Ps 146
Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD, O my soul.
2 I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in mortal men, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD his God,
6 the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them —
the LORD, who remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets prisoners free,
8 the LORD gives sight to the blind,
the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down,
the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the alien
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The LORD reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the LORD.
NIV
Did you notice that sobering sentence? “On that very day (when they die) their plans come to nothing.” It reminded me of what a friend once said when I was overwhelmed by all that I had to do and what would happen if I didn’t get it all done. He said, “Remember, cemeteries are filled with people the world couldn’t live without.”
It’s a sobering reminder. We have such grandiose plans, a great list of things that we hope to accomplish on this earth, all of the ways that we hope to make our mark on the world, but the moment we die, it all comes to nothing.
That’s why the psalmist continued: “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God.” He encourages us to trust in the eternal God whose plans never fail. As we build our lives around Jesus and His grace, working to give Him the glory, He promises that he will work out all things for our good and will accomplish His good will in our lives.
What is one thing that you need to hand over to God instead of fretting about it? Is there something that seems so important but detracts from God’s purpose for your life? Do you need to drop one or two programs to get life more into balance so that you can focus on God’s plans for you as a spouse, parent, or friend?
