Psalm XXXIII
1 Rejoice in the Lord, 0 j e righteous: for pi-aise is comely for the upright.
2 Prai.se the Lord with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
4 For the word of the Lord is right: and all his works ai-e done in truth.
5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness
of the Lord.
6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made: And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathered the waters of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up tlic depth in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand
in awe of him.
9 For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. 18 The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought;
He maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11 The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all
generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord;
And the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
13 The Lord looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men:
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of
the earth.
15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: A mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his
great strength.
18 Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon them that
hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the Lord: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy
name.
22 Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
The last note of the former is the first note of this Psalm, “Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous!” The last Psalm had much in it of the tone of confession and prayer: this is full of praise; for now the forgiven one is taking up his harp in thankfulness:
“Give thanks to JeJiovah loitli the harp, Make music to Him with an instrument often striiigs.’”
It is a very simple Psalm, yet full of the feelings which a forgiven soul teems with. Never did any heart so abound in those feelings as the heart of the Lord Jesus; and his saints learn from him. It is He who is to lead the praise in the great congregation. (Psalm xxii. 22.) Let us see the topics taken up in turn.
Verses 1-3 prepare us for song, shaking the strings of our heart. And the call is for a “new song” — a redemption melody.
Verses 4, 5, praise the Lord for his character.
Verses 6-9 praise the Lord for his creation-work, which his providence still continues.
Verses 10, 11, praise the Lord for his counsels.
Verses 12-19 praise the Lord for nis care of his Church, his chosen ones, who are saved by grace alone (ver. 16, 17), and kept by grace (ver. 1 8, 1 9).
Verses 20-22 contains the response. As exhorted, “Rejoice in the Lord,” (ver. 1), — so we reply, “Our heart rejoiceth in
1 1 4 PSALM XXXIV. — THE RIGHTEOUS ONE S EXPERIENCE OF
Him.” This will be the eternal response of the saints when the salvation yet in reserve comes. Then their “luaiting” (ver. 20), their Jacob-like waiting, is ended (Gen. xlix. 18); then (as ver. 10, 11, as well as Psalm ii. 1, sing) the nations have raged in vain; and then, in the fullest sense, “Earth is full of the goodness of the Lord,” as Hosea ii. 21, 22, described in part, and as the seraphim celebrate in Isaiah vi. 3. Then shall it be full of the Lord’s glory, when love, redeeming love, the love of the God of Love, shall be felt by all the earth, the Gift of Love himself being in the midst. It is thus a Psalm wherein Forgiven ones adore the Lord in his counsels and ways.