Psalms
Chapter 33
Divine Goodness and Providence
Rejoice in the Lord, you who are just;praise is fitting for the upright.
Give thanks to him on the harp and lyre,making melody and chanting praises.
Amid loud shouts of joy,sing to him a new song and play the ten-stringed harp.
For upright is the Lord’s word and worthy of trust is his work.
The Lord loves justice and righteousness;the earth is full of his kindness.
The heavens were created by his word,the breath of his mouth formed their starry host.
He gathered the waters of the sea into a heap and stored the deep in cellars.
Let the whole earth fear the Lord;let the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
For he spoke and so it was,he commanded, and everything stood firm.
The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and brings to nothing the peoples’ designs.
But his plan stands forever,and his heart’s design, through all generations.
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord—the people he has chosen for his inheritance.
The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole race of mortals.
From where he sits, he watches all those who dwell on the earth—
he who fashions every heart,observes all their deeds.
A king is not saved by a powerful army,nor a warrior rescued by his great strength.
Don’t think that a horse will save you;its great strength does not assure victory.
But the Lord’s eyes are upon those who fear him,upon those who trust in his loving-kindness;
to deliver them from death and preserve them from famine.
In hope, we wait for the Lord,for he is our help and our shield.
Our hearts rejoice in him,for we trust in his holy name.
O Lord, let your love rest upon us,even as our hope rests in you.
Commentaries
33
Perhaps out of fear of emotionalism, loud joy seems suspicious in religion. Yet, God gave us the power to shout just as much as to whisper. It seems that the Hebrews, at the very least, understood this. After all, the universe is his, the nations on this planet, the chosen people, and most who revere Him. Because his strength is infinite, the scope of it doesn’t limit the depth of its influence. In fact, individuals feel even more secure knowing that all of creation can be arranged easily for its ultimate well-being. It would be unnatural if such a faith did not produce a joy that expresses itself humbly yet triumphantly.
The language of this psalm may seem simple to many: Is the world truly so obedient to God’s will? It is a matter of faith. Faith doesn’t allow us to see only the rosy side through rose-colored glasses, but the view of a forest differs greatly between someone walking through the bushes and someone observing from a helicopter. Perhaps verses 6 and 9 of this psalm are reflected in the prologue to John’s Gospel. The faithful perspective of the cosmos and history is necessarily optimistic; it fosters joy and trust.
The psalm discusses foreign nations that threaten God’s people. It’s a great privilege to be part of his people!