Beloved, I am glad to share with you today the above theme from Ps 33:1 and following. Indeed, the first verse takes up the final thought of Ps. 32 ps 32:11: He who has become righteous by the forgiveness of his sins is invited to rejoice and praise the Lord. This is the part and duty of every believer. However, this psalm applies directly to future Israel, when the rejection of its Messiah has been forgiven. His praise will have three main themes: First, God’s faithfulness (verses 4 to 9): He is the Creator of all things. Then, the wisdom of God (verses 10 to 17): He becomes acquainted with everything and Governs the Nations. Finally, the goodness of God (verses 18 to 22): this goodness is exercised towards all those who trust in him. For the new hymn is here related to a new land whose injustice God will have swept away and which he will have filled with his goodness. The plan of the nations, the designs of the peoples, will have been annihilated so that God’s eternal plans and the purposes of his heart may be completed (verses 10 and 11). His Word created heaven (Heb 11:1-3). It regenerates us and operates in us now, waiting to be fulfilled also in a restored world. For God looks from heaven and considers all the inhabitants of the earth. But, according to His promise in Ps. 32:8, He especially follows with His watchful eye those who obey Him and expect His love (Ps 34:15-16).
The last words of the previous psalm are repeated at the very beginning of this psalm, which in a sense connects them and invites us to read this one as the continuation of the previous one. If the righteous are invited to rejoice in Jehovah, the essential moral significance of this psalm is to show Jehovah in characters that impel to rejoice in Him — to show him as the One of whom it can be said: “Blessed is the nation that has The Lord for his God.” For it is not enough simply an invitation to love and rejoice, it is necessary that the object that can fill its affections – as is the case here – be placed before the heart. May our hearts desire to enjoy this object!
‘Righteous, rejoice in the Lord.’ Here, the inspired writer addresses believers or the righteous by name, because only they are capable of proclaiming the glory of God. For unbelievers, who have never tasted his goodness, cannot praise him from the bottom of their hearts, and God has no pleasure in his name being pronounced by their ungodly tongues. But the context shows more clearly why this exhortation is only suitable for believers. Many, therefore, expose this last clause, praise is good for upright men, as meaning that if the ungodly or hypocritical attempt this exercise, they will turn to the reproach and dishonor of God rather than to his praise; much more, they only desecrate his holy name.
‘Celebrate the Lord with the harp.’ It is obvious that the psalmist expresses here the vehement and ardent affection that the faithful must have to praise God, when he enjoins musical instruments to be used for this purpose. He would not have omitted anything by believers that tends to animate the minds and feelings of men by singing the praises of God. The name of God can, strictly speaking, be celebrated only by the articulated voice; but it is not without reason that David adds to it those aids by which believers used to stimulate themselves more to this exercise; especially since he was speaking to the ancient people of God. There is a distinction, however, to be observed here, that we cannot indiscriminately consider as applicable to ourselves, all that was once enjoined to the Jews. For playing cymbals, touching the harp and the violin, and all this kind of music, so often mentioned in the Psalms, was part of education; that is, the instruction of the law: this is the declared service of the temple.
‘Sing him a new hymn!’ As the psalmist then deals with the powerful works of God, and in particular concerning the preservation of the Church, it is no wonder that he exhorts the righteous to sing a new one, that is, a rare choice. For the more faithful believers consider God’s works with care and diligence, the more they will strive to praise Him. It is therefore not a common song that he exhorts them to sing, but a song corresponding to the magnificence of the subject. This is also the meaning of the second clause, in which he urges them to make their voices sound.
‘He loves justice and righteousness.’ This is a confirmation of the previous verse and suggests to us that God of His own nature loves justice and fairness. It follows, therefore, that derogatory affections cannot precipitate him, in the manner of men, towards bad practices. At first glance, in fact, this appears only a common recommendation of God, and of little importance, for all confess that he observes the most perfect rule of justice in all his works. Why then, it will be said, have we just spoken of a new hymn, as if it were an unusual subject? Because it is obvious how much of the world turns a blind eye to God’s righteousness, while they neglect countless proofs of His providence, or imagine that it happens by chance.
‘For the word of jehovah is right.’ In order to prompt us to think more closely about God’s works, he presents to us the creation of the world itself; for until God is recognized as the Creator and Creator of the world, who will believe that he takes care of the affairs of men and that the state of the world is controlled by his wisdom and power? But the creation of the world leads us to God’s providence. Not that all men reason so rightly, or are endowed with a solid judgment, to conclude that the world is to this day maintained by the same divine power that was put forward in creating it: on the contrary, the vast majority imagine that it is an idle spectator in heaven of everything that happens on earth. But no man truly believes that the world was created by God unless he is firmly convinced that it is maintained and preserved by Him. The prophet therefore wisely brings us back to the very origin of the world, to fix in our minds the certainty of God’s providence in the continuous order of nature. For by saying that the heavens were created by the word of God, he greatly amplifies his power, and by his only nod, without any other help or means, and without much time or work, he has created a noble and magnificent universe. And it says here about Christ: “He will strike the earth with the staff of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he will kill the wicked.”
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
Praise to God as creator and savior:
· To rejoice, the duty of
Ps 5:12 Then all those who trust in you will rejoice, They will have joy forever, and you will protect them; You will be a subject of joy for those who love your name. Ps 32:11 Righteous, rejoice in the Lord and be in joy! Shout with joy, all of you who are right of heart! Rom 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; cry with those who cry. Phil 4:4 Rejoice always in the Lord; I repeat, rejoice. 1 Thess 5:16 Always be joyful.
· Praise be to God, ordained
-With the songs Ps 9:12 Sing to the Lord, who dwells in Zion, Publish among the people his high deeds!
-With the musical instruments Ps 33.2 Celebrate the Lord with the harp, Celebrate him on the ten-stringed lute.
-Universal Ps 67:4 The people praise you, O God! All people praise you. Isaiah 42:12 Let the Lord be given glory, and let his praises be published in the islands!
-Perpetual Hb 13:15 Through him, let us constantly offer God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name.
-Four reasons to express praise to God 1 Pet 2:9 You, on the contrary, are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, an acquired people, that you may proclaim the virtues of the one who called you from darkness to his admirable light,
· Justice divine
Dt 32.4 He is the rock; his works are perfect, for all his ways are just; He is a faithful God without iniquity, He is just and upright. Ps 103:6 Jehovah does justice, He gives right to all the oppressed. Jn 5:30 I cannot do anything with myself: as I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I am not seeking my will, but the will of the one who sent me. Rom 2:2 We know, in fact, that God’s judgment against those who commit such things is according to the truth.
· Hope in God
Ps 31:25 Strengthen yourselves and let your hearts be strengthened, all of you who hope in the Lord! Ps 33:18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear him, Upon those who hope in his goodness, Ps 146:5 Blessed is he who has for help the God of Jacob, Who puts his hope in the Lord, his God! Jer 17:7 Blessed be the man who trusts in the Lord, and whose Eternal is the hope!
From all the above, we note in this psalm written in the course of the meditations of the soul, a touching illustration of the moral capacity that the sinner has assured of his acceptance before God, to enter into the intelligence of words, works and advice, of the grace and glory of God and all that is connected with it. From a prophetic point of view, this psalm undoubtedly evokes the joy of the Jewish nation when it will again have Jehovah for its God, after witnessing the defeat of the nations and the establishment of a new world. This, therefore, would lead us to believe that the residue is referred to in the expression “the righteous”. But this joy is only anticipated; for from verse 12 to the end it seems that all this is still only an object of hope for the nation, and that the present evil century continues its train. But the faithful end this psalm by expressing their firm confidence that the nation will be reborn in this new condition, when God judges when the time comes. For Ps. 33 is logically placed after forgiveness. Forgiveness leads to full blessing, and Ps. 33 depicts to us, in celebrating it, the complete result of deliverance: Those who are upright in heart are invited to rejoice; the character of Jehovah, his word, his works, are manifested, and the earth is now filled with his goodness. It is he who has done all things, he is the Creator; may the earth fear him! He dispels man’s designs and advice, but his advice remains forever. Blessed is the nation that has Jehovah for his God, the people he has chosen for his inheritance! For the Lord looks from heaven upon the sons of men and disposes of all; but his eyes are upon those who fear him and expect his goodness. The glorious result of Jehovah’s intervention is thus placed before the faith of the residue and celebrated as if it were already present in its entirety; the last three verses show us the trust thus produced in the hearts of the faithful. Our prayers are with you all.
PRAYER OF ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS LORD AND PERSONAL SAVIOR
I now invite every person who wants to become a new creation by walking in the truth, to pray with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lusts of the world ignoring your love for humans. I admit to having sinned against you and ask your forgiveness for all my sins, because today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and personal Savior. I recognize that you died on the cross of Calvary and rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life that you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may shine in my life right now.
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also contemplate the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby waterpoint to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
All adoration, power and glory are yours, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you tomorrow “praise to the Lord for his mercy and grace.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty God.