Psalm 146 contains an age-old warning:
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish. (146:3-4)
The rest of the psalm is a contrast. The LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them. The LORD keeps faith forever. He executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, sets the prisoners free, opens the eyes of the blind, and lifts up those who are bowed down. The LORD loves the righteous, watches over the sojourners, and upholds the widow and the fatherless. The LORD will reign forever.
The contrast is clear and the One worthy of our worship is evident.
Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
But before you close the book on Psalm 146 and move on, read verses 3 and 4 again, slowly and carefully…
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
…and consider with wonder the fact that a few centuries after this Hebrew poem was written, a Son of Man did arrive and invite people to trust him as the Prince of Peace. In this Prince, there is salvation. How can we be sure? After his breath had departed, he came out of the grave. Far from perishing, his plans have flourished for 2,000 years. Indeed, “the LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations.” (146:10)
Psalm 146 clearly identifies the One who was worthy of Israel’s worship. Even more, it continues to point to Jesus, the Prince who is worthy of our trust and worship today.
I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.