Articles
Do Not Trust in Princes
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It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes. (Psa. 118:9 )
Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help. (Psa. 146:3)
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Our nation is currently being torn apart by partisan bickering, much of it centered on who will be our next President. Half the population believes that we are recovering from a corrupt administration riddled with illegalities and incompetence. The other half is convinced that we are descending into a nightmare that threatens the very existence of our nation. In the midst of this deep divide, nobody seems to be asking the most significant question of all: Why is it that 300 million people are looking to one man to solve all our problems and make us all happy?
No president, no king, no prime minister--however decent and well-respected--can supply the needs of an entire nation. Leaders can set a personal example for good or ill, and maybe influence a few policy decisions that move the national needle slightly one direction or another. But leaders do not have a magic wand that can make all our problems go away. The real source of our societal ailments and cures is found in our own character as a people; and that character is tied directly to how we view God.
These two psalms remind us that putting our trust in human rulers to answer the pressing issues of our lives is a fool's errand. Only God can fill that role. "The Lord is my strength and song, and He has become my salvation" (118:14). "Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God" (146:5). The authors of these psalms knew that earthly rulers come and go, but God is the only constant--and a reliable one at that. He alone deserves our total confidence.
Until we can look past the pettiness of our current political turmoil to the King who rules over all the universe, we will never find the peace of mind that we need to guide us through the chaos of regime change.
Regardless of who our next President is, put your trust in God and you can sleep comfortably at night.
--David
