Psalm 146:1-10 Whose Plans
Our author is reminding us of the fact that God is eternal. Man’s plans end with his life but God’s plans are forever. Whose plans do you want to align with?
While I was reading one section really stuck out to me. “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish” (verses 3-4). I’m quite certain the Pharisees and Sadducees were banking on this promise when they decided to kill Jesus.
Not every plan that is birthed by one man dies with him. If others have taken it up as their own the dream goes on. One example of this are David’s dream to build a House for the Lord. He passed his dream onto Solomon. David even provided MUCH of the building materials that would be used in the construction. A modern day example of this is St. Jude Hospital for Children. It was a dream of Danny Thomas to create a place to treat childhood cancer for ANY child, without cost. Others joined him in that dream and it has survived his death.
The Pharisees believed that once they killed Jesus, His plans would end. They weren’t even looking at the possibility of someone else taking them up. They probably figured that by killing Him in the manner they did, that His followers would all be too afraid to continue on His cause.
When Jesus died the Pharisees breathed a sigh of relief. But some of them remembered something Jesus had said. “In three days I will rise again.” Now who would believe that! BUT His disciples could make it appear as if it happened. So to FULLY put Jesus’ plan ‘in the grave’ they set a watch. This was supposed to finish things once and for all.
The problem comes from ONE word in this psalm. The word is “a”. “Put not your trust in… a son of man…” Jesus wasn’t “a” son of man. He was “THE” Son of man in whom there IS salvation. The best part about this psalm is that God’s Spirit helped write it and disguise Jesus work while putting Him right under their noses.
There would be ONE specific Son of man who would bring salvation. This psalm DOES NOT say not to trust that Son. For His plans blossomed with His death. Why? Because He didn’t STAY dead. He rose again and breathed even more life into His plans. He conquered death for ALL who believe in Him.
Our psalmist knows that God’s plans will NEVER die or end. That’s cause to sing and reason to break out in praise! God’s plans include the orphan, the widow, the down trodden, the foreigner, the prisoner, and the broken hearted. They also include the strong, the princes, the Jew and the Gentile. Some of us He has to ‘rub a few prickles off’ before we are ready to trust Him. He can even rub the ‘prickles’ off of the proud heart. He calls to ALL men to Himself for He has plans for EACH of us. All who come to Him are welcome to partake in His plans.
Those who refuse Him wind up partaking in His plan too, but they WON’T like the part they get. There is ruin and destruction in their path. NOT that God wants that for them but that by refusing Him they are choosing that path.
So let me ask you, what part of God’s plan do you want in your life? Do you want the one that promises salvation or the one filled with destruction? It’s your choice. Choose Jesus, choose salvation. Reject Jesus, receive destruction. It’s that simple.
The ONLY one whose Own plans didn’t end with His death. Because death did not end Him. The Son of man was/is the Son of God. His death bought our freedom. His death gave me LIFE!
Thank You Father that You plans CANNOT be stopped. Satan is powerless to change or even challenge You plans. Your plans for him are already set in stone. I wonder why he even tries.
Thank You Father that I am part of Your plans. You have a plan for my life and it includes living with You for all eternity. That ALONE is worth every obstacle I have to climb on the way there. But wait, there’s more! Each day brings me to a new facet of Your plan for my life. I don’t always get it right but I KNOW I won’t get lost along the way because You walk beside me and direct my steps. Even when I ‘get out of step’ You don’t abandon me. You ‘adjust my course’ and get me headed right back to where I am supposed to be. You don’t let me run ashore. Thank You Father for being my Lighthouse AND Traveling Companion. I know Whose plans I want to live by!
