Psalm
33:12–22—What is it that gives
the Lord pleasure, as He looks down from heaven upon His creation, and upon the
children of men? It is not the might of man, his great armies, his war horses,
or the strength of warriors. No, what pleases the Lord is those who fear
him…those who hope in His steadfast love. He desires and takes delight in
delivering their souls from death, of providing for the salvation of His
people, and sparing them from famine and the wants of the body.
Psalm 33 –
The Great and Awesome God
“If the purest
form of a hymn is praise to God for what He is and does, this is a fine example.”
(Derek Kidner)
Vv.18-19 The
care of God for the individual
On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
The eye of
the LORD is on those who fear Him:
The psalmist continues to think both of God’s hand in world-shaking events
(such as the battles of kings), and His most minute care for the individual.
Jesus told us that God cares for the smallest of birds
(Matthew 10:29); surely He will care for those who honor Him, who are made in
His image.
On those who
hope in His mercy: Those who truly
fear the LORD find their hope in His mercy, not in their own goodness or
righteousness.
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O LORD, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You.
Our soul
waits for the LORD: Having praised
Him and considered God’s greatness from many angles, it was appropriate to
simply wait for the LORD – for His guidance, His word, His deliverance –
looking to Him as our help and shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have
trusted in His holy name: Earlier the psalmist called God’s people to rejoice
because of God’s character and might. Now he calls us to praise God because of
our blessed experience of trusting in His holy name.
Let Your
mercy, O LORD, be upon us: The hymn
concludes with a prayer, requesting that God will refresh his people with his
love. [2]
Collect for
Psalm 33: Lord God, through your Son you made the heavens and earth; through him
you continue to accomplish the intentions of your heart. Make your chosen
people witnesses of your truth among the nations and heralds of your glory in
the heavens; for the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.[3]
[2] https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/psalm-33/
[3] Collect for Psalm 33, For All the Saints, A Prayer Book For and By the Church, Vol. II © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
[4] ibid
No comments:
Post a Comment