Better than trusting in princes

This verse from today’s Responsorial Psalm (118:1 &8-9, 19-21, 25-27a) sounds lovely but out of date.

It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.

Very few of us have any involvement with princes nowadays. Not many countries in today’s world have princes and very, very few princes have any power at all.

However, when we understand the word “princes” as meaning “people with power”, then we understand that the world is full of princes, even though they are rarely called such, and that many of us trust in them.

We trust in our government leaders, we trust in journalists and commentators, we trust in academicians and scientists, we trust in leaders of corporations and of nonprofit organizations.

These are the princes of today's world.

Certainly we need to work within a world of powerful people, make discerning decisions and take prudent actions, but we also need to remember

It is better to take refuge in the LORD
than to trust in princes.