lectionary.com

Trinity/After Pentecost · The Twelfth Sunday after Trinity

Psalm 146

Praise the Lord, O My Soul

August 23, 2026

The Seven Works of Mercy: Feeding the Hungry, Master of Alkmaar
The Seven Works of Mercy: Feeding the Hungry, Master of Alkmaar, 1504Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Seven panels made for a church in Alkmaar, each showing one work of mercy performed in a Dutch street, with Christ standing unnoticed among the bystanders in every one.The psalm's God feeds the hungry, frees the prisoner and lifts the bowed down, and these panels show who is expected to do it.Master of AlkmaarAn unidentified painter working in the northern Netherlands around 1500, named after this altarpiece. Several candidates have been proposed and none has stuck.Rijksmuseum, AmsterdamThe Netherlands' national museum, built around the Dutch Golden Age and reopened in 2013 after a ten-year rebuilding.Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam
Historic One-Year Lectionary
GospelMark 7:31-37Mk 7:31-37
Epistle2 Cor. 3:4-112 Cor 3:4-11Alt. EpistleRom. 10:9-17Rom 10:9-17
Old TestamentIsa. 29:17-24Is 29:17-24
PsalterPs. 146Ps 146

Overview & Insights

“The Lord executes justice for the oppressed, and gives food to the hungry.” (Psalm 146:7)

The liturgical nature of this hymn is apparent from the combination of commands addressed to a group (vv. 1a, 3, 10b), namely Zion personified (v. 10), and the testimony of a liturgist (“I” in v. 2). Thus the psalm opens with a call to praise (v. 1a), followed by the liturgist’s proclamation of praise (vv. 1b–2) and his instruction to the congregation (vv. 3–9), particularly in the form of a blessing (v. 5) and praises to Yahweh (vv. 6–9). It then closes with a summary addressed to Zion and a concluding call to praise (v. 10).

From Sermons.com: Join Today to access the most scholarly & well written preaching resources anywhere.

Take it further: Psalm 146

Commentary

Enduring Word Bible Commentary Psalm 146Enduring Word Bible Commentary Ps 146 Enduring Word · David Guzik

David Guzik's verse by verse evangelical commentary on the praise of the God who helps the helpless.

Psalm 146:1 CommentariesPs 146:1 Commentaries BibleHub

Aggregates classic commentators on the call to trust the Lord rather than princes.

Background & Word Study

Psalms 146 in HebrewPs 146 in Hebrew Sefaria

The Hebrew text with English alongside and traditional Jewish commentary links.

Psalm 146:1 Hebrew InterlinearPs 146:1 Hebrew Interlinear BibleHub

Hebrew word by word with parsing for opening the eyes of the blind and lifting the bowed down.

The Church Fathers

Commentary on Psalm 146 from the Church FathersCommentary on Ps 146 from the Church Fathers Catena

Patristic comment verse by verse on the praise of the God who executes justice for the oppressed.

Questions preachers ask

What is Psalm 146?

A hymn urging trust in the Lord rather than princes, for he made heaven and earth and keeps faith forever, lifting the bowed down and watching over the stranger, the widow, and the orphan.

Prep at sermons.com

Ready to write?

  • Full sermons on Mark 7:31-37
  • Illustrations cleared for use in worship
  • Commentary, quotes, and Bible dictionary
Open it at sermons.com →

Trusted by pastors since 1995.

Free every Tuesday

Illustrations & Sermon Prep in your inbox

The coming Sunday’s readings, a cleared-for-use illustration, and a sermon-prep head start. One email, free.