Psalm 146 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 146 on biblegateway.com
Verse 1Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul!
Verse 2I will praise the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
Verse 3Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.
Verse 4When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.
Verse 5Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God,
Verse 6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
Verse 7who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free;
Verse 8the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous.
Verse 9The Lord watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
Verse 10The Lord will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord!
Devotion
This past spring the History channel aired an original TV drama set in 9th Century Scandinavia named "Vikings." It depicted the life of a young and ambitious Viking warrior. While very successful, its historicity was heavily critiqued. Of particular note was the use of traditional patriarchal forms of leadership including earls and kings. Such forms of leadership, one critic wryly noted, were not introduced to the democratic Viking culture until the coming of Christianity.
The Psalmist reminds us "Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals..." Leadership is an essential tool for God's purposes. Yet Christians should know better than to put ultimate trust in the power of leaders, be they military, political, ecclesial, or financial. Christians should not be in the human kingship business. We have a sovereign who was enthroned on the cross. Following his leadership, we also will serve not through power, but through trust and obedience. We will live trusting the promise that the one who made us and all that is will continue to provide for us.
Prayer
Mighty God, you are greater than all the princes and rulers of this world. Help us to trust in your provision and look to you for guidance. Lead us so that we may look after the orphans and the widows in our land just as you have cared for us through your son, Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.