“Happy is the one whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and everything in them. He remains faithful forever, executing justice for the exploited and giving food to the hungry. The Lord frees prisoners. The Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord raises up those who are oppressed. The Lord loves the righteous. The Lord protects resident aliens and helps the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.” Psalms 146:5-9 CSB https://bible.com/bible/1713/psa.146.5-9.CSB
God is the Creator, the Sustainer, and the faithful one who never changes. This God, our God, stepped into His creation as Jesus Christ. His life perfectly fulfilled the promises of Psalm 146, though many failed to recognize Him for who He was. How tragic to live in the presence of God yet miss seeing Him! The prophets had spoken of His coming, and the works He did were unmistakable signs. Yet disbelief blinded the hearts of many. To those of us who believe, there’s a hope-filled future where we will see Jesus face-to-face and live in His eternal love and joy forever.
The psalmist highlights God’s heart for the vulnerable and oppressed, and we see Jesus embody these truths throughout His ministry. He confronted those who used religion for selfish gain, and fed multitudes with compassion. Jesus brought freedom to those oppressed by demons, opened the eyes of the blind, and gave dignity to those society cast aside. Each action was an expression of His divine love and authority, fulfilling the Scriptures that pointed to Him.
One day, what was true for the disciples will be true for us: we will eat with Jesus, listen to His voice, and bask in His presence. The God who came as our Savior will dwell among us, and this time, there will be no mistaking His glory. Until then, we hold fast to the promises of Scripture, trusting the One who remains faithful forever.
Here are examples of how Jesus fulfilled Psalm 146:
‘Giving Justice’
Cleansing the Temple: Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers and drove out those exploiting the poor in the Temple (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17).
Defending the Woman Caught in Adultery: Jesus protected a woman from being unjustly executed and exposed the hypocrisy of her accusers (John 8:3-11).
“Giving food to the hungry”
Feeding the 5,000 and the 4,000: Jesus miraculously fed large crowds with a few loaves and fish, showing compassion for their physical needs (Matthew 14:13-21, Matthew 15:32-39).
Providing for His Disciples: After His resurrection, Jesus prepared a meal of fish and bread for His disciples by the Sea of Galilee (John 21:9-13).
“The Lord frees prisoners”
Delivering Demoniacs: Jesus freed those bound by demonic oppression, such as the man possessed by a legion of demons in the region of the Gerasenes (Mark 5:1-20).
Proclaiming Freedom: Jesus declared His mission to “proclaim liberty to the captives” and set the oppressed free (Luke 4:18-19, quoting Isaiah 61).
“The Lord opens the eyes of the blind”
Healing the Man Born Blind: Jesus restored sight to a man blind from birth, a sign of His divine authority (John 9:1-7).
Healing Blind Bartimaeus: Jesus gave sight to Bartimaeus, who cried out for mercy (Mark 10:46-52).
“The Lord raises up those who are oppressed”
Healing the Woman Bent Over for 18 Years: Jesus healed a woman oppressed by a disabling spirit, restoring her dignity (Luke 13:10-13).
Advocating for the Poor and Marginalized: Jesus proclaimed blessings on the poor, mourning, and meek, offering hope to the oppressed (Matthew 5:3-5).
“The Lord loves the righteous”
Encouraging the Faithful: Jesus commended the faith of individuals like the centurion (Matthew 8:10) and the Canaanite woman (Matthew 15:28).
Fellowship with the Faithful: Jesus regularly spent time with His disciples and others who sought righteousness, nurturing their growth (Luke 10:38-42).
“The Lord protects resident aliens and helps the fatherless and the widow”
Ministering to Samaritans: Jesus welcomed and ministered to Samaritans, considered outsiders by the Jews (John 4:4-26).
Raising the Widow’s Son: Jesus restored life to a widow’s only son in Nain, relieving her of her vulnerable status (Luke 7:11-15).
Welcoming Gentiles: Jesus healed and praised the faith of Gentiles, including the Roman centurion’s servant and the Syrophoenician woman’s daughter (Matthew 8:5-13, Matthew 15:21-28).
“He frustrates the ways of the wicked”
Exposing Religious Hypocrisy: Jesus publicly denounced the scribes and Pharisees for their self-righteousness and injustice (Matthew 23:1-36).
Defeating Evil Powers: Through His death and resurrection, Jesus triumphed over sin, death, and Satan (Colossians 2:15, Hebrews 2:14).
