Dependable Deliverer

Imagine walking into a room with only two open chairs, you would have a choice. The one chair is clearly solid wood—simple—maybe Amish craftsmanship. The second is a worn bentwood chair; its loosened joints make it rickety, and its cane seat is damaged. Do I have to ask which one you would use? You would trust the solid wood chair.

It always takes faith to put yourself into any chair. The appearance of most in service does not give us pause, so we sit right down. When we speak of trusting in God, when we consider putting faith in the Eternal, here too we are speaking of weighing risk in the hope of resting in the soundness and goodness of God. Here are some overlaying nouns and verbs connected to one’s relationship with God: trust, faith, to believe, to rely on or depend upon. This kind of trust comes up in our psalm appointed for this Sunday, Psalm 146.

After a blast of praise and a vow that this offering will be lifelong, the psalmist dissuades worshipers from putting faith in human rulers, who offer no rescue. The argument is strong: humans, even princes, are from dust, and to dust, they shall return. Once a prince’s breath departs, with it goes his reflection, his thoughts, and his plans.

We are roused instead to trust in the God of Jacob. The psalm is a promise that those who rely on God are blessed and happy. The song goes on to identify those who have most missed out on help—the vulnerable who truly need the powerful rescuing hand of the Compassionate One who made the heavens, earth, and seas, and all creatures that dwell in these realms:

1     Hallelujah!,
          Praise the Lord, O my soul! *
          I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
          I will sing praises to my God while I have my being.

2    Put not your trust in rulers, nor in any child of earth, *
         for there is no help in them.

3    When they breathe their last, they return to earth, *
         and in that day their thoughts perish.

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!

Which seat will we choose? The selection is simple: we should not trust in humans, even powerful ones whose powers are quite limited. We can depend upon the Creator, whose power and love have no limits. It is not really in the text, but I wish for a particular implication. I feel in my gut that the psalm also implies that worshipers of this responsive and trustworthy God become more responsive and reliable themselves. Perhaps hymning to this God while we have breath will increase in us trustworthiness and strength to help those in need. We spend our breath well when we magnify our Deliverer, being gradually restored to God’s image and likeness.