1461 Let the Lord be praised. Give praise to the Lord, O my soul. 2 While I have breath I will give praise to the Lord: I will make melody to my God while I have my being. 3 Put not your faith in rulers, or in the son of man, in whom there is no salvation. 4 Man's breath goes out, he is turned back again to dust; in that day all his purposes come to an end.
5 Happy is the man who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God: 6 Who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all things in them; who keeps faith for ever: 7 Who gives their rights to those who are crushed down; and gives food to those who are in need of it: the Lord makes the prisoners free; 8 The Lord makes open the eyes of the blind; the Lord is the lifter up of those who are bent down; the Lord is a lover of the upright; 9 The Lord takes care of those who are in a strange land; he gives help to the widow and to the child who has no father; but he sends destruction on the way of sinners. 10 The Lord will be King for ever; your God, O Zion, will be King through all generations. Praise be to the Lord.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Psalm 146:1-28
Commentary on Psalm 146:1-4
(Read Psalm 146:1-4)
If it is our delight to praise the Lord while we live, we shall certainly praise him to all eternity. With this glorious prospect before us, how low do worldly pursuits seem! There is a Son of man in whom there is help, even him who is also the Son of God, who will not fail those that trust in him. But all other sons of men are like the man from whom they sprung, who, being in honour, did not abide. God has given the earth to the children of men, but there is great striving about it. Yet, after a while, no part of the earth will be their own, except that in which their dead bodies are laid. And when man returns to his earth, in that very day all his plans and designs vanish and are gone: what then comes of expectations from him?
Commentary on Psalm 146:5-10
(Read Psalm 146:5-10)
The psalmist encourages us to put confidence in God. We must hope in the providence of God for all we need as to this life, and in the grace of God for that which is to come. The God of heaven became a man that he might become our salvation. Though he died on the cross for our sins, and was laid in the grave, yet his thoughts of love to us did not perish; he rose again to fulfil them. When on earth, his miracles were examples of what he is still doing every day. He grants deliverance to captives bound in the chains of sin and Satan. He opens the eyes of the understanding. He feeds with the bread of life those who hunger for salvation; and he is the constant Friend of the poor in spirit, the helpless: with him poor sinners, that are as fatherless, find mercy; and his kingdom shall continue for ever. Then let sinners flee to him, and believers rejoice in him. And as the Lord shall reign for ever, let us stir up each other to praise his holy name.