Scripture: Psalm
146
It is, of course, still the Easter Season, and our focus is
on the risen Christ whom we praise. Psalm 146 is one of the “Hallelujah Psalms”
– both beginning and ending with that word that means, “Praise the Lord.” This
psalm was also used in Advent urging us to not put our trust in princes –
instead we look to the Prince of Peace. In the Easter season we see the way
that it urges us to praise the God who not only created us, but also saved us.
We are reminded that a human’s breath departs and their plans perish, but
Jesus, who was both human and God, helps and saves those who trust in him. We
too trust the God who both made and saved us.
Teaching
This psalm can be outlined in four parts: an exhortation to
praise the Lord, a warning against trusting the wrong things, a description of
the Lord’s deeds in the past, and a word of confidence in what the Lord does
now and will do in the future. There is a sense of past, present, and future in
this psalm that reminds us of God’s faithfulness at all times. The psalmist
praises God for deeds that are done, being done, and that will be done.
The psalms often display the Lord as the Creator and the one
who acts on behalf of his people. This places us in a relationship with him
where we are his created beings whom he cares for, and we are those that he
saves. Jesus carries this work to fulfillment. He is the eternal one, becomes
one of us (although he was begotten, not made) in order to redeem those he made,
and frees us from sin and death.
Life
As the psalm speaks of the Lord setting prisoners free,
giving sight to the blind, and lifting up those who are bowed low, we recognize
that he is speaking of setting us free from the prison of sin, opening our eyes
so that we might know him rightly through his Word, and lifting us up from our
humiliation of sin to being reconciled with him in Christ. The words of this
psalm are for us to praise the Lord and to give words to our worship.
Note the line in v. 8 that says, “the Lord loves the
righteous.” Remember, that is you. Through faith in Jesus you are righteous,
forgiven, and holy. We will strive to live a righteous life, but our
righteousness before God is always Jesus’ righteousness which has been given to
us through faith in his death and resurrection. So read those words again and
hear, “The Lord loves me!”
Prayer
Use Psalm 146 to guide your prayer today. Pray that the Holy
Spirit would help you see what the Lord has done, continues to do, and will do
because of his love for you. Praise the Lord for his creation, salvation,
faithfulness, and his help. Pray that he teach you to not trust overly in the
things of this earth which pass away, and ask that he help us put our trust
fully in the one who both died and rose, and in his Word.
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