Daily Devotional

The Psalms often remind us that we are to praise the Lord for He is actively at work all around us.  Sometimes He is working in very visible ways, and it is obvious what God is doing.  At other times He is working behind the scenes in ways we often do not see nor understand.  Regardless, we are to live a life that is giving God praise at all times for all that He is doing.  In Psalm 146, the Psalmist reminds us of how God is working in our world.

• He keeps his promises (vs. 6)

“…Who keeps truth forever.”

God always keeps His word.  One can always count on Him.  Whatever God has promised He will do.  When the Psalmist says He “keeps truth forever” it means that God is trustworthy and reliable.   God’s Word stands true forever…He will never go back on what He has said even through all eternity.  There is great significance in the fact that God will remain truthful forever.  Those who know Him can have complete confidence in Him and in His Word.  Our salvation in Christ depends on God’s truthfulness.  God will remain faithful to keep us by never going back on anything He has said or promised to us.    

• He upholds the oppressed and feeds the hungry (vs. 7)

“Who executes justice for the oppressed, Who gives food to the hungry.”

God is no respecter of persons.  He is the friend of the downtrodden, He avenges those being persecuted and comes to the aid of the helpless.  God will fairly judge our case and will rule on our behalf.  As a result, He will provide for those who are physically and spiritually hungry.

• He releases the prisoners (vs. 7)

“The LORD gives freedom to the prisoners.”

This statement reminds us of what Jesus said at the beginning of His earthly ministry.  In Luke 4:18–19, he quoted from the Old Testament Scriptures concerning Himself, “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Quoted from Isaiah 61:1–2) During Christ’s earthly ministry, Jesus did not physically release anyone from prison.  He did release many from spiritual imprisonment and from sin.  Today, Christ is still releasing people through faith from sin and habits that imprison them.  

• He gives sight to the blind (vs. 8)

“The LORD opens the eyes of the blind.”

This verse foretells what Jesus would later do in His earthly ministry.  Many regained their sight because of the miracles He did which authenticated that He was the Son of God.  Often, physical blindness is not the greatest blindness that people experience.  Many are blinded to the truth.  When God gives sight to those who are spiritually blind to the truth, the Word of God comes alive to them.  They recognize the Bible to be God’s Word and its truths change their lives.  All this comes today through faith in Christ.

• He lifts those who have been knocked down (vs. 8)

“The LORD raises those who are bowed down.”

Life is not always easy.  Sometimes we deal with some very difficult things that can knock us down.  In those difficult times, God cares.  He reaches down with His loving hands and lifts us up again.  Psalm 147:3 - “He heals the brokenhearted, And binds up their wounds.”

• He loves the righteous (vs. 8)

“The LORD loves the righteous.”

Why does God act in a trustworthy way toward us, uphold the oppressed, feed the hungry, release the prisoners, give sight to the blind, and lift up those who are knocked down?  The answer is that He loves those who are declared righteous.  This righteousness comes through God giving us the righteousness of His Son.  God loves us, not based on our merit but on His salvation that has been freely given to us.  We have experienced this because of our faith in the Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection for providing our salvation.

• He protects the foreigners and cares for orphans and widows (vs.9)

“The LORD watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless and widow.”

The stranger, fatherless, and the widow are often spoken of in Scripture as those who are defenseless.  They have a special place in God’s heart, and He watches over them.  He will protect them from those who are evil.  Notice Psalm 145:20 - “The LORD preserves all who love Him...”

As the Psalmist contemplates all that God is doing, he encourages us to praise God forever. “The LORD shall reign forever—Your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the LORD!”  (vs.10) Our God will reign forever.  He is the eternal God and His reign will go from generation to generation.  As we put our trust in God, He is worthy of our praise through all generations.  He is faithful and will always fulfill what he has promised.  He will never let any generation down.  Science, politicians, society, governments, ideas, and anything resulting from human origin will eventually fail.  God however will never fail.  He is just, right, faithful, trustworthy, powerful, and good.  Why would we put our trust in anyone else?  Praise the Lord!

Prayer:  “Lord, You are faithfully working all around me today.  Help me to be in a continual attitude of praise for all that You are doing.  You alone are worthy of our praise.  Amen

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.