Where Does Your Help Come From?
November 02, 2021
Where Does Your Help Come From?
By Brooke Holt
“Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, who keeps faith forever; who executes justice for the oppressed, who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free; the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked his brings to ruin. The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, to all generations. Praise the Lord!” – Psalm 146:5–10
Sometimes people talk about God as if he were two different people: “the God of the Old Testament” and “the God of the New Testament.” Those who espouse this strange theology consider the God of the Old Testament as the God of law and wrath, while the God of the New Testament is a God of grace and salvation. While there are many attributes of God: sovereignty, power, wisdom, holiness, glory, etc., there is no distinction in his being. He is eternal and unchanging. As the writer of Hebrews states, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Rather than two separate stories, the Old Testament and New Testament are parts of the same grand narrative. The prophetic writing in the Old Testament points to the New Testament accounts of Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah.
In this portion of Psalm 146, the writer draws together the attributes of God. He is the creator of all that is, he is the immutable one meaning that he never changes, he is the God of justice who looks out for his people, and he is the God of perfect provision. He sets prisoners free, opens the eyes of the blind, lifts up those who are bowed down, watches over the sojourners, and upholds the widow and the fatherless. No matter what you are experiencing, the Lord sees you, knows you, and cares for you.
The words of the psalmist point to the work of Jesus Christ and closely resemble the words of Isaiah 61 that prophesied the coming Messiah. Think of the blind eyes Jesus opened and the paralyzed bodies he healed (Luke 13:11–13; 18:42). Recall the widow Jesus served when he brought her son back to life (Luke 7:11–14). Jesus demonstrated power, compassion, justice, and concern for his people. He healed the sick, raised the dead, fed the multitudes, and disrupted the social order by knocking over tables and driving out money changers from the temple (Luke 19:46). Jesus cared for his people.
Jesus made all things new. Jesus still makes all things new! He is the same yesterday, today, and forever and is perfectly trustworthy and true. He will be your salvation, your help in trouble, your hope, and your perfect provider. Are you looking to him, trusting in him, and allowing him to do his mighty work in you and then through you? It begins with praise. As the psalmist began this psalm, so he will end: “Praise the Lord!”
Reflection:
How does this all-knowing, all-powerful God want to minister to you today? Will you bring your needs, hurts, and fears to the one who sees you, knows you, and loves with you a steadfast and perfect love? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Related Resource:
Why is trust so difficult? Unlike all the broken promises of this world, God’s redeeming promises are absolute, trustworthy, and true. The covenants of God afford us with abundant reasons to trust God with his plan for our lives. Trusting God: Redeeming Promises of the Word small group Bible study explores the six major redeeming promises of God found in his Word. Learn more about God’s commitment to his people, the nature of a covenant, and how you can find your security in being a child of God’s redeeming promises. Learn more about God’s promises today.
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