Seder 38: Psalm 146---Praising God as a Reliable Helper of Those in Need

 Psalms 146-150 all begin and end with calls to praise God.  In Psalm 146, God specifically is praised as the eternal Creator and Ruler of the universe, the only one "who keeps faith forever" (v 6).   In contrast it is not wise to place trust in human rulers, whose power and influence are temporary (vv 3-4).   

These ideas were expressed well by Mattathias the priest, the father of the five Maccabee brothers.  Shortly before his death in 166 BC he told his sons, 

"And so observe, from generation to generation, that none of those who put their trust in him will lack strength.  Do not fear the words of sinners, for their splendor will turn into dung and worms.  Today they will be exalted, but tomorrow they will not be found, because they will have returned to the dust, and their plans will have perished" (1 Macc 2:61-63).  

Mattathias was right.  The persecution of the Jews by the Seleucid emperor Antiochus IV was temporary.  In 164 the Jerusalem Temple was taken back and rededicated, as commemorated at Hanukkah.

Psalm 146 lists a number of groups of people for whom God is especially looking out, including

• the oppressed;
• the hungry;
• the prisoners;
• the blind;
• those who are bowed down;
• the strangers;
• the orphan;
• the widow.

This list reminds us of the Messianic agenda laid out in Isa 61:1-2 and Luke 4, and the definition of "pure relgion" in James 1:27.  We see an example of God's love in Gen 41, where God frees Joseph from prison and places him in a position to feed the hungry.