Introductory Call to Praise the Lord (146:1–2)
PRAISE THE LORD. The psalm opens with an exhortation to “Praise the LORD” (halelu-yah) in verse 1a, an exhortation that repeats at the close of the psalm in verse 10c. The two together create an inclusio around the entire psalm, as is characteristic of all the psalms in the Final Hallel. In verse 1b the psalmist exhorts himself to praise God: “Praise the LORD, my soul.” A variation of this call to praise appears in Psalms 103 and 104, both of which poems open and close with the call to “Praise the LORD, my soul.” In these two earlier psalms the operative verb is barak, which can mean “to bless” and also “to praise.” (See the discussion related to
barak in the commentary on Ps 134.) In Psalm 146, however, the verb “to praise” is halal. The two earlier psalms focus on Yahweh’s role as redeemer of the oppressed (Ps 103) and king of creation (Ps 104)—themes whose reappearance in Psalm 146 perhaps explains the intertextual reference.
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. In verse 2a the psalmist vows to praise (halal) the Lord all his life, a vow reiterated in the parallel statement in verse 2b. In the latter line the psalmist promises to “sing praise” (zamar) as long as he lives. Elsewhere in the Psalter psalmists have equated the capacity to praise God with being alive. Conversely, being dead prevents one from singing the praises of God (cf. Pss 6:5; 30:9; 118:17). Simply put, to be alive is to sing the praises of God and to sing the praises of God constitutes what it means to be alive.
Bridging Contexts
AS THE FIRST PSALM in the fivefold conclusion to the Psalter (Pss 146–50), this psalm connects the Final Hallel with earlier confessions in the book of Psalms. These connections highlight a number of important theological strands present in the Psalter.
Divine kingship. Psalm 146 extends the hymnic imagery from Psalm 145 and celebrates the royal rule of Yahweh. Psalm 145 opened with the declaration that Yahweh is “the King” (v. 1), and the final verse of Psalm 146 affirms that “The LORD reigns forever.” In addition, both psalms celebrate the enduring nature of God’s rule (Pss 145:1, 13; 146:10). Both psalms celebrate the work of the Divine King, a work that both sustains creation and redeems the poor and oppressed (Pss 145:14–16; 146:6–9).
Divine power. In addition to its connection with Psalm 145, Psalm 146 invokes another theme from Book 5 of the Psalter—a theme related to the kingship of Yahweh. The psalmist confesses that Yahweh is the “Maker of heaven and earth,” a claim meant to highlight the sovereignty of Yahweh over all creation. Because he is indeed the “Maker of heaven and earth,” Yahweh’s power and authority not only subvert but also dwarf any human claims to the same. Human power is derided (v. 3) as ineffective and ephemeral, thus offering no hope for those seeking deliverance. That hope rests with the God of Jacob (v. 5) alone.
Human life and divine rule. In addition to its linguistic and thematic connections to Book 5, Psalm 146 also recalls the language and imagery present in the Psalter’s two introductory psalms.15
Psalm 1 opens with a reference to the blessed person, defined as the one whose life is oriented toward God. In similar fashion, the blessed person in Psalm 146 orients his life toward God by acknowledging Yahweh as his only help and hope. Beyond its connection with Psalm 1, Psalm 146 also shares a thematic link with Psalm 2 in that both poems attend to the question of human power. Although the kings of the earth may rise up against Yahweh and his anointed (Ps 2:2), these kings will be terrified by God’s wrath and utterly routed by his power (2:12). While the rulers (“princes”) in Psalm 146:3 do not pose the same threat as those in Psalm 2:2, they prove equally impotent in light of the Divine King.
The righteous. Psalm 146:8c mentions that Yahweh “loves” the righteous. Generally speaking, the righteous are “those who have a right relationship with God and whose relationships with other people are governed by God’s expectations for human community.”16
The description of the righteous is quite often expanded in the Psalter to include the poor, the oppressed, and the needy. In fact, in many texts the righteous are assumed to be the poor and needy. This situation is particularly true in Book 1 of the Psalter (e.g., Pss 5:12; 11:3; 14:5; 15:2). In Psalm 146 the “righteous” are mentioned in a rather lengthy list of those deemed destitute and poor: the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the “blind,” those bowed down, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. Clearly the writer of Psalm 146 understands the righteous as part of that larger class of individuals, and because they lack the power to redeem themselves, they must depend fully upon the Divine King. As Clint McCann argues, “by determining the ‘righteous’ as being oppressed and hungry, and impoverished and so on (vv. 7–9), Psalm 146 conveys the eschatological perspective of the Psalter: God’s reign is proclaimed amid circumstances that seem to deny it.”17
Contemporary Significance
THE FOURTH STANZA of the hymn “O Worship the King, All Glorious Above” reads,
Frail children of dust and feeble as frail
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our maker, defender, redeemer and friend.18
The words of this hymn echo the theological confessions expressed in Psalm 146. The psalmist associates himself with those are who down and out, weak and weary, poor and impoverished. The psalmist reminds those of us in such circumstances that our only hope, our only help, is the God of Jacob (v. 5). We cannot save ourselves. There is no room for self-aggrandizement, much less self-delusion. We are all frail children of dust, and lest we look to those around us who feign power to save us, we are reminded that they too will “return to the ground” (v. 4a). Such a bleak outlook could lead us to a growing sense of despondency and despair, yet the psalmist declares, “I will praise the LORD all my life.” Despite the conditions that surround us and at times overwhelm us, we can spend our life singing praises because “he remains faithful forever” (v. 6c), he is “firm to the end,” as Robert Grant asserts in his hymn. God indeed is our maker and defender, redeemer and friend, because he is the God who reigns forever.
Wisdom Reflection on the Human Condition (146:3–4)
INDIRECTLY, PSALM 146:3–4 PROVIDES a rationale for the call to praise God in the first strophe. The psalmist emphasizes the ephemerality of humans and human power. Elsewhere in Book 5 of the Psalter (Pss 108:13–14; 116:10–11) the psalmists have acknowledged the inefficacy of human power against the enemy. For example, in Psalm 118 the poet implores the community in times of need to trust in Yahweh rather than “humans” (’adam) and “princes” (nedibim). Yet here in Psalm 146, rather than simply forbidding the people to trust in human leaders, the psalmist provides a rationale based on the ephemeral nature of “humans” (’adam) and “princes” (nedibim). Invoking language and imagery from Genesis 3, the psalmist explains in verse 4 that, upon death, the human (’adam) returns to the “ground,” the ’adamah. Whatever plans humans have made or power they have assumed (Ps 2:1–3) will come to naught.
Bridging Contexts
AS THE FIRST PSALM in the fivefold conclusion to the Psalter (Pss 146–50), this psalm connects the Final Hallel with earlier confessions in the book of Psalms. These connections highlight a number of important theological strands present in the Psalter.
Divine kingship. Psalm 146 extends the hymnic imagery from Psalm 145 and celebrates the royal rule of Yahweh. Psalm 145 opened with the declaration that Yahweh is “the King” (v. 1), and the final verse of Psalm 146 affirms that “The LORD reigns forever.” In addition, both psalms celebrate the enduring nature of God’s rule (Pss 145:1, 13; 146:10). Both psalms celebrate the work of the Divine King, a work that both sustains creation and redeems the poor and oppressed (Pss 145:14–16; 146:6–9).
Divine power. In addition to its connection with Psalm 145, Psalm 146 invokes another theme from Book 5 of the Psalter—a theme related to the kingship of Yahweh. The psalmist confesses that Yahweh is the “Maker of heaven and earth,” a claim meant to highlight the sovereignty of Yahweh over all creation. Because he is indeed the “Maker of heaven and earth,” Yahweh’s power and authority not only subvert but also dwarf any human claims to the same. Human power is derided (v. 3) as ineffective and ephemeral, thus offering no hope for those seeking deliverance. That hope rests with the God of Jacob (v. 5) alone.
Human life and divine rule. In addition to its linguistic and thematic connections to Book 5, Psalm 146 also recalls the language and imagery present in the Psalter’s two introductory psalms.15
Psalm 1 opens with a reference to the blessed person, defined as the one whose life is oriented toward God. In similar fashion, the blessed person in Psalm 146 orients his life toward God by acknowledging Yahweh as his only help and hope. Beyond its connection with Psalm 1, Psalm 146 also shares a thematic link with Psalm 2 in that both poems attend to the question of human power. Although the kings of the earth may rise up against Yahweh and his anointed (Ps 2:2), these kings will be terrified by God’s wrath and utterly routed by his power (2:12). While the rulers (“princes”) in Psalm 146:3 do not pose the same threat as those in Psalm 2:2, they prove equally impotent in light of the Divine King.
The righteous. Psalm 146:8c mentions that Yahweh “loves” the righteous. Generally speaking, the righteous are “those who have a right relationship with God and whose relationships with other people are governed by God’s expectations for human community.”16
The description of the righteous is quite often expanded in the Psalter to include the poor, the oppressed, and the needy. In fact, in many texts the righteous are assumed to be the poor and needy. This situation is particularly true in Book 1 of the Psalter (e.g., Pss 5:12; 11:3; 14:5; 15:2). In Psalm 146 the “righteous” are mentioned in a rather lengthy list of those deemed destitute and poor: the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the “blind,” those bowed down, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. Clearly the writer of Psalm 146 understands the righteous as part of that larger class of individuals, and because they lack the power to redeem themselves, they must depend fully upon the Divine King. As Clint McCann argues, “by determining the ‘righteous’ as being oppressed and hungry, and impoverished and so on (vv. 7–9), Psalm 146 conveys the eschatological perspective of the Psalter: God’s reign is proclaimed amid circumstances that seem to deny it.”17
Contemporary Significance
THE FOURTH STANZA of the hymn “O Worship the King, All Glorious Above” reads,
Frail children of dust and feeble as frail
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our maker, defender, redeemer and friend.18
The words of this hymn echo the theological confessions expressed in Psalm 146. The psalmist associates himself with those are who down and out, weak and weary, poor and impoverished. The psalmist reminds those of us in such circumstances that our only hope, our only help, is the God of Jacob (v. 5). We cannot save ourselves. There is no room for self-aggrandizement, much less self-delusion. We are all frail children of dust, and lest we look to those around us who feign power to save us, we are reminded that they too will “return to the ground” (v. 4a). Such a bleak outlook could lead us to a growing sense of despondency and despair, yet the psalmist declares, “I will praise the LORD all my life.” Despite the conditions that surround us and at times overwhelm us, we can spend our life singing praises because “he remains faithful forever” (v. 6c), he is “firm to the end,” as Robert Grant asserts in his hymn. God indeed is our maker and defender, redeemer and friend, because he is the God who reigns forever.
The Divine King as Creator and Redeemer (146:5–9)
AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING THAT ALL HUMAN power is frail and ephemeral, the psalmist places the focus on Yahweh, the Divine King. Beginning with a beatitude (Ps 146:5), followed by nine participial phrases and two additional statements (v. 9b–c), the psalmist recounts the activity of this God who merits our praise.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob. The NIV places the beatitude as the final line in the previous strophe, but typically beatitudes “were the preferred form for introducing lessons about life, especially those that call for loyalty or obedience.”3
Consequently, the beatitude likely belongs with the following strophe. According to verse 5, the blessed person is the one whose “help is the God of Jacob.” This title (’el ya‘akob) alludes to the claims associated with Zion theology and reinforces the claim that Yahweh alone is King. In Psalm 46, for example, amid a world that appears to be overrun with chaos and warring nations, the psalmist confesses that “The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress” (vv. 7, 11). Later in the same psalm Yahweh is celebrated as the one enthroned over all the earth (v. 10c). The use of this language is not limited to Psalm 46 alone but appears in other Psalms of Zion as well (e.g., Pss 76:6; 84:8; 132:5), thereby once more affirming the connection between this title and kingship language.
Maker of heaven and earth. This appellation appears four other times in the Psalter, all in Book 5 (Pss 115:15; 121:2; 124:8; 134:3), and nowhere else in the Old Testament. The participial form of the verb “to make” or “to do” (‘asah) accents the idea of creatio continuata, suggesting that, as Creator, Yahweh remains fully attentive to the world he has made and continues to make as he both sustains and protects it.4
In this iteration of the title in Psalm 146, the psalmist has expanded the phrase also to include “the sea [yam], and everything in them.” Metaphorically, the sea (yam) can represent the chaotic forces that seek to assail the orderly creation of God (cf. Ps 65:7), but in this instance its inclusion likely refers to the three-tiered understanding of the cosmos: heaven-earth-waters.5
The God of Jacob is able to provide help (Ps 146:5a) because he is the Creator and Sustainer of all creation.
The final line in verse 6 connects the claims in verse 6a–b with what follows in verses 7–9. The psalmist confesses that Yahweh “remains faithful [’emet] forever,” or more literally, “he is the one who keeps [hashshomer] faith forever.” Israel’s God does not remain aloof from the created order but instead “keeps faith” by remaining committed to that which he has created (cf. Ps 117:2). The subsequent participial phrases (Ps 146:7–9a) provide demonstrable evidence of Yahweh’s faithfulness (’emet).
He upholds the cause of the oppressed. Verse 7a is a truncated form of the confession made in verse 6 of Psalm 103, a psalm that also references the kingship of Yahweh (v. 19). With its reference to Israel’s deliverance out of Egypt (vv. 7), the psalm explicitly identifies the oppressed with the nation of Israel. Beyond Psalm 103 there are other examples in which the passive participle ‘ashuqim (“oppressed”) also refers to the nation of Israel (e.g., Deut 28:29, 33; Jer 50:33).6
In Psalm 146:7 the psalmist affirms that the Divine King, out of his faithfulness (’emet [v. 6c]), will execute justice for his people. Admittedly, this statement seems to break with the confession made in the previous psalm. In Psalm 145:14–16 the poet appeared to acknowledge God’s care for all people, as well as God’s concern for Israel specifically (vv. 17–20). To remedy this apparent tension, Hossfeld and Zenger aver that the entirety of the Final Hallel functions at the “universal, world-political” level.7
While this view may be theologically appealing, a closer reading of Psalm 146 does not support such a claim. In the Final Hallel the language associated with the theology of the poor is applied specifically to Israel (Pss 146:7–9; 147:2–3, 12–14; 149:4). Yahweh’s faithfulness as Divine King to his people dominates the final five psalms.8
Verses 7c–8b allude to God’s redemptive work of delivering those enslaved and in captivity. As similarly in the previous line, and contrary to the position of some interpreters, Israel seems to be in view rather than the enslaved writ large. Use of this imagery elsewhere in the Old Testament supports a more narrowly defined group (i.e., Israel). The language in Psalm 146 parallels that of Isaiah 49:9 and 61:1, two texts that refer specifically to God’s work of bringing his people out of Babylonian captivity and providing sight to the blind. The latter act refers not to healing per se but to freeing those once in darkness so that they might see light again.9
There are other instances of Yahweh’s “opening” the eyes of the blind in Isaiah, and each occurrence also has Israel in view (Isa 35:5; 42:7, 17; 43:8).
The LORD loves the righteous. The reference to the “righteous” in Psalm 146:8c may appear misplaced. Prior to this line the psalmist refers to the poor, and then, following the mention of the righteous, the psalmist names individuals and categories that comprise the larger “poor” word field (i.e., foreigner, widow, orphan).10
The label “righteous” may seem to have little in common with the other descriptive phrase, yet throughout the Psalter the righteous ones are in fact those who “are constantly besieged, assaulted and oppressed”; their lives in fact do resemble the lives of the poor and needy.11
The use of the word “righteous” (tsaddiq) in verse 8c stands in contrast to the “wicked” (resha‘im) in verse 9c. Based on the two terms “righteous” and “wicked,” John Kselman argues that verses 8c–9c actually represent a separate strophe that has much in common with the wisdom tradition.12
Admittedly, the righteous and the wicked frequently stand in comparison in the book of Proverbs (e.g., Prov 10:3, 6, 7, 30; 11:8, 10, 18), but the structure of Psalm 146 appears to argue against the notion of a separate strophe, since it would disrupt the flow of thought in the psalm. In Psalm 146:6 the psalmist announces that God is the Maker of heaven and earth and then proceeds to describe how God enacts his divine reign. If we understand the “righteous” as part of the “poor” word field, as explained above, then verses 7–9b celebrate the Divine King’s proclivity for delivering the poor. The final line, verse 9c, references the destruction of the wicked (cf. Ps 1:6), thereby providing further evidence of God’s power and authority as the Divine King.13
As such, Yahweh enacts his rule, which involves delivering the weak and needy while decimating the wicked (cf. 2 Sam 2:3–8b).
Bridging Contexts
AS THE FIRST PSALM in the fivefold conclusion to the Psalter (Pss 146–50), this psalm connects the Final Hallel with earlier confessions in the book of Psalms. These connections highlight a number of important theological strands present in the Psalter.
Divine kingship. Psalm 146 extends the hymnic imagery from Psalm 145 and celebrates the royal rule of Yahweh. Psalm 145 opened with the declaration that Yahweh is “the King” (v. 1), and the final verse of Psalm 146 affirms that “The LORD reigns forever.” In addition, both psalms celebrate the enduring nature of God’s rule (Pss 145:1, 13; 146:10). Both psalms celebrate the work of the Divine King, a work that both sustains creation and redeems the poor and oppressed (Pss 145:14–16; 146:6–9).
Divine power. In addition to its connection with Psalm 145, Psalm 146 invokes another theme from Book 5 of the Psalter—a theme related to the kingship of Yahweh. The psalmist confesses that Yahweh is the “Maker of heaven and earth,” a claim meant to highlight the sovereignty of Yahweh over all creation. Because he is indeed the “Maker of heaven and earth,” Yahweh’s power and authority not only subvert but also dwarf any human claims to the same. Human power is derided (v. 3) as ineffective and ephemeral, thus offering no hope for those seeking deliverance. That hope rests with the God of Jacob (v. 5) alone.
Human life and divine rule. In addition to its linguistic and thematic connections to Book 5, Psalm 146 also recalls the language and imagery present in the Psalter’s two introductory psalms.15
Psalm 1 opens with a reference to the blessed person, defined as the one whose life is oriented toward God. In similar fashion, the blessed person in Psalm 146 orients his life toward God by acknowledging Yahweh as his only help and hope. Beyond its connection with Psalm 1, Psalm 146 also shares a thematic link with Psalm 2 in that both poems attend to the question of human power. Although the kings of the earth may rise up against Yahweh and his anointed (Ps 2:2), these kings will be terrified by God’s wrath and utterly routed by his power (2:12). While the rulers (“princes”) in Psalm 146:3 do not pose the same threat as those in Psalm 2:2, they prove equally impotent in light of the Divine King.
The righteous. Psalm 146:8c mentions that Yahweh “loves” the righteous. Generally speaking, the righteous are “those who have a right relationship with God and whose relationships with other people are governed by God’s expectations for human community.”16
The description of the righteous is quite often expanded in the Psalter to include the poor, the oppressed, and the needy. In fact, in many texts the righteous are assumed to be the poor and needy. This situation is particularly true in Book 1 of the Psalter (e.g., Pss 5:12; 11:3; 14:5; 15:2). In Psalm 146 the “righteous” are mentioned in a rather lengthy list of those deemed destitute and poor: the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the “blind,” those bowed down, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. Clearly the writer of Psalm 146 understands the righteous as part of that larger class of individuals, and because they lack the power to redeem themselves, they must depend fully upon the Divine King. As Clint McCann argues, “by determining the ‘righteous’ as being oppressed and hungry, and impoverished and so on (vv. 7–9), Psalm 146 conveys the eschatological perspective of the Psalter: God’s reign is proclaimed amid circumstances that seem to deny it.”17
Contemporary Significance
THE FOURTH STANZA of the hymn “O Worship the King, All Glorious Above” reads,
Frail children of dust and feeble as frail
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our maker, defender, redeemer and friend.18
The words of this hymn echo the theological confessions expressed in Psalm 146. The psalmist associates himself with those are who down and out, weak and weary, poor and impoverished. The psalmist reminds those of us in such circumstances that our only hope, our only help, is the God of Jacob (v. 5). We cannot save ourselves. There is no room for self-aggrandizement, much less self-delusion. We are all frail children of dust, and lest we look to those around us who feign power to save us, we are reminded that they too will “return to the ground” (v. 4a). Such a bleak outlook could lead us to a growing sense of despondency and despair, yet the psalmist declares, “I will praise the LORD all my life.” Despite the conditions that surround us and at times overwhelm us, we can spend our life singing praises because “he remains faithful forever” (v. 6c), he is “firm to the end,” as Robert Grant asserts in his hymn. God indeed is our maker and defender, redeemer and friend, because he is the God who reigns forever.
Conclusion (146:10)
THE FINAL LINE OF PSALM 146 STANDS in contradistinction to the statement made in verse 4 concerning human power (i.e., human kings die and their plans come to naught). By comparison, the psalmist confesses that Yahweh reigns forever, a likely allusion to the confession made in Exodus 15:18.14
The hope for all generations in Zion rests fully with the Divine King, the one who demonstrated his dominion over human power in the exodus and stands poised to do so once more (v. 10b).
The psalm concludes as it began, with the confession, “Praise the LORD” (halelu-yah).
Bridging Contexts
AS THE FIRST PSALM in the fivefold conclusion to the Psalter (Pss 146–50), this psalm connects the Final Hallel with earlier confessions in the book of Psalms. These connections highlight a number of important theological strands present in the Psalter.
Divine kingship. Psalm 146 extends the hymnic imagery from Psalm 145 and celebrates the royal rule of Yahweh. Psalm 145 opened with the declaration that Yahweh is “the King” (v. 1), and the final verse of Psalm 146 affirms that “The LORD reigns forever.” In addition, both psalms celebrate the enduring nature of God’s rule (Pss 145:1, 13; 146:10). Both psalms celebrate the work of the Divine King, a work that both sustains creation and redeems the poor and oppressed (Pss 145:14–16; 146:6–9).
Divine power. In addition to its connection with Psalm 145, Psalm 146 invokes another theme from Book 5 of the Psalter—a theme related to the kingship of Yahweh. The psalmist confesses that Yahweh is the “Maker of heaven and earth,” a claim meant to highlight the sovereignty of Yahweh over all creation. Because he is indeed the “Maker of heaven and earth,” Yahweh’s power and authority not only subvert but also dwarf any human claims to the same. Human power is derided (v. 3) as ineffective and ephemeral, thus offering no hope for those seeking deliverance. That hope rests with the God of Jacob (v. 5) alone.
Human life and divine rule. In addition to its linguistic and thematic connections to Book 5, Psalm 146 also recalls the language and imagery present in the Psalter’s two introductory psalms.15
Psalm 1 opens with a reference to the blessed person, defined as the one whose life is oriented toward God. In similar fashion, the blessed person in Psalm 146 orients his life toward God by acknowledging Yahweh as his only help and hope. Beyond its connection with Psalm 1, Psalm 146 also shares a thematic link with Psalm 2 in that both poems attend to the question of human power. Although the kings of the earth may rise up against Yahweh and his anointed (Ps 2:2), these kings will be terrified by God’s wrath and utterly routed by his power (2:12). While the rulers (“princes”) in Psalm 146:3 do not pose the same threat as those in Psalm 2:2, they prove equally impotent in light of the Divine King.
The righteous. Psalm 146:8c mentions that Yahweh “loves” the righteous. Generally speaking, the righteous are “those who have a right relationship with God and whose relationships with other people are governed by God’s expectations for human community.”16
The description of the righteous is quite often expanded in the Psalter to include the poor, the oppressed, and the needy. In fact, in many texts the righteous are assumed to be the poor and needy. This situation is particularly true in Book 1 of the Psalter (e.g., Pss 5:12; 11:3; 14:5; 15:2). In Psalm 146 the “righteous” are mentioned in a rather lengthy list of those deemed destitute and poor: the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoner, the “blind,” those bowed down, the foreigner, the orphan, and the widow. Clearly the writer of Psalm 146 understands the righteous as part of that larger class of individuals, and because they lack the power to redeem themselves, they must depend fully upon the Divine King. As Clint McCann argues, “by determining the ‘righteous’ as being oppressed and hungry, and impoverished and so on (vv. 7–9), Psalm 146 conveys the eschatological perspective of the Psalter: God’s reign is proclaimed amid circumstances that seem to deny it.”17
Contemporary Significance
THE FOURTH STANZA of the hymn “O Worship the King, All Glorious Above” reads,
Frail children of dust and feeble as frail
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our maker, defender, redeemer and friend.18
The words of this hymn echo the theological confessions expressed in Psalm 146. The psalmist associates himself with those are who down and out, weak and weary, poor and impoverished. The psalmist reminds those of us in such circumstances that our only hope, our only help, is the God of Jacob (v. 5). We cannot save ourselves. There is no room for self-aggrandizement, much less self-delusion. We are all frail children of dust, and lest we look to those around us who feign power to save us, we are reminded that they too will “return to the ground” (v. 4a). Such a bleak outlook could lead us to a growing sense of despondency and despair, yet the psalmist declares, “I will praise the LORD all my life.” Despite the conditions that surround us and at times overwhelm us, we can spend our life singing praises because “he remains faithful forever” (v. 6c), he is “firm to the end,” as Robert Grant asserts in his hymn. God indeed is our maker and defender, redeemer and friend, because he is the God who reigns forever.
