What is the meaning of Psalm 146:3? Put not your trust • This opening command immediately shifts the reader’s gaze upward, warning against misdirected confidence (Jeremiah 17:5; Proverbs 3:5). • Trust, in Scripture, is wholehearted reliance. God alone warrants that depth of dependence (Psalm 62:8). • Redirecting trust to Him frees us from the disappointment that follows misplaced hope (Psalm 20:7). in princes • “Princes” represents every sort of powerful leader—political, economic, cultural (Psalm 118:8-9). • Even well-intentioned rulers are finite, subject to error, mood, and mortality (Isaiah 31:1-3). • History illustrates the cycle of rising and falling empires; only God’s reign endures (Daniel 2:44). in mortal man • The verse narrows the focus from elites to humanity at large: everyone shares the same frailty (Isaiah 2:22). • Mortality reminds us how brief human influence truly is (Psalm 103:15-16). • Depending on people for ultimate security invites inevitable letdown; we are all “jars of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7). who cannot save • Salvation—deliverance from sin, death, and judgment—lies forever outside human capability (Isaiah 43:11). • Even the greatest hero can only assist temporarily; only the LORD provides eternal rescue (Hosea 13:4; Acts 4:12). • Recognizing this limitation spurs humble faith and worship of the One who “is mighty to save” (Isaiah 12:2). summary Psalm 146:3 urges a conscious transfer of trust from human strength—no matter how prestigious—to the living God. Earthly leaders and ordinary people alike are mortal and powerless to give lasting deliverance. Real hope, security, and salvation rest solely in the LORD, whose rule is eternal and whose power to save never fails. |
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