Trusting the True King | Psalm 146
Here’s my sermon from this past Sunday, November 3rd, 2024. You can check out the audio here.
A long time ago, in a galaxy not that far away. In a house over in the east campus neighborhood, in fact. I was a college student. It was election time. And I remember telling this friend, “If that guy is elected - if he becomes president - I’m moving to Canada.”
Now back then, what I believed about God - it was slowly taking shape. I began to grasp from God’s word that He wasn’t just good. He was also in control. But sadly, that reality - about the Lord and His reign - hadn’t fully impacted my reality down here. And for that reason, according to that passage we just read, I was living a very un-blessed life. Thus the desire to flee north of the border.
Now, looking back, I was putting far too much hope in one political party. But that was also mixed in with some fear. Some anxiety about what would come. Truths like we just read - they hadn’t worked their way down into my heart. And sadly, that’s still too often the case. Now I’ve grown, for sure - from those days as a poli-sci major. But I’m glad you weren’t a fly on the wall - when Amy and I watched that last presidential debate. Because I was really frustrated. And getting angrier by the minute. And my dear wife wasn’t even a little bit impressed with me.
Now I can still forget what I know; and let anger and worry steal my joy. Things seem harder, not easier. Compared to back in that day. I can start scrolling, start spiraling - and find myself lightyears away from the blessed life found here in Psalm 146. And I need a reminder. I’m guessing I’m not alone. Maybe you do, too? Especially here on November 3rd. Consider this a pillow - or maybe the TV remote - tossed from God through Amy to wake us all up.
Songs for All Seasons
Now for the past several years, we’ve made it our goal, to preach through a Psalm, at least once a month. We understand how important these songs have been - for God’s people throughout the ages. And we want to encourage you to pray them and sing them every day you can. Therefore, we also wanted to work them into our rhythms here together. “Why’s that?”, you might ask. They give us songs for all seasons. The full range of human emotion is seen right here in this book. And it reminds us we can take all our really big feelings straight to God. They provide hope for really any circumstance we’ll face. And that includes what you might be facing this week.
Now these are poems. They’re songs. And therefore, their structure often takes a different kind of shape. And one that’s not uncommon in the Bible’s poetry is what’s called a chiastic arrangement. It’s where lines of poetry are mirrored. What it ends up looking like is a kind of sandwich, where the main point is often the meat in the center. And the layers outside help us understand that point.
Here’s what I think’s going on right here. Check out the screen. Verse 5 through the first part of verse 7, that’s the center. It’s the main point. Who are the “blessed?” Those who trust the Lord. The One who made everything. And who brings about justice.
Just to the outside of that - and we’ll call them two slices of cheese - we see we shouldn’t “trust in princes.” That’s found in verses 3 and 4. And then we see the One we should trust - because of how we works in the world - in the second half of verse 7 through verse 9. We see a contrast. Right? That helps us understand our point.
And then on the outer edges - we’ll call that the slices of bread - we hear this call to praise - to sing to the Lord - in verses 1 and 2. And we hear that again, along with a reason why, at the end down in verse 10. That seems to be the structure. So let’s jump in and hear from God. He wants us to live in blessing. But how do we do that? Especially with what’s coming up this week?
The Life Free of Anxiety and Fear
First, see the life free of anxiety and fear. Have you caught some of the commercials? Or gotten all of those texts? What are they targeting? Our anxiety and fear. Right? If that candidate wins, then we’re all doomed. If he or she wins, America’s over. Advertisers have targeted those emotions for years. It works no place better than in politics. But it only really affects us if we forget verse 3. “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.”
If we find ourselves freaked out, it means we’ve misplaced our trust. Because “princes” really can’t take away our worries. Because they’re not as powerful as they - or anyone - thinks. Right? “There is no salvation” in them. They cannot rescue us. No. It doesn’t mean they can’t do a thing. They can do a lot of bad. They can do lots of good. Romans 13:1 even tells us that they’re there because of God. They’ve “been instituted” by Him. But we sure can’t put our trust there. But why?
Look at verse 4. “When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.” Now this sounds a lot like Genesis chapter 3. Made from the dust. Will become dust again. Came from the ground. Will return there soon enough. They’re a human being - just like you and me. Just a “son” - or daughter - “of man” - as verse 3 puts it. They’re sinful human beings - just like us.
And when they end up underground, their plans are buried with them. So we can’t put our faith in them. Or we’ll end up really disappointed. They can’t save themselves. How can they possibly save us? This is the nature of earthly leaders.
Contrast that, though, with our Lord. What we see in verses 7 through 9:
Psalms 146:7b The LORD sets the prisoners free;
Psalms 146:8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind.
The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;
the LORD loves the righteous.
Psalms 146:9 The LORD watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord, He gets things done, right? He makes plans. Those plans come to pass. Because He’s the Lord. And unlike earthly leaders, who are frail and fallen - He does things right. He can be trusted. He’s a God of justice.
Now when we hear that word, we often get confused. But justice really just means people get what they’re due. What should be coming to them. And that really has two sides. For some it means judgment and punishment. God will hold evil people accountable. Verse 9: “the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.” But to others, it means rescue and relief. Look at the rest of these verses. The humble, the poor. Those who’ve been crushed by the system. Those on the outside looking in. Those without families or homes. The Lord works on behalf of the vulnerable. He makes things right. This is the work of our just King. It’s just what He does.
Remember how Israel got their kings in the first place. They didn’t think God was enough. They wanted to rule their own lives. That’s how sin entered the world.
And then there, in that land, they looked around at the nations and thought, “We want kings, too. Why can’t we be like them?” And it brought them almost nothing but sorrow and pain.
Karis, who will we trust? The rulers and empires of this world? Or in the God who does what’s right? We don’t have to live in anxiety and fear.
Who was our 20th president here in America? When was China’s Han dynasty, and who was its emperor? What came of all of those Herods trying to mess with Jesus and his disciples? They’re all dead. Along with the Roman Empire that they served. The Lord and His kingdom, though, still stands. Don’t hope in earthly leaders, but in the God of justice.
Now one way this misplaced hope gets smuggled into our churches is what’s been called Christian nationalism. It’s this idea that America holds some special place in the purposes of God - that He’ll anoint some special ruler to bring us all to glory. But it’s nowhere found in God’s word. And it’s really terrible theology. It pulls us away from the truths of these verses. And because it encourages us to fixate on ourselves, it makes us look very different from the God found in these verses. The King of the world who’s forming a people from all nations. And it’s all driven by anxiety and fear.
The Life Full of Blessing and Joy
Second, see the life full of blessing and joy. Here’s the meat of the passage. Our main point. Let’s read it again.
Psalms 146:5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
Psalms 146:6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;
Psalms 146:7 who executes justice for the oppressed,
who gives food to the hungry.
Here’s the blessed life - what we just read. It’s found in trusting the Lord. We like to throw that term “blessed” around, but what does it mean? I love the way James Hamilton describes it. “Gladness and flourishing that result from God’s good pleasure.” We’re living as we’re meant to live. And as you’ve maybe heard, the term is often also translated as “happy.” It’s also a place of deep, abiding joy. That’s what we experience when we trust in our Lord. That’s what happens when we make Him our “help.” That’s what we feel when we put our “hope” in Him.
As verse 6 puts it, He’s the creator. Of “heaven and earth.” In other words, everything. And even the scary places - what ancient peoples thought of the “sea.” He made it all. And of course, then, He then can rule over it all. He’s faithful. He “keeps faith forever" - toward all that He’s made. But especially His people. He’s the “God of Jacob.” He keeps His promises. And we can bank on that, friends. This is the source of real security.
But there’s more. That same word for “made” there in verse 6 - speaking of “heaven and earth” - is the same word also used here in verse 7. He is a God who makes “justice,” too. Everything from the fall that’s gone miserably wrong - He’ll make right again. And He’s even at work doing it now. Bringing justice. This is just what our God does. He works “justice for the oppressed.” Brings “food to the hungry.”
This is how our Lord works in the world. So much power! To make all things. And to reign over it all. But He uses that power for the weak. So much compassion. This is the heart of our strong Lord.
But here’s the main point, that we have to grasp. Unlike the rulers of this world, the Lord can actually be our “help.” He can come to our aid. He can give what we need. And He can actually give us deep, abiding “hope.” For here and now today. But fully, forever, in the future, as He makes all things right in the new world to come.
The Lord has been the “help” and the “hope” of His people forever. In the past to Israel, and His church through the ages. And He’ll “keep faith forever” on into the future - for Christians all over the world. And that should mean something for us in the present. Here in America, today. In the darkest of valleys, as we say around here, God is good, He’s in control, and He’s with us.
Think of God’s people, exiled in Babylon. Think of the church, living under Rome. They were anxious. They were fearful. But God didn’t leave them. And He carried them through. To know that. To believe that. That’s the good life. That’s blessing, there.
It doesn’t mean at all that Tuesday doesn’t matter. I’m not saying at all that we shouldn’t be concerned. Trust me. I am. But it does mean we shouldn’t be over-concerned. That’s how author and counselor Timothy Lane defines worry. It’s over-concern. It’s concern blown out of proportion. We’re not blessed if the right one gets in office. We’re blessed because He’s our “hope” and our “help.” The One with all power and who’s full of compassion.
But maybe you’re here and you’re especially struggling. And trust me. I get it. More than you know. You see America crumbling. You see the church compromising. And it’s making it really hard for you to hold on to faith. Here’s my challenge for you. If we know America isn’t history’s solution, how then, can we mess His plans up? You’re giving us Americans far too much credit. Jesus promised He’d build His church. And the gates of hell could never prevail. God’s people lived on, even when it got tied up with Rome. And even tried to pull off the Crusades. Don’t do what you hate. And tie your faith up with man.
Over the past several months, my mood has been lifted. I’ve not doom-scrolled as much. I’ve built a rhythm into my life. And it’s extremely spiritual. I know you’ll be impressed. I’ve been almost daily watching the monologues from late night comedians. Psalm 1 starts with giving us a picture of a person who’s blessed. But Psalm 2 moves to speak of the Lord looking at our princes. “He who sits in the heavens laughs.” Yeah, it’s been good for my soul, to just giggle and smile. This is our God. There’s security in Him. Unlike in all those fake helps and hopes. Experience the blessing of putting trust in Him.
The Cry of His Kingdom Citizens
But let’s turn to the outsides of this kingdom sandwich. There’s an ultimate response that’s commanded to us here. Hear the cry of His kingdom citizens. Take a look at the outer edges, of this Psalm we see here. First, in verses 1 and 2.
Psalms 146:1 Praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD, O my soul!
Psalms 146:2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Now starting with this Psalm, each of the last five begin - and end - in exactly this way. With this command to “Praise the LORD!” Literally, it’s, “Hallelujah!” That’s what that word means. Instead of lauding the kings of this world, we’re to honor the true Lord, the king of all kings. That’s the remedy - to our anxiety and fear - praising the Lord who made all that we see.
But notice the turn in the second part of the verse. The songwriter moves from telling us to praise, to commanding Himself to do the very same thing. He sings, “Praise the LORD, O my soul!” Now what’s with that? Why would that be? Well, as I began, it’s all so easy to forget. Martyn Lloyd-Jones once explained, “Most of the unhappiness in your life is because you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself.” You know what I mean? You have those voices in your head? That say you’re no good. Or that the world’s soon to explode. We have to speak over them with the very words of God.
Amy and I were in our bed, watching a show this week. And our pup kept getting in the window and barking like a fool. Maybe scaring off bad guys. Or shouting at his friends. I’m not sure. But we had to pause the show. Rewind a bit. “Rudy, my man, can you please turn it down? We can’t hear the show. We’re gonna miss something good.”
I think this is like what’s happening to us today. All of this barking. That blocks out the truth. We can open our phones for minute. And things can get really dark, really quick.
We have to talk to ourselves. We have to preach to ourselves. “Praise the LORD, O my soul!” And the Psalmist makes a commitment - there in verse 2. “As long as I live.” “While I have my being.” He would praise. That it would be his main job.
But, like him, we have to be in a place where when we struggle to believe it ourselves, we can hear the voices of our brothers and sisters, cutting through the noise, guiding us back to reality. That command - to “praise the Lord” - it’s a plural command. There’s a y’all in there. That we need to hear. These poems weren’t meant to be prayed all alone. But within the community of God. We need each other to keep on praising. And yes, to keep on singing. These are songs, after all.
The Psalmist says he’ll “sing praise to [His] God.” These truths we find here are so great and so rich. They’re meant to shake us and move us - to erupt from our hearts. Some truths are so great, it’s like they need to be sung. The truth given here - that He is the Lord - it’s so amazing, so comforting. But, of course, that so often feels so far away. Far, far from our experience.
So often we need to sing our hearts into trust. To hear others singing beside us. To be reminded of what’s true. And, again, to get those other songs from our heads. Like after I spend time in the car with my wife. I get home. I need to go grab headphones. I need a sonic cleanse, you could say. Because after listening to modern country music for even a few minutes, I’m tempted to lose all hope in mankind.
We need to sing, people of God. And to push those other songs out of our heads. This is the response of His citizens. But also the reminder we need.
But here’s the reason for the song. Verse 10 once again. “The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations.” What’s the key lyric we sing? That we need to remember? Our Lord reigns! He’s good, for sure. But He’s also in control. He’s the real King. Unlike those others. Who can’t keep themselves alive. And He’ll be king forever. His plans will come to pass, unlike those others. As Ephesians 1:11 puts it, He “works all things according to the counsel of His will.” And that’s what our hearts need to hear, what they need to sing. This is the reason for our songs.
Over all this mess, that brings all the stress, the Lord is on His throne. That’s our cry. That’s our song. And we should turn it up to 11 or higher on Tuesday, friends. Sing and praise the One who reigns forever.
Where We Go From Here
Well, where do we go from here? Here are a couple of encouragements, as I bring this to a close. First, live in light of His reign, Karis. God is sovereign - as I’ve said repeatedly today. But we’re also responsible. We have stuff to do. And the first, that we’ve seen is that we must hope in Him. We can’t lose heart. We must keep going. No matter if America burns up or falls into the sea. He is the Lord. He will reign forever.
But we also are meant to go bear His image. He’s a God of justice. He uses His power on behalf of the weak. That’s what God’s famous for. And it’s what we should be known for, too. And if that’s not the case, then something’s gone horribly wrong. I love the way the ESV Study Bible explains it, speaking of this Psalm.
“When God’s people sing these words in faith, they will own these qualities as virtues toward which they too will strive.”
Maybe you’ve heard these words in Micah 6, verse 8, where God gives His calling for His people:
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good;
and what does the LORD require of you
but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?
We’ve seen who God is here, and also how He works. And we should go image Him. Take this to the world. And when we go to the polls, when we grab our pencils, we should have these values, these things in mind. It’s not that this is ever that easy. We’ll never agree with all a candidate supports. But, we’re choosing people. Character matters. We’re choosing policies. That really matters, too. And the values in these verses - they should be in the forefront of our minds.
Second, rest in the work of the King, Karis. We don’t do well in trusting the Lord. We turn to earthly rulers. We find hope in our parties. We also fail to image His glory. We read that passage, and we identify with the oppressed. But if we’re honest, we’ll admit we spread injustice ourselves. Too much of the time, we look around and don’t care. Or we try to go do good works, and judge those around us.
But the good news is that Jesus perfectly trusted His Father. He rested, relied fully upon His reign. Who drew near to the weak, and brought compassion like this? Jesus. The One who made everything - and who now rules from heaven - was born in a manger, to parents who were poor.
He went hungry. He was imprisoned. He was a refugee. He was oppressed. And He humbled himself. He became obedient to death. The true son of man. The son of God. Came and brought salvation. He came as a King, bringing a kingdom. He walked here, in this world, bringing justice.
If we trust in Him, we can be made right with our Lord. Forgiven by His cross. Brought into his kingdom. And He’ll begin to transform us, inside and out, little by little. He’ll teach us to trust, to not worry and fear. And He’ll make us those that can seek justice without being self-righteous. Without demonizing those that may sit across the aisle. We are the weak. And He rescued us. And now we can love, like He first loved us.
Politics and Idolatry
Now next week, we’ll be back in Matthew. And we’ll look at the “Rich Young Ruler.” Have you heard that story - where a wealthy man walks up to Jesus - and asks him how eternal life is found? And Jesus tells him to keep God’s commands. And that man says, “Cool. I’ve done that. What’s next?” And Jesus tells him to give away everything that he has. And what we learn there is how easy it is for things to end up functioning as our god. And he can’t. He’s rich. And he walks away sad.
When we talk about worship - we’re not just talking about singing. We’re talking about what we delight in, where we put our trust, what makes us happy if we have it. What makes us distraught if it’s gone. And politics - like money - so easily takes that spot in our hearts. Even deeper, that longing for power and control.
But that can never satisfy. It’ll leave us distraught. Not too far down the road, they’ll be gone and replaced. By someone else who’s fallen and frail. So the answer is to sing for the true King. And remind our souls of who’s really in charge. The princes of this world make really terrible gods.
The Blessed Life
Well, the good news is that, in a couple of days, this will all be over. Right? No! I have zero confidence in that at all! But we can go to sleep Monday night, confident God’s still on the throne.
Russell Moore recently wrote about our hopioid addiction. Yes, I said that right. He talks about Christians - like you and me - who want to hear some words of hope. That things will go back to maybe even what they were a few years ago.
But he says the best thing for us is to lose that kind of hope completely. We don’t need false hope, cheap hope, hopium. That needs to die. He writes,
“We can see backward—to the cloud of witnesses and martyrs who told us the truth. We can see way, way forward—to the wiping away of all tears. We just can’t see right ahead of us. But we know that whatever happens, just like in the far past and in the far future, underneath are the everlasting arms.
Those who would save their lives must lose it, Jesus told us. And those who would find hope must lose that too. That’s true on Election Day and on Judgment Day, and on every day in between.” (Russell Moore)
He reigns over it all. We can choose not to fret. We needn’t freak out. We can truly rest. Because we know that He’s at work - reigning, ruling over everything He has made. And that includes - in some way - even over the weirdest, worst leaders.
We have perspective from God’s word - about who’s really in charge. We know from studying world history, empires come and they go. Whatever comes of America, His kingdom still rolls on. The more politically homeless we are, the better. The more of a minority we are, the greater God can work. Jesus is the King we all want. It’s His kingdom that we’re all about, church. We can live a life of blessing, confident in His reign. Karis, the good life is found in praising the Lord, our God of justice, and not the rulers of this world. Let’s pray.