Psalms 33

¹Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

²Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.

³Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

Psa 33:1-22. A call to lively and joyous praise to God for His glorious attributes and works, as displayed in creation, and His general and special providence, in view of which, the Psalmist, for all the pious, professes trust and joy and invokes God’s mercy. 1-3. The sentiment falls in with Psa 32:11 (compare 1Co 14:15). The instruments (Psa 92:3; 144:9) do not exclude the voice.

⁴For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.

⁵He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

⁶By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.

⁷He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.

⁸Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

⁹For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.

4-9. Reasons for praise: first, God’s truth, faithfulness, and mercy, generally; then, His creative power which all must honor.

¹⁰The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

¹¹The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

10-11. In God’s providence He thwarts men’s purposes and executes His own. heathen--literally, “nations.”

¹²Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

¹³The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

¹⁴From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.

¹⁵He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.

¹⁶There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.

¹⁷An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.

¹⁸Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;

¹⁹To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.

12-19. The inference from the foregoing in Psa 33:12 is illustrated by God’s special providence, underlying which is His minute knowledge of all men.

²⁰Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.

²¹For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

²²Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

20-22. waiteth--in earnest expectation.