Do Not Put Your Trust in Princes

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord, my soul.

I will praise the Lord all my life;
    I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes,
    in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
    on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord their God.

He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
    the sea, and everything in them—
    he remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
    and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
    the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
    the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
    and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
    but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.

The Lord reigns forever,
    your God, O Zion, for all generations.

Praise the Lord.

The Democratic National Convention nominated Joe Biden this week for President of the United States. The Republican National Convention nominated Donald Trump for reelection as President on Monday. Both parties, of course, want you to vote for their candidate. Each side has warned the other will bring this country into darkness. In a way, each side is expecting us to choose our savior. A savior from disease. A savior from joblessness. A savior from enemies far and near.

 I don’t know how much trust you’re putting in one candidate or another, but I do encourage you to listen to the words of Psalm 146. “Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.” The author of this psalm wasn’t just talking about salvation from sin and death. He was talking about salvation from the effects of sin in this world, the problems we face on a daily basis, and salvation from them before the end comes.

 I don’t know how much you’re dreading the election of one candidate or another. I don’t know how much you’re relying on this election. Some have called this the most important election in American history. But I do wonder if Joe Biden or Donald Trump sits in God's place in some people’s hearts in our country, perhaps even in our own hearts. If we put all our hope in one candidate or another, how much hope is left for us to put in God?

 These “princes” are unable to save. They are only human beings. “When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.” Contrast them with “the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.” He is the one who “remains faithful forever,” who “reigns forever.”

 Now, see his salvation! “He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.” What is the difference between God and any human prince? He is eternal. “The Lord reigns forever” (Psalm 146:10). He is almighty. “He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them” (Psalm 146:6). And he uses that power to save (Psalm 146:7-9), from your sin, from the world’s sin, from the problems sin causes in the world. Regardless of who sits in the White House, God reigns in heaven.

 The true Savior defeats all “saviors” that creep into your heart. Though Jesus urges obedience to government, he stands above all earthly governments. The banner of his cross does not tatter or fade. He has kept every one of the promises he has made. He forgives you for your disloyalty instead of excluding you. He has given you a new citizenship, a citizenship that is in heaven, and we eagerly await our Savior from there (Philippians 3:20).

 So, what is your role this November? It’s not to find a savior. You already have one. We have the freedom to vote because of the men and women who have gone before us. Even more so, we have freedom of conscience because we know we aren’t electing a savior. There is no perfect president. There is a perfect King. Study the candidates, for president and various other offices. Study the issues. But even more so, study God's Word. Ask his Holy Spirit to give you wisdom. Pray, “Thy will be done.” Whoever wins on November 3rd and whatever happens after that, you will still have your Savior, you will still have your God. He remains faithful and reigns forever.