33
📚Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous;
for praise 📖 is fitting
for the upright.
2 📚Praise the LORD with a harp.
Sing to him with the lyre,
an instrument of ten strings.
3 📚Sing to him a new song.
Play skillfully with a shout
of joy.
4 📚For the word of the LORD
is right,
and all his works are done
in truth.
5 📚He loves righteousness
and justice.
The earth is full of the goodness
of the LORD.
6 📚By the word of the LORD
the heavens were made,
and all the host of them by the breath
of his mouth.
33:6 There is more truth in this one verse concerning the origin of the universe than in all the speculations of scientists and philosophers combined. See Ps 148:5; Gen 1:1; Isa 40:25-26; John 1:1-2; Heb 11:3.⚜
7 📚He gathers the waters of the sea
together as a heap.
He lays up the depth in storehouses.
33:4-7 Here are further reasons why the righteous should praise God – His word and faithfulness, His righteousness and justice, His grace, His power exercised in marvelous and beautiful works. Another reason is seen in vs 10,11 – His ability to accomplish all His purposes and plans.⚜
8 📚Let all the earth fear the LORD.
Let all the inhabitants
of the world stand
in awe of him.
9 📚For he spoke and it was done;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 📚The LORD brings the counsel
of the nations to nothing.
He makes the plans of the people
of no effect.
11 📚The counsel of the LORD
stands forever,
the thoughts of his heart
to all generations.
33:8-11 The unsaved cannot properly praise God but they should learn to fear Him. He is the mighty Creator. He overthrows the plans of earthlings and fulfills His eternal plan (Ps 2:4-6; Prov 19:21; Isa 8:10; 14:24; 19:3; Acts 2:23; Rom 11:33-36).⚜
12 📚Blessed is the nation
whose God is the LORD,
and the people whom
he has chosen as
his own inheritance.
13 📚The LORD looks from heaven;
he sees all the sons of men.
14 📚From his dwelling place
he looks on all the inhabitants
of the earth.
15 📚He forms their hearts
together;
he considers all their deeds.
16 📚No king is saved by the multitude
of an army;
a mighty man is not delivered
by much strength.
17 📚A horse is a vain thing
for safety;
and it cannot deliver anyone
by its great strength.
18 📚See, the eye of the LORD is
on those who fear him,
on those who hope in his mercy,
19 📚To deliver their soul
from death,
and to keep them alive
in famine.
33:12-19 To accomplish His plans and purposes in the earth God chose the nation Israel and watches all peoples everywhere. He knows all that is going on, and nothing will take Him by surprise. Armies march, horses rush to battle, warriors test their strength, but God alone determines the outcome. God will arrange all things for His glory and the good of the righteous (2 Chron 16:9; Rom 8:28).⚜
33:19 Observe the sort of people God keeps in time of famine. See also Ps 37:19.⚜
20 📚Our soul waits for the LORD.
He is our help
and our shield.
21 📚For our heart will rejoice
in him,
because we have trusted
in his holy name.
22 📚Let your mercy,
O LORD, be on us,
just as we hope in you.
33:20-22 This is the only proper attitude of heart, the only way to have peace of mind in a raging, rebellious, ruined world. “Our soul waits”, “we have trusted”, “we hope” (“hope” here does not imply uncertainty but confident expectation). And this attitude brings safety and joy.⚜