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Psalm 33

The Greatness and Goodness of God

1

Rejoice in the L ord, O you righteous.

Praise befits the upright.

2

Praise the L ord with the lyre;

make melody to him with the harp of ten strings.

3

Sing to him a new song;

play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.

 

4

For the word of the L ord is upright,

and all his work is done in faithfulness.

5

He loves righteousness and justice;

the earth is full of the steadfast love of the L ord.

 

6

By the word of the L ord the heavens were made,

and all their host by the breath of his mouth.

7

He gathered the waters of the sea as in a bottle;

he put the deeps in storehouses.

 

8

Let all the earth fear the L ord;

let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

9

For he spoke, and it came to be;

he commanded, and it stood firm.

 

10

The L ord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;

he frustrates the plans of the peoples.

11

The counsel of the L ord stands forever,

the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

12

Happy is the nation whose God is the L ord,

the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.

 

13

The L ord looks down from heaven;

he sees all humankind.

14

From where he sits enthroned he watches

all the inhabitants of the earth—

15

he who fashions the hearts of them all,

and observes all their deeds.

16

A king is not saved by his great army;

a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.

17

The war horse is a vain hope for victory,

and by its great might it cannot save.

 

18

Truly the eye of the L ord is on those who fear him,

on those who hope in his steadfast love,

19

to deliver their soul from death,

and to keep them alive in famine.

 

20

Our soul waits for the L ord;

he is our help and shield.

21

Our heart is glad in him,

because we trust in his holy name.

22

Let your steadfast love, O L ord, be upon us,

even as we hope in you.


17. A horse is a deceitful thing for safety. In this verse, the Psalmist, by the figure synecdoche under the name of horse, is to be understood as meaning any kind of help. The sense is, that in general those who conceive that their life is well protected by earthly means, are commonly disappointed at the very crisis of danger, and are miserably beguiled to their utter undoing, so that God therein clearly shows them their folly. It is true, that kings are not armed with the sword in vain, nor is the use of horses superfluous, nor are the treasures and resources which God furnishes to defend men’s lives unnecessary, provided a right method of employing them be observed. But as the greater part of men the more they are surrounded with human defences, withdraw themselves the farther from God, and by a false imagination persuade themselves that they are in a haven safe from all disturbance, God acts most justly in disappointing this madness. This is the reason why his gifts often pass away without effect, because the world, by separating them from the giver, is also justly deprived of his blessing.


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