Treasury of David

Charles Spurgeon

PSALM 146
 

DIVISION. We are now among the Hallelujahs. The rest of our journey lies through the Delectable Mountains. All is praise to the close of the book. The key is high-pitched: the music is upon the high sounding cymbals. O for a heart full of joyful gratitude, that we may run, and leap, and glorify God, even as these Psalms do.

Alexander thinks that this song may be regarded as composed of two equal parts: in the first we see the happiness of those who trust in God, and not in man (verses 1-5), while the second gives the reason drawn from the Divine perfections (verses 5-10). This might suffice for our purpose; but as there is really no break at all, we will keep it entire. It is "one pearl", a sacred censer of holy incense, pouring forth one sweet perfume.
 

EXPOSITION

Verse 1. Praise the LORD. Or, Hallelujah. It is saddening to think how this majestic word Hallelujah, has been trailed in the mire of late. Its irreverent use is an aggravated instance of taking the name of Jehovah our God in vain. Let us hope that it has been done in ignorance by the vulgar sort; but great responsibility lies with leaders who countenance and even copy this blasphemy. With holy awe let us pronounce the word HALLELUJAH, and by it summon ourselves and all others to adore the God of the whole earth.

Men need to be called to praise; it is important that they should praise; and there are many reasons why they should do it at once. Let all who hear the word Hallelujah unite immediately in holy praise.

Praise the LORD, O my soul. He would practice what he had preached. He would be the leader of the choir which he had summoned. It is a poor business if we solely exhort others, and do not stir up our own soul. It is an evil thing to say, "Praise God", and never to add, "Praise, O my soul." When we praise God let us arouse our innermost self, our central life. We have but one soul, and if it be saved from eternal wrath, it is bound to praise its Savior. Come heart, mind, thought! Come my whole being, my soul, my all, be all on flame with joyful adoration! Up, my brethren! Lift up the song! "Praise the Lord."

But what am I at? How dare I call upon others, and be negligent myself? If ever man was under bonds to bless the Lord I am that man. Let me put my soul into the center of the choir, and then let my better nature excite my whole manhood to the utmost height of loving praise. "O for a well tuned harp!" Nay, rather, O for a sanctified heart. Then if my voice should be of the poorer sort, and somewhat lacking in melody—yet my soul without my voice shall accomplish my resolve to magnify the Lord.

Verse 2. While I live I will praise the LORD. I shall not live here forever. This mortal life will find a finis in death; but while it lasts I will laud the Lord my God. I cannot tell how long or short my life may be; but every hour of it shall be given to the praises of my God. While I live I'll love God; and while I breathe I'll bless God. It is but for a while, and I will not while that time away in idleness, but consecrate it to that same service which shall occupy eternity. As our life is the gift of God's mercy, it should be used for his glory.

I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. When I am no longer in being on earth, I hope to have a higher being in Heaven, and there I will not only praise, but sing praises. Here I have to sigh and praise, but there I shall only sing and praise. This "while I have any being" will be a great while, but the whole of it shall be filled up with adoration; for the glorious Jehovah is my God, my own God by covenant, and by blood relationship in Christ Jesus. I have no being apart from my God, therefore, I will not attempt to enjoy my being otherwise than by singing to his honor.

Twice the Psalmist says "I will"; here first thoughts and second thoughts are alike good. We cannot be too firm in the holy resolve to praise God, for it is the chief end of our living and being that we should glorify God and enjoy him forever.

Verse 3. Put not your trust in princes. If David be the author, this warning comes from a prince. In any case it comes from the Spirit of the living God. Men are always far too apt to depend upon the great ones of earth, and forget the Great One above; and this habit is the fruitful source of disappointment.

Princes are only men, and men with greater needs than others; why, then, should we look to them for aid? They are in greater danger, are burdened with greater cares, and are more likely to be misled than other men; therefore, it is folly to select them for our confidence. Probably no order of men have been so false to their promises and treaties, as men of royal blood. So live as to deserve their trust, but do not burden them with your trust.

Nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. Though you should select one son of man out of the many, and should imagine that he differs from the rest and may be safely depended on, you will be mistaken. There is none to be trusted—no, not one. Adam fell; therefore lean not on his sons.

Man is a helpless creature without God; therefore, look not for help in that direction. All men are like the few men who are made into princes, they are more in appearance than in reality, more in promising than in performing, more apt to help themselves than to help others. How many have turned away heartsick from men on whom they once relied! Never was this the case with a believer in the Lord. He is a very present help in time of trouble. In man there is no help:
in times of mental depression,
in the day of sore bereavement,
in the night of conviction of sin,
or in the hour of death.

What a horror when most in need of help, to read those black words, NO HELP!

Verse 4. His breath goes forth, he returns to his earth. His breath goes from his body, and his body goes to the grave. His spirit goes one way—and his body another. High as he stood, the lack of a little air brings him down to the ground, and lays him under it. Man who comes from the earth returns to the earth—it is the mother and sister of his body, and he must needs lie among his kindred as soon as the spirit which was his life has made its exit. There is a spirit in man, and when that goes the man goes. The spirit returns to God who gave it, and the flesh to the dust out of which it was fashioned.

This is a poor creature to trust in: a dying creature, a corrupting creature. Those hopes will surely fall to the ground which are built upon men who so soon lie underground.

In that very day his thoughts perish. Whatever he may have proposed to do, the proposal ends in smoke. He cannot think, and what he had thought of cannot effect itself, and therefore it dies. Now that he is gone, men are ready enough to let his thoughts go with him into oblivion; another thinker comes, and turns the thoughts of his predecessor to ridicule.

It is a pitiful thing to be waiting upon princes or upon any other men, in the hope that they will think of us. In an hour they are gone, and where are their schemes for our promotion? A day has ended their thoughts, by ending them; and our trusts have perished, for their thoughts have perished.

Men's ambitions, expectations, declarations, and boastings all vanish into thin air when the breath of life vanishes from their bodies. This is the narrow estate of man: his breath, his earth, and his thoughts; and this is his threefold climax therein—his breath goes forth, to his earth he returns, and his thoughts perish. Is this a being to be relied upon? Vanity of vanities, all is vanity. To trust it would be a still greater vanity.

Verse 5. Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help. Heaped up is his happiness. He has happiness indeed—the true and the real delight is with him. The God of Jacob is the God of the covenant, the God of wrestling prayer, the God of the tried believer; he is the only living and true God. The God of Jacob is Jehovah, who appeared unto Moses, and led the tribes of Jacob out of Egypt, and through the wilderness. Those are happy who trust him, for they shall never be ashamed or confounded.

The Lord never dies, neither do his thoughts perish: his purpose of mercy, like himself, endures throughout all generations. Hallelujah!

Whose hope is in the LORD his God. He is happy in help for the present and in hope for the future, who has placed all his confidence in Jehovah, who is his God by a covenant of salt. Happy is he when others are despairing! Happiest shall he be in that very hour when others are discovering the depths of agony.

We have here a statement which we have personally tried and proved: resting in the Lord, we know a happiness which is beyond description, beyond comparison, beyond conception.

O how blessed a thing it is to know that God is our present help, and our eternal hope. Full assurance is more than Heaven in the bud, the flower has begun to open. We would not exchange with Caesar; his scepter is a bauble, but our bliss is true treasure.

In each of the two titles here given, namely, "the God of Jacob", and "Jehovah his God", there is a peculiar sweetness. Each one of them has a fountain of joy in it; but the first will not cheer us without the second. Unless Jehovah be his God, no man can find confidence in the fact that he was Jacob's God. But when by faith we know the Lord to be ours, then we are "rich to all the intents of bliss."

Verse 6. Who made Heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is. Wisely may we trust our Creator: justly may we expect to be happy in so doing.

He who made Heaven can make a Heaven for us, and make us fit for Heaven.

He who made the earth can preserve us while we are on earth, and help us to make good use of it while we sojourn upon it.

He who made the sea and all its mysteries can steer us across the pathless deeps of a troubled life, and make it a way for his redeemed to pass over.

This God who still makes the world by keeping it in existence, is assuredly able to keep us to his eternal kingdom and glory. The making of the worlds is the standing proof of the power and wisdom of that great God in whom we trust.

It is our joy that he not only made Heaven, but the sea; not only things which are bright and blessed, but things which are deep and dark. Concerning all our circumstances, we may say the Lord is there. In storms and hurricanes the Lord reigns as truly as in that great calm which rules the firmament above.

Who keeps truth forever. This is a second and most forcible justification of our trust: the Lord will never permit his promise to fail. He is true to his own nature, true to the relationships which he has assumed, true to his covenant, true to his Word, true to his Son. He keeps true, and is the keeper of all that is true. Immutable fidelity is the character of Jehovah's procedure. None can charge him with falsehood or vacillation.

Verse 7. Who executes judgment for the oppressed. He is a swift and impartial administrator of justice. Our King surpasses all earthly princes because he pays no deference to rank or wealth, and is never the respecter of persons. He is the friend of the down trodden, the avenger of the persecuted, the champion of the helpless. Safely may we trust our cause with such a Judge if it be a just one. Happy are we to be under such a Ruler.

Are our rights denied us? Are we slandered? Let this console us, that he who occupies the eternal throne will not only think upon our case, but bestir himself to execute judgment on our behalf.

Who gives food to the hungry. Glorious King are you, O Jehovah! You not only mete out justice, but you also dispense bounty! All food comes from God; but when we are reduced to hunger, and providence supplies our necessity, we are peculiarly struck with the fact. Let every hungry man lay hold on this statement, and plead it before the mercy seat, whether he suffers bodily hunger, or heart hunger.

See how our God finds his special clients among the lowest of mankind: the oppressed and the starving find help in the God of Jacob.

The LORD frees the prisoners. Thus he completes the triple blessing: justice, bread, and liberty. Jehovah loves not to see men pining in dungeons, or fretting in fetters. He brought up Joseph from the prison, and Israel from the house of bondage. Jesus is the Emancipator, spiritually, providentially, and nationally.

As faith in Jehovah shall become common among men freedom will advance in every form, especially will mental, moral, and spiritual bonds be loosed, and the slaves of error, sin, and death shall be set free. Well might the Psalmist praise Jehovah, who is so kind to men in bonds! Well may the freed ones be loudest in the song!

Verse 8. The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. Jesus did this very frequently, and hereby proved himself to be Jehovah. He who made the eye, can open it; and when he does so it is to his glory. How often is the spiritual eye closed in moral night! And who can remove this dreary effect of the fall, but the Almighty God. This miracle of grace he has performed in myriads of cases, and it is in each case a theme for loftiest praise.

The Lord raises them that are bowed down. This also Jesus did literally, thus doing the work peculiar to God. Jehovah . . .
consoles the bereaved,
cheers the defeated,
solaces the despondent,
comforts the despairing.

Let those who are bowed to the ground appeal to him, and he will speedily upraise them.

The LORD loves the righteous. He gives to them the love of delight, communion, and reward. Bad kings favor the licentious, but Jehovah makes the upright to be his favored ones. This is greatly to his glory. Let those who enjoy the inestimable privilege of his love magnify his name with enthusiastic delight. Loved ones, you must never be absent from the choir! You must never pause from his praise, whose infinite love has made you what you are.

Verse 9. The Lord preserves the strangers. Many monarchs hunted aliens down, or transported them from place to place, or left them as outlaws unworthy of the rights of man; but Jehovah made special laws for their shelter within his domain.

In this country the stranger was, a little while ago, looked upon as a vagabond—a kind of wild beast to be avoided if not to be assaulted; and even to this day there are prejudices against foreigners which are contrary to our holy religion.

Our God and King is never strange to any of his creatures, and if any are left in a solitary and forlorn condition he has a special eye to their preservation.

He relieves the fatherless and widow. These excite his compassion, and he shows it in a practical way by upraising them from their forlorn condition. The Mosaic law made provision for these destitute people.

When the secondary fatherhood is gone, the child falls back upon the primary fatherhood of the Creator. When the husband of earth is removed, the godly widow casts herself upon the care of her Maker.

But the way of the wicked he turns upside down. He fills it with crooked places; he reverses it, sets it down, or upsets it. That which the man aimed at he misses, and he secures that for himself which he would gladly have avoided. The wicked man's way is in itself a turning of things upside down morally, and the Lord makes it so to him providentially: everything goes wrong with him who goes wrong.

Verse 10. The LORD shall reign forever. Jehovah is King, and his kingdom can never come to an end. Neither does he die, nor abdicate his throne, nor lose his crown by force. Glory be to his name, his throne is never in jeopardy. As the Lord ever lives, so he ever reigns.

Even your God, O Zion, unto all generations. Zion's God, the God of his worshiping people, is he who in every age shall reign. There will always be a Zion; Zion will always have Jehovah for her King; for her he will always prove himself to be reigning in great power. What should we do in the presence of so great a King, but enter into his courts with praise, and pay to him our joyful homage?

Praise the LORD. Again they said Hallelujah. Again the sweet perfume arose from the golden vials full of sweet odors. Are we not prepared for an outburst of holy song? Do not we also say—Hallelujah? Here ends this happy Psalm. Here ends not the praise of the Lord, which shall ascend forever and ever. Amen.