Psalms 33

Praise to the Creator and Preserver.

1 ¹Sing for joy in the LORD, O you righteous ones; Praise is ²becoming to the upright.

2 Give thanks to the LORD with the ³lyre; Sing praises to Him with a ⁴harp of ten strings.

3 Sing to Him a ⁵new song; Play skillfully with ⁶a shout of joy.

4 For the word of the LORD ⁷is upright, And all His work is done ⁸in faithfulness.

5 He ⁹loves righteousness and justice; The ¹⁰earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.

6 By the ¹¹word of the LORD the heavens were made, And ¹²by the breath of His mouth ¹³all their host.

7 He gathers the ¹⁴waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps in storehouses.

8 Let ¹⁵all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world ¹⁶stand in awe of Him.

9 For ¹⁷He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

10 The LORD ¹⁸nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

11 The ¹⁹counsel of the LORD stands forever, The ²⁰plans of His heart from generation to generation.

12 Blessed is the ²¹nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has ²²chosen for His own inheritance.

13 The LORD ²³looks from heaven; He ²⁴sees all the sons of men;

14 From ²⁵His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth,

15 He who ²⁶fashions the hearts of them all, He who ²⁷understands all their works.

16 ²⁸The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength.

17 A ²⁹horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

18 Behold, ³⁰the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who ³¹hope for His lovingkindness,

19 To ³²deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive ³³in famine.

20 Our soul ³⁴waits for the LORD; He is our ³⁵help and our shield.

21 For our ³⁶heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.

22 Let Your lovingkindness, O LORD, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You.

Psalms 33 Commentary

Chapter 33

God to be praised. (1-11) His people encouraged by his power. (12-22)

Verses 1-11 Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise, and that is here pressed upon the righteous. Thankful praise is the breath and language of holy joy. Religious songs are proper expressions of thankful praise. Every endowment we possess, should be employed with all our skill and earnestness in God's service. His promises are all wise and good. His word is right, and therefore we are only in the right when we agree with it. His works are all done in truth. He is the righteous Lord, therefore loveth righteousness. What a pity it is that this earth, which is so full of the proofs and instances of God's goodness, should be so empty of his praises; and that of the multitudes who live upon his bounty, there are so few who live to his glory! What the Lord does, he does to purpose; it stands fast. He overrules all the counsels of men, and makes them serve his counsels; even that is fulfilled, which to us is most surprising, the eternal counsel of God, nor can any thing prevent its coming to pass.

Verses 12-22 All the motions and operations of the souls of men, which no mortals know but themselves, God knows better than they do. Their hearts, as well as their times, are all in his hand; he formed the spirit of each man within him. All the powers of the creature depend upon him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without him. If we make God's favour sure towards us, then we need not fear whatever is against us. We are to give to him the glory of his special grace. All human devices for the salvation of our souls are vain; but the Lord's watchful eye is over those whose conscientious fear of his name proceeds from a believing hope in his mercy. In difficulties they shall be helped; in dangers they shall not receive any real damage. Those that fear God and his wrath, must hope in God and his mercy; for there is no flying from him, but by flying to him. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us; let us always have the comfort and benefit, not according to our merits, but according to the promise which thou hast in thy word given to us, and according to the faith thou hast by thy Spirit and grace wrought in us.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 32:11; Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:4
• 2. Psalms 92:1; Psalms 147:1
• 3. Psalms 71:22; Psalms 147:7
• 4. Psalms 144:9
• 5. Psalms 40:3; Psalms 96:1; Psalms 98:1; Psalms 144:9; Isaiah 42:10; Revelation 5:9
• 6. Psalms 98:4
• 7. Psalms 19:8
• 8. Psalms 119:90
• 9. Psalms 11:7; Psalms 37:28
• 10. Psalms 119:64
• 11. Genesis 1:6; Psalms 148:5; Hebrews 11:3
• 12. Psalms 104:30
• 13. Genesis 2:1
• 14. Exodus 15:8; Joshua 3:16; Psalms 78:13
• 15. Psalms 67:7
• 16. Psalms 96:9
• 17. Genesis 1:3; Psalms 148:5
• 18. Psalms 2:1-3; Isaiah 8:10; Isaiah 19:3
• 19. Job 23:12; Proverbs 19:21
• 20. Psalms 40:5; Psalms 92:5; Psalms 139:17; Isaiah 55:8
• 21. Psalms 144:15
• 22. Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; Psalms 28:9
• 23. Job 28:24; Psalms 14:2
• 24. Psalms 11:4
• 25. 1 Kings 8:39, 43; Psalms 102:19
• 26. Job 10:8; Psalms 119:73
• 27. 2 Chronicles 16:9; Job 34:21; Jeremiah 32:19
• 28. Psalms 44:6; Psalms 60:11
• 29. Psalms 20:7; Psalms 147:10; Proverbs 21:31
• 30. Job 36:7; Psalms 32:8; Psalms 34:15; 1 Peter 3:12
• 31. Psalms 32:10; Psalms 147:11
• 32. Psalms 56:13; Acts 12:11
• 33. Job 5:20; Psalms 37:19
• 34. Psalms 62:1; Psalms 130:6; Isaiah 8:17
• 35. Psalms 115:9
• 36. Psalms 13:5; Psalms 28:7; Zechariah 10:7; John 16:22

Footnotes

• [a]. Some versions read "in a water skin;" i.e. container
• [b]. Or "stood forth"
• [c]. Or "their heart together"
• [d]. Or "wait"
• [e]. Or "waited for"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 33

Though this psalm has no title to it, it seems to be a psalm of David, from the style and matter of it; and indeed begins with the same words with which the preceding psalm is ended. Theodoret is of opinion it was written by David as a prophecy concerning Hezekiah, as a song to be sung by the people after the destruction of the Assyrian army.