Les Psaumes 146:3 Midrash : Devarim Rabbah, Shemot Rabbah & Midrash Tehillim

This is what the verse said: “He prevents a deceitful person from reigning, from setting hindrances [mokeshei] for the people” (Job 34:30). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: If you see a deceitful and wicked man leading the generation, it would be preferable for the generation to fly in the air rather than make use of him. This expression, from setting hindrances [mokeshei] for the people means nothing other than flying, like the matter that is stated: “Will a bird fall into a trap on the ground, and there is no snare [mokesh] for it?” (Amos 3:5).
“He prevents a deceitful person from reigning…” – the Rabbis said: When kings arose over Israel and began subjugating them, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Did you not forsake Me and request a king for yourselves?’ That is, “I will install a king over me.”
This is what the verse said: “Do not trust in princes…” (Psalms 146:3). Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Anyone who places his trust in the Holy One blessed be He, merits to be comparable to Him.¹⁷People will refer to him as a Godly person. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, and the Lord is his haven” (Jeremiah 17:7). But one who places his trust in idolatry is condemned to be comparable to it. From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “Those who make them will be like them” (Psalms 115:8). The Rabbis say: Anyone who places his trust in a flesh-and-blood human, who passes away, his protection, too, passes away, as it is stated: “In man, in whom there is no salvation” (Psalms 146:3). What is written thereafter? “His spirit departs; he returns to his earth” (Psalms 146:4). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They know that a flesh-and-blood human is nothing, yet they forsake My honor and say: “Install a king for us” (I Samuel 8:5). Why do you seek a king? By your lives, ultimately you will feel what is destined to befall you under your king.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “All their kings have fallen; no one among them calls to Me” (Hosea 7:7).

Rabbi Ḥalafta said: May the name of the Holy One blessed be He be blessed, as there is nothing like His miracles and His wonders, and nothing like His might and His deeds, as it is stated: “Great is our Lord, and very powerful” (Psalms 147:5). The Holy One blessed be He is holy and pure, and extends His hand against the impure. Why? It is because He is great and awesome, and for the sake of Israel He informed [the world] of His strength. Why for the sake of Israel? It is because He said to Jacob: “I will descend with you to Egypt [and I will take you up again]” (Genesis 46:4). He wages Israel’s wars. One angel overturned Sodom, but here, “The Lord will emerge as a warrior, He will arouse jealousy” (Isaiah 42:13).

It is good to trust in God and not rely on the words of one's father or mother. Terach would observe the stars and see the fate of his son Haran, who was burned, and the fate of his son Abraham, who would fill the whole world. All the nations came to Abraham and asked, "Who are you?" He replied, "I will never abandon the God of Heaven." They immediately took him and threw him into a fiery furnace, but he did not descend with it. No city, no sanctuary, no fire, and no sword could harm him, for it was God Himself who saved him, as it is said, "I am the Lord who brought you out." Haran's heart was divided and he relied on his father's words. All the nations came to him and asked, "Who are you?" He thought to himself, "If I saw Abraham escape, I will say I am of Abraham, but if not, I will say I am of you." When he saw that Abraham had escaped, he said, "I am of Abraham." They immediately took him and threw him into the fiery furnace, but he did not have time to descend before the fire killed him. The angel took him and threw him before his father Terach, as it is said, "And Haran died before his father Terach." (Bereshit 11:28) Terach was wise and could see the fate of his son Haran, who was burned, and the fate of his son Abraham, whose name would fill the whole world. He did not know whether he would have a grandson through a man or a woman, and Sarah, the daughter of Haran, was the wife of Abraham. As it says in (Genesis 29) And Abram and Nahor took wives for themselves. Yiska was Sarah, and the whole world was filled with her influence. It is good to trust in God rather than in generous people, as David says in (Psalms 146:3) Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.