Psalms 146:10

Verse Psalms 146:10. The Lord shall reign for ever] Therefore he can never fail; and he is thy God, O Zion. Hitherto he has helped you and your fathers; and has extended that help from generation to generation. Therefore trust in him and bless the Lord.

ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND FORTY-SIXTH PSALM

The subject of this Psalm is the same with the former.

It is divided into four parts: -

I. An exhortation to praise God, Psalms 146:1. Which the psalmist resolves to do, Psalms 146:2.

II. A dehortation from confidence in man, Psalms 146:3.

III. He pronounces them happy who trust in God, Psalms 146:5.

IV. And to persuade to this he uses every reason, Psalms 146:6.

I. He begins with a dialogism.

1. "He speaks to all: "Praise ye the Lord."

2. Then by an apostrophe he turns to himself: "Praise the Lord, O my soul."

3. And his soul answers: "While I live," c. While I am, while I shall be.

II. But the prophet, for fear men should trust too much in the great, and not rely wholly upon God, exhorts them: "Put not your trust in princes," c.

He gives his reasons for the warning: -

1. Because of their impotency: "There is no help in them," c.

2. Because of their mortality: "Their breath goeth forth," c.

III. If a man will be happy, the prophet shows him that he must rely upon God alone for,

1. "Happy is he that hath," c. Him in whom Jacob trusted.

2. "And whose hope," c. Not in short-lived man.

And this he confirms by many reasons: -

I. From his omnipotence: "He is God the Creator," c.

II. From his veracity: "Who keeps truth for ever," c. His word is passed for our protection, and he can and will keep it.

III. From his justice: "He executeth judgment," c.

IV. From his mercy.

1. "He giveth food," c. Relieves men in their necessities.

2. "The Lord looseth the prisoner." Another act of grace, again.

3. "The Lord openeth the eyes," c. Whether spiritually or corporeally.

4. "The Lord raiseth them that are bowed down," c. By sin or misery.

V. From his love: "The Lord loveth," c. Of which the effects are: -

1. "The Lord preserveth," c.

2. "He delivereth the fatherless," c.

3. But the ungodly find a far different effect: "But the way of the wicked," c. He makes their glory to perish utterly.