4 REASONS GOD IS WORTHY OF PRAISE

Psalm 33

Introduction – Call to Worship

¹       Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones; Praise is becoming to the upright.

²    Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.

³    Sing to Him a new song; Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

^1-3 Summary: The psalmist calls for the righteous ones to sing for joy and give thanks to the LORD with old and new songs, skillfully employing various musical instruments, because it is becoming to the upright to praise the LORD.

^1-3 Theology: God desires His righteous ones to sing for joy and give thanks to Him with old and new songs, skillfully employing various musical instruments, because it is becoming to the upright to praise the LORD.

^1-3 Application: Let us sing for joy and give thanks to Him with old and new songs, skillfully employing various musical instruments, because it is becoming for us to praise the LORD who has made us upright in His sight.

PROPOSITION – 4 summary statements encapsulating why God is worthy, further explained by the psalm, so that we will expectantly hope in His lovingkindness.

⁴   For the word of the Lord is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness.

⁵    He loves righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.

^4-5 Summary: The psalmist follows the call to worship with four statements that are further expounded in the psalm: the Lord’s word is upright, the Lord’s works are faithful, the Lord’s delight is righteousness, and the Lord’s love is abundant.

^4-5 Theology: God desires His people to know that His word is upright, His works are faithful, His delight is righteousness, and His love is abundant.

^4-5 Application: Let us meditate much on these four statements, so that we will live according to God’s upright word, trusting His faithful works, walking to delight the Lord, and rejoicing in His abundant love.

I. The LORD’s Word is Upright (cf. v. 4a)

⁶   By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.

⁷    He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deeps 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 spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.

^6-9 Summary: The psalmist explains that the Lord made the heavens and all their hosts by breathing out His word. The Lord gathered the waters together in a heap and laid up the depths of the oceans in storehouses. The psalmist exhorts all the earth to fear the Lord and stand in awe of Him, because He accomplished all things and uphold them by His command.

^6-9 Theology: God made the heavens and their host by the word of His mouth, gathered the waters together and laid up the deeps in storehouses; so all the inhabitants of the earth should fear the Lord and stand in awe of Him since by His Word He both accomplished creation and upholds it.

^6-9 Application: Let us fear the Lord and stand in awe of Him (Prov 1:7), rendering praise to the One who created all things in heaven and on earth and upholds them by the word of His mouth. Let us present this God to all people that they would fear Him and stand in awe of Him.

II. The LORD’s Works are Faithful (cf. v. 4b)

¹⁰ The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples.

¹¹ The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

¹² Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.

^10-12 Summary: The psalmist says that the Lord brings the counsel of the nations and peoples to naught (cf. Psa 2:1), but His own plans stand firm throughout the generations. Thus, the psalmist writes that the nation, the people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance, whose God is the Lord is blessed.

^10-12 Theology: God brings the counsel of nations and peoples to naught, but His own plans stand firm forever; thus the chosen nation, whose God is the Lord, is blessed.

^10-12 Application: How wonderful it is that God’s counsel cannot be frustrated by the nations, so we, His chosen nation (1 Pet 2:9) are blessed since all His plans toward us will never fail or be frustrated.

III. The LORD’s Delight is Righteousness (cf. v. 5a)

¹³ The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men;

¹⁴    From His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth,

¹⁵ He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works.

^13-15 Summary: The psalmist says that God, who fashions men’s hearts and understands all their works, looks down from His dwelling place upon all the sons of men who inhabit the earth.

^13-15 Theology: God fashioned men’s hearts, so He understands all their works; and He looks down from His dwelling place upon all the sons of men who inhabit the earth.

^13-15 Application: Let us walk in righteousness with a glad heart, so that God will be pleased. Let us proclaim this God who knows every secret of every heart, and who will justly reward each according to his works. Let us exhort them to put on the righteousness of Christ which is reckoned by faith.

IV. The LORD’s Love is Abundant (cf. v. 5b)

¹⁶ The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength.

¹⁷ A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.

¹⁸ Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,

¹⁹  To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine.

^16-19 Summary: The psalmist writes that a mighty army does not guarantee the success of the king, nor does great strength always deliver the warrior. A horse does not guarantee victory or deliverance. In fact, all of these are vain objects to place one’s trust in, because the Lord delivers those who fear Him and hope for His lovingkindness so that they will be kept from death and famine.

^16-19 Theology: God alone is the sure object of one’s faith who will safeguard him from death and woes.

^16-19 Application: Let us trust in God alone to keep us safe from death and destruction.

Conclusion – The Response of the LORD’s People

²⁰ Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.

²¹  For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.

²² Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, According as we have hoped in You.

^20-22 Summary: The psalmist writes the souls of the righteous ones wait for the Lord, because He is their help and shield. He says that their heart rejoice in the Lord, because they trust in His holy name. He ends with a prayer that the Lord would put His lovingkindness upon them according as they had hoped in Him.

^20-22Theology: God is the help and shield of the righteous ones, so that all they must do is wait for Him with rejoicing hearts that trust in Him, awaiting His lovingkindness which will come as expected.

^20-22 Application: Let us wait for the Lord, our help and shield, with rejoicing hearts that trust in Him. Let us await His lovingkindness that will come just as He promises. For this reason, even during affliction and tribulations, we can exalt in God and sing praises to Him with thankfulness. As we do so, we assure ourselves even more that His Word is upright, His words are faithful, His delight is righteousness, and His love is abundant. May we return to this again and again so that when sorrows come, we will know to run to the LORD, our help and our shield. As we lean on Him and crouch under His protection, may we walk in a manner befitting those saved by the grace of God and being transformed into His image. Let us rejoice that we are the inheritance of the Lord that is precious in His sight.