Psalm 146 Summary - 5 Minute Bible Study
Psalm 146 Short Summary:
Psalm 146 is all about how God is a superior king to any earthly king. Human rulers live short lives, and their ambitions often die with them. In contrast, God is an eternal king. His reign spans every generation. Not only is God an everlasting King, He is also superior to all human rulers in virtue. He is the upholder of all righteousness, purity, and justice.
Psalm 146 Summary
AUTHOR:
The author of Psalm 146 is unknown.
NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES:
Acts 4:24
THEMES:
God’s superiority as the eternal King to temporal earthly rulers.
DEFINITIONS:
Jacob (146:5) - Jacob was the grandson of Abraham and the son of Isaac. Jacob was the father of the 12 patriarchs, the men from which the 12 tribes of Israel would take their names. Sense he was the father of the nation of Israel, his name is sometimes used to refer to the nation collectively.
OUTLINE:
THE GOOD AND ETERNAL KING (146:1-10):
The writer opens Psalm 146 praising God and telling the reader to put their trust in the Lord rather than in human rulers.
At least 2 reasons are given for this, (1) there is no salvation to be found in princes of the earth, (2) all human leaders will die, but God is eternal.
Speaking of human leaders, he wrote, “When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish” (146:4).
It isn’t just God’s eternality that makes Him superior to human rulers, its also the traits of His character and the extent of His power. The psalmist lists some of His admirable traits in verses 5-9.
(1) God made the heavens, the earth, the seas, and everything that lives in them.
(2) He is perfectly trustworthy.
(3) He gives justice to the oppressed.
(4) He gives food to the hungry.
(5) He sets captives free.
(6) He opens the eyes of the blind.
(7) He lifts the downcast.
(8) He loves those who live righteously.
(9) He watches over travelers.
(10) He takes care of widows and orphans.
(11) He punishes the wicked.
God’s reign will last forever. He has been king over every generation before us, and He will be king over ever generation that comes after us.
APPLICATION:
Psalm 146: 4 - When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.
Verse 4 is sobering to me. It reminds me that on the day that I die, my personal ambitions die with me. No one is guaranteed to carry them forward. It’s not certain that anyone will care about the plans that I made or respect my wishes for them to be carried out.
This is why I find it fulfilling to work for God. As a servant of His, I know that He’ll use my work in His kingdom even after I’m gone.
My work isn’t just a pursuit of my personal ambition, but it’s wrapped up in His plan, and His plan is the only one that is guaranteed to remain across the generations.
It feels like I’m investing into something bigger than myself, something that will outlast me.
Time invested into God’s Kingdom > Time invested into personal ambitions.
