Meditation on Psalm 146:4-9

Psalm 146:4-9 Page 803, BCP

Lauda, anima mea

4 Happy are they who have the God of Jacob for their help!

whose hope is in the LORD their God;

5 Who made heaven and earth, the seas, and all that is in them;

who keeps his promise for ever;

6 Who gives justice to those who are oppressed,

and food to those who hunger.

7 The LORD sets the prisoners free;
the LORD opens the eyes of the blind;

the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down;

8 The LORD loves the righteous;
the LORD cares for the stranger;

he sustains the orphan and widow,
but frustrates the way of the wicked.

9 The LORD shall reign for ever,

your God, O Zion, throughout all generations.
Hallelujah!

This is “Gaudete Sunday” in Lent, which means “Joy Sunday.” Thus it is only right that this Sunday we read a selection from a psalm that begins, “Happy are those…” The last five psalms in the Psalter, 146-150, are psalms of praise, also known as “Hallelujah Psalms” because they begin with that word, which in our translation is rendered “Praise the Lord!”

The first four verses, which also contain a warning about putting your trust in earthly princes. God’s kingship is better than any mortal can devise, because God alone can reign forever (v. 9). God alone can heal the blind— a promise we heard in our selection in Isaiah as well. It is believed that this psalm was written after the exile, and as a whole it attempts to explain why the promise to David about his line being kings forever was broken—to revisit an image we looked at last week, why the “Tree of Jesse” is now just a stump. “Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.  When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.” However, as we approach Christmas, there is coming a Prince who can heal, a Prince who delivers the oppressed with justice, who cares for the stranger, the widow, the orphan. Come, O come, Emanuel, Prince of Peace.