Devotional Tuesday: Psalm 146 and the US Election
Hope for you today!
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;7 who executes justice 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 lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.9 The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.10 The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.Praise the Lord!
Psalm 146:1–10
Echo the words of the Psalmist with me this morning as we start the day and this election: PRAISE THE LORD!
I got up and was in line to vote this morning at 5:55am. There were 200 or so people there with me. I do not know what will happen today in the elections across our country, but I do have peace! I have Jesus, and I will praise him!
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Every day, we ought to praise God! However, on days when we do not know what will happen on Earth, we should praise God all the more!
Let our whole soul lift up praises to God!
3 Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.4 When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
The psalmist challenges us not to put our hope in the princes (or nobles). This idea is not just princes or kings, but also governments or human institutions. Why? No human can offer us salvation.
We only find hope and salvation in Jesus Christ, our Lord!
If we think this election will bring any lasting hope, we deceive ourselves. It may bring temporary success, but anything short of Jesus’s return and reign on earth is only a fleeting gain. It may reflect the goodness of God, but ultimately, the United States will end, and the Kingdom of God will prevail.
Why? The Kingdom of God is the only power both on heaven and earth that will remain forever. Pray the Lord’s Prayer with me.
“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.10 Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.11 Give us this day our daily bread,
12 and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.14 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you,
15 but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Matthew 6:9–15.
Notice, when we pray: “Your Kingdom come, your will be done,” we inevitably pray for the end of America (check out Joseph Lear’s writing on this!). Not as insurrectionists, but as wise prophets, knowing the aims of humans will always fail before the wisdom and power of the one true God. America came into being and one day will cease to be. PRAISE THE LORD! The Lord that never came into being and always will be! Our trust is not in princes or governments. But our hope is in Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
6 For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
Isaiah 9:6–7
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!2 I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.
Ps 146:1-2
Praise God!
Close this devotional by reflecting on the words of the Psalmist describing the Lord our God.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,6 who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them,
who keeps faith forever;7 who executes justice 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 lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.9 The Lord watches over the sojourners;
he upholds the widow and the fatherless,
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.10 The Lord will reign forever,
your God, O Zion, to all generations.
The Lord is our salvation. He will reign forever!
He is good!
He loves justice, righteousness, and those in need. No matter the outcome of America, my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’s blood! As I type, I am filled with the hope of the Holy Spirit.
Turn your hearts to God and find peace! Put not your hope in the princes, but in the PRINCE OF PEACE—Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God!
Amen!
