No Saviors on the Ballot: A Psalm's Take on Power

Today I read Psalm 146, and one line caught my attention: "Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save." It’s a strong statement, especially in a time when trust in leadership seems more complicated than ever. Governments, institutions, and public figures carry enormous influence, and yet here’s this ancient line advising skepticism toward all of them.

Exit Strategy: Leaders Come and Go

It’s not a subtle suggestion. The psalm goes on to say that when a leader dies, their plans die with them. That feels familiar. Leaders come and go, policies shift, and long-term visions get abandoned or reversed. The instability isn’t new, apparently—it was part of life thousands of years ago, too.

Not About the Bad Apples

What’s interesting is that this warning doesn’t point to a particular corrupt leader or flawed system. It’s more general, more human. Mortality itself is the issue. Even the most well-meaning, competent people can’t offer permanence. They leave. They fail. They change. That’s not cynicism; it’s realism.

The Opposite of a Campaign Promise

In contrast, the psalm shifts attention to something lasting. It describes a force or presence that "remains faithful forever," that supports the oppressed, feeds the hungry, frees prisoners. Whether or not one shares the religious framework, there’s a clear ethical thrust here: care for the vulnerable, justice for the marginalized, consistency over charisma.

Hope With a User Manual

Reading this as someone not inside a faith tradition, I still find the contrast thought-provoking. The idea isn’t to abandon civic responsibility or disengage from public life. But maybe it’s a call to be cautious about where we place our deepest hopes. Are we looking for too much in political figures? Are we expecting them to fix what can’t be fixed by institutions alone?

Managing Expectations Like a Psalmist

The psalm doesn’t argue for apathy—it argues for grounded expectations. That feels oddly contemporary. In an age of personality-driven politics, we still long for saviors. But this ancient text reminds me that no leader, however compelling, can carry that weight indefinitely.

Values That Outlast a News Cycle

So what do we do with that? The psalm seems to suggest aligning with values that outlast individuals: justice, mercy, reliability. Maybe it’s less about who’s in power and more about what we do when power changes hands.

There’s something steadying in that idea. Not because it offers easy answers, but because it shifts the focus. From trusting individuals to trusting principles. From waiting for a perfect leader to participating in imperfect but meaningful ways.

That’s not always comforting. But it does feel honest.