John Gill Commentary Psalms 118:9

"It is better to take refuge in Jehovah Than to put confidence in princes." — Psalms 118:9 (ASV)

[It is] better to trust in the Lord
The Targum is, ``in the Word of the Lord.'' This is repeated for the sake of what follows:

than to put confidence in princes ;
who have greater ability to help, and whose honour should engage them to keep their word; and yet it is better to trust in the Lord than in them; see (Psalms 146:3) .

Two different words being used in this verse and (Psalms 118:8) ; for trust and confidence, Jarchi has observed, that the one signifies a lesser, the other a stronger confidence; as if the sense was this, "It is better lightly to trust in the Lord than to put the strongest confidence in men and princes." But the observation is scarcely solid enough.