The psalmist vows perpetual praises to God, 1, 2. He exhorts not to trust in man, 3, 4. God, for his power, justice, mercy, and kingdom, is only worthy to be trusted, 5-10.
1 Praise the LORD./
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 While I live I will praise the LORD./
I will sing praises to my God while I have any being.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,/
nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
4 His breath goes forth and he returns to the earth./
In that very day his thoughts perish.
5 Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,/
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 Who made heaven, earth,/
the sea, and all that is in them,/
who keeps truth forever,
7 Who executes judgment for the oppressed,/
who gives food to the hungry./
The LORD sets the prisoners free.
8 The LORD opens the eyes of the blind./
The LORD raises those who are bowed down./
The LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD preserves the strangers./
He relieves the fatherless and widow,/
but the way of the wicked he turns upside down.
10 The LORD will reign forever,/
even your God, O Zion, to all generations./
Praise the LORD.
Matthew Henry Commentary - Psalms, Chapter 146[➚]
John Calvin's Chapter Summary:
After stirring up himself, and others by his example, to praise God, David animadverts upon the diseased disposition, almost universally prevalent, to deceive ourselves by expectations entertained from various quarters. He, at the same time, points out the remedy— that our whole hope should be centered in God. To persuade us to resort to him more readily, he touches shortly upon some proofs of his power and mercy.
[v.4] - "and he returns to the earth" - That is, to the earth from which he was formed (Genesis 2:7). This is the reason some translations, including the KJV, have, "and he returns to his earth."
[v.6] - Quoted in Acts 4:24.