Psalm 146:3

3 Trust not in princes, nor in the children of men, in whom there is no safety.

Psalm 146:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 146:3

Put not your trust in princes
Not in foreign princes, in alliances and confederacies with them; nor in any at home. David did not desire his people to put their trust in him, nor in his nobles and courtiers; but in the Lord Christ, who, as he is the object of praise, is also the proper object of trust. Princes, though ever so liberal and bountiful, as their name signifies, and therefore called benefactors, ( Luke 22:25 ) or ever so mighty and powerful, wise and prudent, yet are not to be depended upon; they are changeable, fickle, and inconstant; and oftentimes not faithful to their word, but fallacious and deceitful; "men of high degree are a lie", ( Psalms 62:9 ) ; wherefore it is better to trust in the Lord Jehovah, in whom is everlasting strength; who gives all things richly to enjoy; who is unchangeable, and ever abides faithful; see ( Psalms 118:8 Psalms 118:9 ) ; [nor] in the son of man, in whom [there is] no help;
or "salvation" {m}: not in any mere man born of a woman; not in Abraham, the father of the faithful, of whom the Jews boasted, as the Midrash; nor in Moses, as Arama; nor in Cyrus, as R. Obadiah; no, nor in David himself, nor in any of the princes; for how great soever they look, or in whatsoever honour and esteem they may be, they are but sons of men; are frail mortal men, and die like men, though they may be called gods, as they are by office: but no man or son of man, let him be what he will, is to be trusted in; there is a curse on him that does it, ( Jeremiah 17:5 ) . There is indeed a Son of man that is to be trusted in, the Lord Jesus Christ; but then he is God as well as man, the true God, the great God, God over all, blessed for ever; were he not, he would not be the proper object of trust, for there is no "help" or "salvation" in a mere creature; even kings and princes cannot help and save themselves oftentimes, and much less their people; their salvation is of God, and not from themselves, or from their armies, ( Psalms 33:16 ) ( 144:10 ) ( Proverbs 21:31 ) . There is help in Christ, on whom it is laid, and where it is found; there is salvation in him, but in no other; he is the author and giver of it, and therefore he, and not another, is to be trusted in.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (hewvt) "salus", V. L. Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator

Psalm 146:3 In-Context

1 My soul, praise the Lord.

2 While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises to my God as long as I exist.

3 Trust not in princes, nor in the children of men, in whom there is no safety.

4 His breath shall go forth, and he shall return to his earth; in that day all his thoughts shall perish.

5 Blessed is he whose helper is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God:

6 who made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all things in them: who keeps truth for ever:

7 who executes judgment for the wronged: who gives food to the hungry. The Lord looses the fettered ones:

8 the Lord gives wisdom to the blind:

9 he will relieve the orphan and widow: but will utterly remove the way of sinners.

10 The Lord shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Sion, to all generations.