Psalms 146 - Printer Friendly

This psalm begins and ends with the term halelu-yāh, a phrase which literally means "praise the Lord!" This Hebrew expression is the source of the English term "hallelujah." The same word brackets psalms 147—150.

The unidentified psalmist commits to worshipping God from the depths of his own soul, for as long as he has life to live. This faith inspires a warning to others: to not place undue faith in other people. Sinful men make mistakes and will eventually die. Only God is eternal, and only His plans last forever and ever (Psalm 146:1–4).

Those who revere and follow God (Proverbs 1:7) are truly blessed. This is the God of Jacob, founder of the nation of Israel (Genesis 32:28). He is also the Creator (Genesis 1). The Lord is identified with faithfulness, justice, compassion, freedom, salvation, and righteous judgment. Only He will rule for eternity (Psalm 146:5–10).

Psalm 146:1–4 is the psalmist's promise to worship God so long as he has life in his body. This faith inspires his advice to others: trust God above all others, not other men. Sinful men will make mistakes, and die (Romans 3:10, 23, 26). The next verses explain that the Lord is the only One who created everything and the only one who will rule forever.

Psalm 146:5–10 lists the many wonderful attributes of God. Jacob was the patriarch of the nation which carried his God-given new name of Israel (Genesis 32:28). This is the God who created the universe and acts with justice and mercy. This God, named YHWH or Yahweh (Exodus 3:15), provides salvation, freedom, and care as well as judgment. This makes Him the only One worthy of praise.

In Hebrew, the phrase halelu-yāh is an expression of praise and worship to God. That term both begins and ends this psalm. In between, the psalmist notes that only God is truly reliable. Limited men are not a source of salvation. The Lord, however, created all things and acts with power towards those who are in need. Only God will rule eternally, making Him the only One truly worthy of praise.

This psalm is among those which uses the Hebrew phrase halelu-yāh, which literally means "praise the Lord!" This term both begins and ends the final psalms in this book (Psalm 147—150). The psalmist emphasizes that God alone is worthy of absolute trust (Psalm 118:8–9). Fallen, imperfect men cannot provide eternal salvation because they sin and die themselves (Romans 3:10, 26). Here, God is repeatedly referred to using the name YHWH, or Yahweh, typically rendered as "LLord" in English (Exodus 3:15). Zion is another name for the city of Jerusalem (2 Samuel 5:7; 1 Kings 8:1).

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.

Accessed 12/30/2024 12:17:52 PM