Psalms 33

Psalms 33THEME: A song of praise from a redeemed peopleIn this psalm we find the praises of redeemed people. God is worshiped as the Creator and as providential Ruler. He is praised for his majestic and matchless grace. For the first time musical instruments are plainly mentioned in the text itself. This is one of the orphanic (orphan) psalms because the author’s name is not given. It is one in this segment of psalms that David may not have written.

Psalms 33:1

We are to rejoice in the presence of God. This is a beautiful psalm of praise. It sounds like David, and it is possible that he could have written it.

Psalms 33:2

The psaltery is a stringed instrument resembling a zither.

Psalms 33:3

We are to sing a new song unto the Lord. What is that new song? Several psalms speak of a new song that will be sung in the future. I think when the time comes to sing that new song there will be new singers also. I am going to have a new body, and I think I will be able to sing. I hope the Lord will let me sing in heaven.

Rev_5:9 says, “And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” The psalmist exhorts us to sing a song of praise to God because He is our Creator, but the new song we will sing in heaven will be because the Lord Jesus Christ is our Redeemer. In Rev_14:3 we read, “And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” A new song will be sung in the future. In this verse we are also told that we are to “play skilfully.” Friend, I believe that if you are going to sing before a group of people you should sing well. Church music is in a sad state today. I visit many churches and hear many people sing who do not have a gift for singing. You may not be a trained musician, but you should be dead sure that you can sing and that your voice is a gift of the Spirit which He can use for the profit and building up of the church. Otherwise your effort will be an exercise in futility. And don’t try to hit a high “C” when you cannot even hit a high “A” or “B"that is an exercise in futility also!

Psalms 33:4

Notice the Word of God and the works of God, meaning His creative works.

Psalms 33:6

The Word of God is powerful! I once saw a demonstration by a singer who broke two or three glasses by hitting a high note. God used His voice to create, not destroy. He brought the universe into existence by His word. He said, “…Let there be light: and there was light” (Gen_1:3). There is power in light, electrical power and electronic power. Do you realize that all of that came into existence when God spoke? God spoke into existence all created things. Vegetation, animal life, and man were all created by God’s word. What tremendous power there is in His Word! I don’t know how He did it, but I do know that God did it, and that is the important thing.

Psalms 33:10

The United Nations has selected to put up a verse like Isa_2:4 which says in part, “…and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” They have used the wrong verse because it doesn’t look to me like they are doing much beatingthey are beating each other but not swords into plowshares. Instead, Psa_33:10 should be written over the United Nations: “The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen [nations] to nought.” That would be appropriate. Witness the past: the League of Nations, and before that, the Hague Conference on Peace, all came to naught. Do you know something else? I know I will be criticized for saying this, but the United Nations is also going to come to naught, because they have left God out.

Psalms 33:12

This is a verse I would love to put up in Washington so that the president and all of Congress could see it.

Psalms 33:13

God sees the United Nations. He sees the president of the United States. He sees the Congress. He sees you. He sees me. No one escapes His eye.

Psalms 33:16

Napoleon said that God is on the side of the greatest battalion, but he demonstrated he was wrong, because at the Battle of Waterloo Napoleon had the greatest battalion and lost. God is not on the side of the one who has the biggest bomb, either.

Psalms 33:18

How wonderful this is!

Psalms 33:21

When we trust in the name of God, our hearts will rejoice. May I make a suggestion? Why don’t you saturate yourself with the Psalms? Instead of running around attending all of the conferences which tell you about new methods of running Sunday school, running the church, or doing this or that, why don’t you stay home and read the Psalms? When you are saturated with this portion of God’s Word, it not only will bring comfort to your heart, it will solve 99.4 percent of the problems of the church. Oh, that it might become meaningful to you personally and be translated into shoe leather! This is a rich area of the Word of God.