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Praise the LORD, O My Soul
Psalm 146 is a song of praise that speaks to the singer’s own soul. It calls for praise, warns against trusting human rulers, and gives reasons to place hope in Yahweh instead.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
The psalm begins with praise and a promise to keep singing to Yahweh throughout life. It then contrasts mortal human rulers with Yahweh’s lasting help. The closing lines describe Yahweh as Creator, just judge, helper of needy people, and the one who reigns forever.
Psalms 146:1–10Main takeaway
This psalm teaches that a person is happy when the God of Jacob is his help and his hope is in Yahweh his God.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Praise directed to the soulThe psalm opens with “Praise Yah!” and then speaks directly to the singer’s own soul: “Praise Yahweh, my soul.”
Explanation
The psalm opens with “Praise Yah!” and then speaks directly to the singer’s own soul: “Praise Yahweh, my soul.” The next line adds a personal promise to praise Yahweh and sing to God for as long as life lasts. The song begins with both command and commitment.
02Do not trust mortal rulersThe psalm warns against putting trust in princes or in a human being for help. The reason is their mortality.
Explanation
The psalm warns against putting trust in princes or in a human being for help. The reason is their mortality. A person’s spirit departs, he returns to the earth, and on that same day his thoughts perish. Human power cannot last, so it cannot be the final place of hope.
03Happy are those whose hope is in YahwehThe psalm calls a person happy when the God of Jacob is his help and his hope is in Yahweh.
Explanation
The psalm calls a person happy when the God of Jacob is his help and his hope is in Yahweh. It then gives reasons: Yahweh made heaven, earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and he “keeps truth forever”. Unlike passing human help, Yahweh’s help is lasting.
04Yahweh’s justice, care, and reignThe song lists Yahweh’s actions. He executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, frees prisoners, opens the eyes of the blind, raises those bowed down, loves the righteous, preserves foreigners, and upholds the fatherless and widow.
Explanation
The song lists Yahweh’s actions. He executes justice for the oppressed, gives food to the hungry, frees prisoners, opens the eyes of the blind, raises those bowed down, loves the righteous, preserves foreigners, and upholds the fatherless and widow. He also turns the way of the wicked upside down and reigns forever, so the psalm ends with praise again.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does the psalm contrast princes with Yahweh?
Look at what happens to human beings in death, then compare that with Yahweh’s continuing reign.
02What reasons does the psalm give for hoping in Yahweh?
Notice both who Yahweh is and what Yahweh does in these verses.
03Which groups of people are named as receiving Yahweh’s care?
List the people and the matching actions exactly as the psalm states them.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 146:1–10
1Praise Yah! Praise Yahweh, my soul.
2While I live, I will praise Yahweh. I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.
3Don’t put your trust in princes, in a son of man in whom there is no help.
4His spirit departs, and he returns to the earth. In that very day, his thoughts perish.
5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in Yahweh, his God,
6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps truth forever;
7who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. Yahweh frees the prisoners.
8Yahweh opens the eyes of the blind. Yahweh raises up those who are bowed down. Yahweh loves the righteous.
9Yahweh preserves the foreigners. He upholds the fatherless and widow, but he turns the way of the wicked upside down.
10Yahweh will reign forever; your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise Yah!