Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 146:6
Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein [is]: which keepeth truth forever:
6. The omnipotence and faithfulness of Jehovah are contrasted with the frailty and transitoriness of man ( Psa 146:3-4). For similar references to the power of Jehovah manifested in creation as a ground for trusting Him see Psa 121:2; Psa 124:8; cp. Neh 9:6; Act 4:24.
all that in them is ] In heaven and earth and sea; all being wherever found. Cp. Exo 20:11.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Which made heaven and earth … – Who is the true God, the Creator of all things. Happy is he who can address the God who called all this wondrous universe into being, and who sustains all by his power, as his God.
Which keepeth truth for ever – Who is always true to his promises. In this verse there are two reasons given why the lot of the people of God would be a happy one:
(1) That Yahweh is the true God, the Creator of all things, and, therefore, able to protect and provide for them.
(2) That he is faithful, and may always be relied on.
Idol-gods have no power, and every reliance placed on them is a vain reliance; people are often false and cannot be trusted, but Yahweh has infinite power, and every promise that he makes will be fulfilled; all that he says is eternally and unchangeably true. The reasons for trusting in him, or the reasons why they who trust in him are happy, are further stated in the following verses.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 146:6
Which keepeth truth for ever.
Truth as an attribute of God
He keepeth truth for ever–
I. In nature (Psa 19:1-14.; Job 37:1-24.).
II. In the region of moral being and life. He keepeth the truth of them for ever. In all ages, in all worlds, these impalpable things, truth, honour, purity, righteousness, charity, are one and are the same. He who has learnt to love them here has eternal kindred; he who has knit his soul to them here has eternal communion; he who has dared to die for them here has eternal renown. The Greek sage was right. The sisters of the unseen realities, which have the rule of us here, await us behind the veil. In vain shall we betray them here, if they affront us there with their retributions, and exact their penalties through eternity. If truth, honour, duty, be transitory and mundane things, the temptation is terrible to shirk them. They cost much, and to him who holds them in slight honour they bring slight rewards. But if He keepeth their truth for ever; if He who is eternal lives by them, works by them, and will so live and work for ever, it lends an awful force to the man who is ready on earth to live for them and die for them; and it blasts with an awful eternal desolation the life which dishonours them and treads them in the dust.
III. In the covenant of redemption.
I. The truth of reconciliation. He declares that He is absolutely reconciled to us in Christ Jesus. That truth He keepeth for ever. Meet Him in Christ. Your sin has for ever vanished from before His face. Your soul is for ever under the heaven of His smiles (Col 1:19; Rom 5:1-11; Eph 1:3-12; Gal 3:21; Gal 4:7). That truth He keepeth for ever.
2. The truth of regeneration (Gal 4:4-5). If your life is built on this rock, Gods calling of you as a son in Christ, if your hope is rested in this sovereign purpose of the Lord God Almighty, to present you complete in Christ in the day of the manifestation of the Son of God, then there is nothing in the universe which is stronger; nothing on earth, heaven or hell, nothing out of yourself can tear you away. And this is the end which God is pursuing through the whole of your discipline (Heb 12:1-12). He keeps the truth of this purpose for ever. To bring out the filial character, to enable you to comprehend His paternal character, is the great end of all you are called to endure.
3. The truth of His covenant engagement concerning man and the universe with His Son. We have His purpose and His love to trust to; but both grounds of assurance assume their strongest form and convey the surest hope when we contemplate the covenant which was established with the God-man when He finished the work which the Father had given Him to do. We are ever haunted in our endeavours to realize Gods faithfulness by the thought of our own unfaithfulness, our utter unworthiness of such fidelity, such love. That we may have strong assurance God established His covenant with us as a covenant with the God-man, the well-beloved Son. Not what we are before the Father but what He is, our advocate, representative, and living head, is then the question. The building up of the spiritual universe under Him as its head, the redemption of the creature, all created things from the bondage of corruption, the realization of the ideal beauty, purity, and splendour, which has haunted like a dim dream in all ages the imagination of mankind, the completion of the New Jerusalem, the filling up of the muster-roll of its citizens, the gathering of the crowned victors of the spiritual battle around the throne of the Captain, to shine and reign with Him in the palaces of eternity,–these are assured to Christ by the terms of the everlasting covenant. And these the God who keepeth truth for ever will evermore secure. (J. B. Brown, B. A.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Both because he liveth for ever to fulfil his promises, and because he is eternally and unchangeably faithful.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Which made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that therein [is],…. This and the following verses are a description of that divine Person, even Christ, who is the help and hope of his people; and every character of him is a reason for faith and hope in him; all things are made by him, which are in the whole compass of creation, the heaven, earth, and sea, and all in them; the fowls of the airy heaven; the sun, moon, and stars, the hosts of the starry heavens; and the angels, the inhabitants of the third heaven; the beasts of the field, and cattle of a thousand hills; and man, the chief of God’s works on earth; and the innumerable fishes of the sea, great and small; and he that made all these, what is it he cannot do? he must be the mighty God, and a mighty Saviour, and the proper object of trust and hope; see Joh 1:1;
which keepeth truth for ever; the truth of doctrine, who as Mediator is full of it, and by whom it came; and, as the Prophet of the church, concealed it not, from the great congregation, the law of truth being in his lips, as the antitype of Levi; the truth of the promises, which are all yea and amen in him; every promise being made to him, and being in him, as the promise of eternal life, with all others, which are safely kept by him, and he will see them performed; the truth of all his engagements with his Father, as the surety of his people; to take their nature, obey, suffer, and die for them, which he has truly and punctually made good, being faithful to him that appointed him; and the truth of all his sayings, concerning his presence with his church and ministers unto the end of the world, and of whatsoever should befall them, from his resurrection and ascension to his second coming.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
6. Who made heaven, etc. By all these epithets he confirms the truth previously stated. For though at first sight it may seem inappropriate to speak of the Creation, the power of God bears most pertinently upon his helping us whenever danger is near. We know how easily Satan tempts to distrust, and we are thrown into a state of trembling agitation by the slightest causes. Now, if we reflect that God is the Maker of heaven and earth, we will reasonably give him the honor of having the government of the world which he created in his hands and power. There is in this first ascription, then, a commendation of his power, which should swallow up all our fears. As it is not enough that God is merely able to help us, but as a promise is farther necessary, to the effect that he is willing and shall do it, David next declares that he is faithful and true, that, on discovering his willingness, no room may be left for hesitation.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(6) Truth.Or, faithfulness. The connection of this feature of the Divine character with the creative act is worthy of notice. That act alone was for the universe a promise and pledge, just as the covenant was a peculiar promise to Israel. Tennyson has put the same thought into verse:
Thou madest man, he knows not why;
He thinks he was not made to die;
And Thou hast made him: Thou art just.
In Memoriam.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 146:6 Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein [is]: which keepeth truth for ever:
Ver. 6. Which made heaven, and earth, &c. ] And, therefore, can help, doubtless.
Which keepeth truth for ever
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
made heaven, and earth. Another reference to Genesis 1. Compare Psa 146:4. See notes on Gen 14:19 and Deu 4:26.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
made heaven: Psa 33:6, Psa 136:5, Psa 136:6, Psa 148:5, Psa 148:6, Gen 1:1, Jer 10:11, Jer 10:12, Jer 32:17, Joh 1:3, Col 1:16, Rev 14:7
the sea: Psa 95:5, Exo 20:11, Job 38:8-11, Pro 8:28, Pro 8:29
keepeth truth: Psa 89:2, Psa 89:33, Psa 98:3, Psa 100:5, Deu 7:9, Dan 9:4, Mic 7:20, Joh 10:34, Tit 1:2, Heb 6:18
Reciprocal: Gen 2:1 – Thus Exo 34:6 – truth Deu 32:4 – a God 2Ki 18:5 – trusted 2Ki 19:15 – thou hast made 1Ch 5:20 – And they 2Ch 2:12 – that made heaven Neh 9:6 – thou hast Est 8:11 – to destroy Job 37:23 – excellent Psa 9:10 – put Psa 79:11 – according Psa 84:12 – blessed Psa 90:2 – or ever Psa 91:9 – Because Psa 115:9 – trust Psa 115:15 – made Psa 121:2 – My help Psa 124:8 – General Psa 132:2 – the mighty Psa 134:3 – Lord Isa 37:16 – thou hast Jer 10:10 – true God Jer 27:5 – made Jer 51:15 – hath made Lam 3:23 – great Dan 3:28 – that trusted Jon 1:9 – which Act 7:50 – General Act 14:15 – which Rom 4:6 – blessedness 1Th 5:24 – Faithful Heb 6:19 – both 1Pe 4:19 – a faithful
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
146:6 Which made {d} heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein [is]: which keepeth truth for ever:
(d) He encourages the godly to trust only in the Lord, both in his power’s ability to deliver them from all danger, and for his promise sake, as his will is most ready to do it.