Tehillim 33

1 3 Sing with joy in Hashem, O ye tzaddikim; for tehillah is fitting for the yesharim (upright ones).

2 Hodu l’Hashem with kinnor (harp); make music unto Him with the ten stringed nevel (lyre).

3 Sing unto Him a shir chadash (new song); play skillfully with a teru’ah (shout of joy).

4 For the Devar Hashem is yashar; and kol ma’aseihu (all His deeds) are done in emunah (faithfulness).

5 He loveth Tzedakah and Mishpat; ha’aretz is full of the chesed Hashem.

6 By the Devar Hashem were Shomayim made; and all the tz’va (host) of them by the ruach (breath) of His mouth [MJ 11:3; Yn 1:1; Psa 56:5].

7 He gathereth the mey hayam (waters of the sea) like a mound; He layeth up the tehomot (ocean depths) in otzarot (storehouses, vaults).

8 Let kol ha’aretz fear Hashem; let kol yoshvei tevel (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 Hashem annuls the atzat Goyim (plan of the Goyim); He foils the machsh’vot Amim (schemes of the peoples).

11 The atzat Hashem standeth firm l’olam, the machsh’vot of His lev l’dor va’dor (from generation to generation).

12 Ashrei is the Goy whose Elohav is Hashem; and HaAm whom He hath chosen for His own nachalah.

13 Hashem looketh down from Shomayim: He beholdeth kol Bnei HaAdam.

14 From the place of His habitation He looketh upon kol yoshvei ha’aretz.

15 He formeth their hearts yachad; He considereth all their ma’asim (deeds).

16 There is no melech saved by the multitude of an army; a gibbor is not delivered by rav ko’ach.

17 A sus is a sheker (vain, false thing) for teshu’ah (deliverance, salvation, safety); neither shall it save any by its great strength.

18 Hinei, the eye of Hashem is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His chesed;

19 To deliver their nefesh from mavet (death), and to keep them alive in ra’av (famine).

20 Our nefesh waiteth for Hashem; He is ezrienu (our help) and moginneinu (our shield).

21 For libeinu (our heart) shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted b’Shem Kadsho (in His holy Name).

22 Let Thy chesed, Hashem, be upon us, even as we have hoped in Thee.

Tehillim 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.

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.