Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. (Psalm 33:1-3)
Psalm 33 is a special Psalm. It is one of only four Psalms that lacks a title. The others are Psalm 1, 2, and 10. All the other Psalms have some sort of title. Many commentators believe that this Psalm is linked to Psalm 32. In that Psalm, David praises the Lord for forgiving his sins. Psalm 32 closes with a command to rejoice, v. 11. Psalm 33 opens with the same command.
While these two Psalms are very different in their content, they are both centered on the theme of praise. In Psalm 32 God is to be praised because He forgives sin. In Psalm 33, God is to be praised because He is in control. Both of those themes make God worthy to be praised. In verses 1-3 of Psalm 33 we are given the commands to Praise, Give Thanks and Sing a New Song. We are told to do such things because God has been faithful and upright. We are also reminded in vs. 4-5 that God fills the earth with His goodness. The Psalmist then turns our attention to the power and control of God. God’s power and sovereignty is a key factor in our ability to withstand anything that life has to bring. The next portion of the Psalm reminds us of God’s Word and why we need to praise and give thanks for His Word.
His Word Is Precious v. 4a -This word reminds us that God’s Word sets the standard for righteousness and morality. The Word of God is like a compass that guides the people of God through the desert of this world. All around us we see the results of abandoning the Word of God. Our society has been cast adrift upon the sea of time without a rudder. Our nation, and the world as a whole, has abandoned the Ten Commandments, the Great Commandment, and every other precept of God. The obvious result of sinful man’s foolish decision to abandon the Word of God is rampant immorality, wickedness and evil in the world. Those who read the Word, honor the Word and live by the Word, know how precious the Word of God is. They can say with the Psalmist, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” Ps. 119:105. They also know the truth of Prov. 6:23, which says, “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.”
His Word Is Personal v. 4b-5 – In His Word we learn about the Lord Himself. His Word is His revelation of Himself to the world. We learn that He does everything He does in “truth,” v. 4. That word carries the idea of “steadfastness.” We learn in verse 5 that He “loveth righteousness” and judgment.” This reminds us that He will bless those who honor His Word and He will judge those who abandon His Word. Verse 5 also teaches us that God’s goodness can be seen in all the word around us.
All these truths teach us that the Word of God is a revelation of the Person of God. How else could a holy, eternal God reveal Himself to man? It would be like us trying to communicate with the ants in an anthill. We are so removed from their experience that we could not possibly communicate with them on our level. God so longed to reveal Himself to humanity that He choose to reveal Himself in the pages of a Book. Not just any book! God has chosen to reveal Himself in the pages of the Word of God. We should praise Him for His Word because it reveals the nature of God to us!
His Word Is Powerful v. 6-9 – In these verses the Psalmist reminds us that everything we see around us was spoken into existence by the Word of God. Everything that is visible, everything that is invisible, everything that is large, everything that is small, everything that is near, and everything that is far came into existence through the Word of God.
In Gen. 1:3 God spoke for the first time. When He spoke light appeared out of the darkness. All through Genesis 1 God kept speaking and great things kept appearing. His Word had power then, and His Word still has power today. Every promise will be fulfilled. Our actions will be judged based on His commands. The Word of God is filled with power, glory and hope.
* “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” Heb. 4:12.
* “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven,” Ps.a 119:89.
* “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works,” 2 Tim. 3:16-17.
* We should praise Him for His Word because it is infused with divine power! It will stand though the entire world stand against it, Isa. 55:11.
As we begin the New Year, are you prepared to rejoice, give thanks and Sing the Song of Hope? Are you ready to explore and read the Word of God in a new way, with new eyes and heart? Coming soon we will continue with this Psalm and explore the foundation for our Hope in these hard and difficult days we are living in.
You may also like to join us at our Ladies Who Lunch, Wednesday, January 9th, when we will celebrate the greatest book even written – The Word of God.
Victory Call 
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