ ready to do it.’ (Marg. Ref.) He keepeth truth for ever."] Notes, Psalms 138:2. Matthew 24:32-35; Matthew 5:35. Luke 1:67-75, v. 70- 7; John 1:17 Romans 15:8-13, v: 8. Hebrews 6:13-20.

V. 7 ’ If one part of the Psalmist’s description belong ’ to Christ ’ (8), ’ the other members of it must do so likewise, it being evident that the whole is spoken of the ’ same person. " He therefore is the God of Jacob, who ’ " made heaven and earth, the sea and all that therein is : " ’ and upon his appearance among men in the body of our ’ flesh, he shewed himself possessed of power to relieve ’ all the wants, corporeal and spiritual, of poor lost mankind. When he rescued men from the bondage of Satan, ’ he " executed judgment for the oppressed ; " when he ’ fed thousands by a miracle, or when lie preached the word ’ to such as desired to hear and receive it, he " gave food " to the hungry : " when by pardon and grace he released ’ those who were bound with the chains of their sins, he ’ " loosed the prisoners.’" Bp. Home. (Notes, Psalms 10:14-15. Ixxii. 4- 7 Psalms 103:6-8. Proverbs 22:22-23. Isaiah 61:1-3. Zechariah 9:11-12. Luke 4:16-22.)

V. 8. This verse ’ was most exactly and literally fulfilled in our Lord Christ, when he came to give salvation ’ to us.’ Bp. Patrick. ’ When he poured light into the ’ sightless eye-ball, or illuminated with saving knowledge ’ the understanding of the ignorant, he " opened the eyes ’ of the blind : " when he made the crooked woman ’ straight, or rectified the obliquity of a depraved will, he " raised those that were bowed down." ’ Bp. Home. (.Votes, Psalms 11:7 - Psalms 145:14. Isaiah 29:17-19; Isaiah 35:5-7. Matthew 11:2-6. Luke 13:11-17.)

V. 9. Marg. Ref. Notes, Psalms 1:4-6. Psalms 145:19-20. Job 5:1! 16. Strangers, &c.] ’Meaning all them that are ’ destitute of worldly means and succour.’ (Notes,Psalms 68:5-6. Deuteronomy 10:18-19.)

V. 10. ’ He assureth the church, that God reigneth for ’ ever, for the preservation of the same.’ (Notes Psalms 10:16. Psalms 145:9-13. Isaiah 12:4-6; Isaiah 52:7-8. Revelation 11:15-18.)

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

In heaven, when one Hallelujah closes, another commences : and sometimes the believer on earth is so carried above his fears, sorrows, and sins, as to emulate the incessant thanksgivings of " the saints in light." If we desire to praise the Lord while we live, as our most delightful occupation, we shall certainly praise him " while we have " any being," even to all eternity. With these glorious prospects before our eyes, how mean do the pursuits of ambition, or connexions with the great, seem to us ! and how needful does it appear to dissuade men from this common, but destructive idolatry ! The fickleness, jealousies, selfishness, and weakness of man, and the intrigues and cabals of courts, render all dependence on princes delusory, even as to this present world. But were this dependence as stable as it is slippery, the uncertainty of life must expose to perpetual anxieties and disappointments, all those who confide in such dying patrons. How little then could the friendship of all the princes of the earth do for us, in respect of judgment and the eternal world ! " Happy is he " alone, " who hath the God of " Jacob for his help, and whose hope is in the LORD his " God." He who " made the heaven, and earth, the sea, " and all that therein is," cannot want power to bless us ; and his goodness is illustrious in every part of his providential government. But lest we should question his love to sinners, or his eternal truth and faithfulness to his word, behold the God of heaven assumes our human flesh, that he may " become our Salvation! " (Notes, Is. Psalms 12:1-3.) The eternal and coequal Son of God becomes " the " Son of man ! " not to be " without help," as the other children of men are, but to bring effectual help and eternal salvation unto us. And though he expired upon the cross for our sins, and was laid in the grave ; yet his glorious and gracious thoughts of love did not then perish, but he arose again to accomplish them. He reigneth in Zion, her Lord and King, to all generations, to the praise and glory of God the Father , and when we trust in Emmanuel, then our faith and hope are rested on the God of Jacob. (Note, 1 Peter 1:17-21; v: 21.) To evince that he was the Creator and Lord of all, when in his state of humiliation on earth ; he rescued those who were oppressed by Satan, and executed judgment on that oppressor; he created food to bestow on the hungering multitudes; he opened the eyes of those who had been born blind ; he raised up those who were bowed down with disease ; and he shewed himself the effectual Friend of the widow and of the destitute. But all this was only a specimen and an emblem of what he is doing every day. He still continually proclaims and grants " deliverance to the captives, and ’ the opening of the prison to those that are bound " in the chains of sin and Satan. He opens the eyes of our understandings, and raises up those who are bowed down with a load of conscious guilt, or by great distress of soul ; lie feeds those who hunger for salvation, with the Bread of life ; and he is the constant Friend of " the poor in " spirit," of the destitute and helpless. In short " he " loveth the righteous," and their righteousness is in him and from him ; " but the way of the wicked he turneth " upside down : " and while he does these things by his grace, his providence orders all things for the good of those who trust and love him. Let sinners tnen flee to him ; and let believers rejoice in him, as their gracious and covenanted Friend : and as " the LORD shall reign for ever, " even our God to all generations," let us without ceasing excite each other to praise his’s holy name.