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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The verse isn't just warning against trusting powerful people; it's highlighting their fundamental flaw as "sons of man." This phrase connects them to humanity's inherent fragility and mortality, meaning their strength is temporary and ultimately insufficient for true salvation. Their "thoughts" and plans are destined to vanish with their fleeting breath.
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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This psalm opens with a call to praise God, but then pivots to a crucial warning: don't put your faith in powerful people like princes or even ordinary humans, because they are fragile and ultimately unable to save. The verses immediately following will contrast this human frailty with God's eternal power and faithfulness, highlighting Him as the only true source of hope and security.
Why does the Psalmist warn so strongly against trusting princes and 'sons of man'? It's not just about bad leaders, but something far more fundamental about human limitations.
This verse cuts through our natural tendency to look to powerful people for security and solutions. The 'princes' here represent any human authority – kings, presidents, leaders, or even influential figures. The 'son of man' is a broader term, referring to any human being.
Why the warning?
We often look to human systems, leaders, or even our own abilities for security. What are the hidden traps of placing our ultimate hope in these things?
The temptation to trust in princes and 'sons of man' is strong because human power and influence tangible and effective. However, the psalm warns against this for several reasons:
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The Illusion of Control
The Spiritual Void
Understand the original words
nadib · Hebrew Noun
A person of noble status, a leader, or a ruler. The term emphasizes the limitations and mortality of human authority compared to divine sovereignty.
ben adam · Hebrew Noun phrase
The standard Hebrew expression for a human being, emphasizing mortality, frailty, and earthliness, especially in contrast to the eternal and sovereign God.
teshuah · Hebrew Noun
Deliverance, victory, or rescue. In a biblical context, it refers primarily to God's act of saving His people from their enemies, sin, or death, acknowledging that true rescue cannot come from human effort.
ruach · Hebrew Noun
The vital spirit or breath of life given by God. When it departs, biological life ceases, signaling the dependence of all living creatures on God's sustaining power.
This psalm was likely written during or after the Babylonian exile, a period where the people of Israel faced the consequences of misplaced trust in human rulers and foreign alliances. The return from exile, though a divine deliverance, was fraught with difficulties, making the warning against trusting princes and 'sons of man' particularly poignant.
c. 7th century BC
Foreign Alliances Advocated
Some factions within Jerusalem and Judah advocated for alliances with foreign powers like Egypt for protection, rather than relying solely on God.
c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon deports Israelites, including nobility and skilled workers, to Babylon. This event significantly weakens Judah.
c. 597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of deportations occurs, further reducing Jerusalem's strength and likely increasing despair and reliance on human solutions.
c. 586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Babylonians destroy Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population. This catastrophic event underscores the failure of human leadership and alliances.
c. 539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian king Cyrus the Great conquers Babylon, and later issues a decree allowing exiled peoples, including the Jews, to return to their homelands.
c. 520 BC— this verse
Return from Exile and Temple Rebuilding
Exiled Jews return to Jerusalem, facing immense challenges and opposition. Hopes for restoration are high, but the process is slow and arduous, testing their faith.
This passage echoes Psalm 146:3 by directly stating the curse upon those who trust in humans and rely on their own strength, highlighting the spiritual danger of misplaced trust.
Psalm 118:8This verse, which is directly alluded to in Psalm 146:3, explicitly states that it is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man, reinforcing the central theme of the Psalm.
Isaiah 2:22This verse provides a strong parallel by commanding to cease putting confidence in humankind, emphasizing their 'breath in their nostrils' as a reason for their insignificance, much like the 'son of man' in Psalm 146.
Proverbs 3:5This proverb offers the positive counterpart to Psalm 146:3, encouraging believers to lean on the Lord with all their heart rather than relying on their own understanding or human strength.
ellicottPsalms 146:3: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help."
(3, 4) Princes— The thought of Psalm 118:8-9 is here elaborated, with distinct allusion to Genesis 2:7 ; Genesis 3:19 (Comp. 1 Maccabees 2:63 .) The verse, no doubt, was in Shakespeare’s mind when he made Wolsey say: “Oh, how wretched Is that poor man that hangs on princes’ favours!” as it was quoted by Strafford when the news reached him that Charles I. had given the royal assent to the bill of atta…
clarkePsalms 146:3: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help."
Put not your trust in princes - This may refer, as has been stated above, to Cyrus, who had revoked his edict for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Perhaps they had begun to suppose that they were about to owe their deliverance to the Persian king. God permitted this change in the disposition of the king, to teach them the vanity of confidence in men, and the necessity of trusting in himself.
The verse isn't just warning against trusting powerful people; it's highlighting their fundamental flaw as "sons of man." This phrase connects them to humanity's inherent fragility and mortality, meaning their strength is temporary and ultimately insufficient for true salvation. Their "thoughts" and plans are destined to vanish with their fleeting breath.
This psalm opens with a call to praise God, but then pivots to a crucial warning: don't put your faith in powerful people like princes or even ordinary humans, because they are fragile and ultimately unable to save. The verses immediately following will contrast this human frailty with God's eternal power and faithfulness, highlighting Him as the only true source of hope and security.
This psalm opens with a call to praise God, but then pivots to a crucial warning: don't put your faith in powerful people like princes or even ordinary humans, because they are fragile and ultimately unable to save. The verses immediately following will contrast this human frailty with God's eternal power and faithfulness, highlighting Him as the only true source of hope and security.
"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." — The verse isn't just warning against trusting powerful people; it's highlighting their fundamental flaw as "sons of man." This phrase connects them to humanity's inherent fragility and mortality, mea…
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Last reviewed October 2026