PAIN AND PRAISE IN PSALM 146

• God's favor for the marginalized is not a question. Both the Old and the New Testament testify that God is always on the side of the oppressed, the hungry, the prisoners, the blind, those who are bowed down, the alien, the fatherless and the widow (vv. 7, 8ab, 9ab). If God loves these unfortunate people, will His love to the fortunate ones less?

• God loves the righteous and frustrates the wicked (vv. 8c, 9c). Are the unfortunate people always righteous? Are the wicked always fortunate? And what are the roles of the princes? (v. 3a). Are these princes righteous or wicked? Are these princes, like God, love the marginalized? It is not easy to find the answers for all of the questions above. In fact, there are more fundamental questions as we dig the chapter deeper.

• Psalm 146 begins and ends with an invitation to praise God (vv. 1-2, 10). How should we praise Him? The Psalmist seemed to do what we now understand as 'self-talk' (v. 1). The Psalmist said to his own soul: 'Praise the Lord.' Such an inner self-talk may not be too popular in communication theories. However, the self-communication between the Psalmist and his own soul carries a very significant message to us. Many times we praise God because others (e.g. worship leaders in the church) invite us to join them in praising Him. In other times we may praise God because we see and experience the wonder of His works. Seldom, however, we praise God voluntarily in time of pain and hardship. In those difficult situation, often we find no ground for praising God - it is for us even not unnatural to blame on and to condemn Him as the cause of all difficulties so to speak.

• Psalm 146 was written not in an ideal phase of life. The Psalmist seemed to identify himself as someone who is oppressed, hungry, a prisoner, blind, bowed down, an alien, fatherless and widow. In those uneasy circumstances, when there is no virtual foundation to praise God, the Psalmist did a self-talk. He encouraged and motivated his own soul to praise the Lord. Though his mouth might not be powerful enough to sing praises, the Psalmist said to his soul to continue in offering praises to God. The inner praises from the heart are often more sincere, honest, frank and powerful. Such a praise pictures our whole being nakedly before God.

• This self-talk factually illustrates two related truths. First, God is worthy to be praised because of who He is and what He has been doing in relation to His own creation. All praises belong to Him alone. The Psalmist knew that human (even worst) condition does not change this truth. Worshiping God is therefore creatures' main and core responsibility towards their wonderful Creator. Second, the Psalmist showed his strong commitment to worship God regardless of his unfortunate situation. When the body said 'No,' and when the external circumstances seemed to be less supportive, the Psalmist commanded his soul to continue praising to the Lord as long as he lives: what a strong commitment!

• The self-talk is continued with a warning not to trust in princes and mortal men (v. 3). The point of this warning is not on human powerlessness and disability. Indeed, a prince was an able and powerful figure with authority. The word 'prince' in Psalm 146 does not represent a negative figure. The Psalmist, however, wanted to make it clear that even a powerful prince is a mortal human being. Human being regardless how strong, how rich, how powerful, how beautiful, and how good they are are mortal and limited. When death comes, all plans (even the most beautiful plans of the most powerful prince) come to nothing (v. 4). In contrast, God reigns forever for all generations (v. 10). God is eternal, while human being is mortal. This contrast tells us that in all circumstances we need to trust our very lives only in God (v. 5-6).

• Only when we trust in the Lord, comes the blessed and meaningful life, because God is all powerful and faithful (vv. 5-6). Power is worst in the hand of the wicked, but amazingly beautiful in the hand of the faithful God. The Lord is powerful and wonderful in creating the universe. God is amazingly great and wonderfully awesome, yet at the same time, He remains faithful to us. The great and mighty God is not far from the least of us.

• The messages of verses 7-9 are therefore: It is better to be oppressed when God is there rather than being free but without God; It is better to be hungry when God is there rather than being satisfied but without God; It is better to be a prisoner when God is there rather than enjoying freedom but without God; It is better to be blind when God is there rather than being able to see but without God; It is better to be bowed down when God is there rather than being lifted up but without God; It is better to be an alien when God is there rather than being a citizen but without God; And it is better to be fatherless and widow when God is there rather than having father and spouse but without God. What a powerful Psalm!

• Does this mean that God is glorifying marginality in Psalm 146? Does God glorify oppression, hunger, blindness, injustice, poverty, discrimination, etc.? The answer is a complete 'No.' There are two different qualities unrelated to the social marginality mentioned in verses 7-9. They are righteousness (v. 8c) and wickedness (v. 9c). The point of this chapter becomes now even clearer: Blessed are the righteous, even though they are oppressed, hungry, prisoners, blind, bowed down, alien, fatherless and widow; On the other hand, God's blessing is far away from the wicked, even if they are not oppressed, not hungry, not blind, not in the prison, not bowed down, not alien, not fatherless, and not widow.

• It is misleading to claim that God's love to the unfortunate people equals to the glorification of marginality. In fact, God is the agent of transformation. God transforms the situation (vv. 7-9). When God is there, positive transformation is happening, even if we do not see it is happening. It is not a mistake to say that pain often blinds us to see God's transforming power in or lives. God does not promise us to be good - always, but to be better - always.

• Brothers and sisters, I invite you to thank God for these principles: (1) God is worthy of our praise; Praise and worship belong to Him alone. (2) Our first core responsibility as believers therefore is to praise God regardless of how painful our situation is. (3) Subsequently, our second core responsibility as believers is to stay righteous before God, men and women, and again regardless of how painful our situation is. (4) When pain comes to our very lives, remember that God is wonderful and faithful. God is transforming our lives. He recreating and installing a more meaningful life in us (my free interpretation on 2 Cor 4. 16). (5) When pain comes, trust only in the Lord, since He is the only eternal, powerful and at the same time faithful God. (6) And we understand from Psalm 146 that when there is no external reason to praise the Lord, do a self-talk like what the Psalmist did: 'Praise the Lord oh my soul; I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live' (Ps. 146.1-2). That commitment justifies us as the righteous ones.