Psalm 146
Each of the remaining psalms begins with Hallelujah, and each one ends with the same word, translated in the King James' version, "Praise ye the Lord." His praise should be in our hearts and on our lips every day of our lives (verse 2); it will be the theme of the redeemed,
"While endless ages roll,
And time shall ne'er grow old."
In verse 3 "the son of man" should be "a son of man,"-the meaning being mankind in general. The psalm contrasts man whose life is soon over, with the God of Jacob, maker of the heavens and the earth. Blessed is he who has Him for his help, whose hope is in Jehovah his God.
And this God, known already to faith, at whose word the whole creation sprang into being, He it is who keepeth truth forever; Who executeth judgment for the oppressed; Who giveth bread to the hungry. The mighty God! Truth is the foundation of His majestic throne, and His gracious hand is stretched out on behalf of the oppressed and the hungry.
A second chain of three precious links follows: He looseth the prisoners; He opens the eyes of the blind; He raiseth up them that are bowed down.
In the four gospels we are given vivid illustrations of these acts of power; for example, in Luke 8:27-3527And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. 28When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not. 29(For he had commanded the unclean spirit to come out of the man. For oftentimes it had caught him: and he was kept bound with chains and in fetters; and he brake the bands, and was driven of the devil into the wilderness.) 30And Jesus asked him, saying, What is thy name? And he said, Legion: because many devils were entered into him. 31And they besought him that he would not command them to go out into the deep. 32And there was there an herd of many swine feeding on the mountain: and they besought him that he would suffer them to enter into them. And he suffered them. 33Then went the devils out of the man, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the lake, and were choked. 34When they that fed them saw what was done, they fled, and went and told it in the city and in the country. 35Then they went out to see what was done; and came to Jesus, and found the man, out of whom the devils were departed, sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid. (Luke 8:27‑35) is an account of a prisoner set free from Satan's rule; in Luke 18:35-4335And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: 36And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. 37And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. 38And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 39And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. 40And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, 41Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. 42And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. 43And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God. (Luke 18:35‑43) is seen a blind man given his sight, and in Luke 13:11-1311And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. 12And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 13And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. (Luke 13:11‑13) a woman bowed down and helpless to aid herself, is loosed from her infirmity.
But we are sure that the power of God has in our own case set free one who was held fast by Satan in his cruel hands; one who was blind, unable to see his own need of a Saviour, and unable to see any attraction in Him, now sees, and if it be through a glass, dimly, it will soon be "face to face" (1 Cor. 13:1212For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)); and one who was bowed down under the heavy load of sins is now loosed forever from it by His grace.
The third chain of three links is, He loves the righteous; He preserves the strangers; He lifts up the fatherless and the widow. How gracious! His heart goes out to His dear people, He keeps them safe, and those who are the very picture of defenselessness He lifts up.
Well may we sing, with triumph sing, The great Redeemer's praise!
Messages of God’s Love 3/6/1932