SQL is often a complicated piece of code by itself, so you may wish put it inside a "here doc." This will help you read it wherever it appears and test it by itself via a command-line or gui client.
$sql = <<<SQL
SELECT a.foo, b.bar, c.baz
FROM
table_a a
LEFT JOIN
table_b b
ON (
a.a_id = b.a_id
)
JOIN
table_c c
ON (
b.c_id = c.c_id
)
WHERE c.name = $1
SQL;