1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth 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 spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11 The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
1 Rejoice H7442 in the LORD, H3068 O ye righteous: H6662 for praise H8416 is comely H5000 for the upright. H3477
2 Praise H3034 the LORD H3068 with harp: H3658 sing H2167 unto him with the psaltery H5035 and an instrument of ten strings. H6218
3 Sing H7891 unto him a new H2319 song; H7892 play H5059 skilfully H3190 with a loud noise. H8643
4 For the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 is right; H3477 and all his works H4639 are done in truth. H530
5 He loveth H157 righteousness H6666 and judgment: H4941 the earth H776 is full H4390 of the goodness H2617 of the LORD. H3068
6 By the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 were the heavens H8064 made; H6213 and all the host H6635 of them by the breath H7307 of his mouth. H6310
7 He gathereth H3664 the waters H4325 of the sea H3220 together as an heap: H5067 he layeth up H5414 the depth H8415 in storehouses. H214
8 Let all the earth H776 fear H3372 the LORD: H3068 let all the inhabitants H3427 of the world H8398 stand in awe H1481 of him.
9 For he spake, H559 and it was done; he commanded, H6680 and it stood fast. H5975
10 The LORD H3068 bringeth H6331 the counsel H6098 of the heathen H1471 to nought: H6331 he maketh H5106 the devices H4284 of the people H5971 of none effect. H5106
11 The counsel H6098 of the LORD H3068 standeth H5975 for ever, H5769 the thoughts H4284 of his heart H3820 to all H1755 generations. H1755
12 Blessed H835 is the nation H1471 whose God H430 is the LORD; H3068 and the people H5971 whom he hath chosen H977 for his own inheritance. H5159
13 The LORD H3068 looketh H5027 from heaven; H8064 he beholdeth H7200 all the sons H1121 of men. H120
14 From the place H4349 of his habitation H3427 he looketh H7688 upon all the inhabitants H3427 of the earth. H776
15 He fashioneth H3335 their hearts H3820 alike; H3162 he considereth H995 all their works. H4639
16 There is no king H4428 saved H3467 by the multitude H7230 of an host: H2428 a mighty man H1368 is not delivered H5337 by much H7230 strength. H3581
17 An horse H5483 is a vain thing H8267 for safety: H8668 neither shall he deliver H4422 any by his great H7230 strength. H2428
18 Behold, the eye H5869 of the LORD H3068 is upon them that fear H3373 him, upon them that hope H3176 in his mercy; H2617
19 To deliver H5337 their soul H5315 from death, H4194 and to keep them alive H2421 in famine. H7458
20 Our soul H5315 waiteth H2442 for the LORD: H3068 he is our help H5828 and our shield. H4043
21 For our heart H3820 shall rejoice H8055 in him, because we have trusted H982 in his holy H6944 name. H8034
22 Let thy mercy, H2617 O LORD, H3068 be upon us, according as we hope H3176 in thee.
1 Rejoice in Jehovah, O ye righteous: Praise is comely for the upright.
2 Give thanks unto Jehovah with the harp: Sing praises unto him with the psaltery of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him a new song; Play skilfully with a loud noise.
4 For the word of Jehovah is right; And all his work is `done' in faithfulness.
5 He loveth righteousness and justice: The earth is full of the lovingkindness of Jehovah.
6 By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap: He layeth up the deeps in store-houses.
8 Let all the earth fear Jehovah: Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9 For he spake, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 Jehovah bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.
11 The counsel of Jehovah standeth fast for ever, The thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, The people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
13 Jehovah looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men;
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh forth Upon all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He that fashioneth the hearts of them all, That considereth all their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of a host: A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a vain thing for safety; Neither doth he deliver any by his great power.
18 Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, Upon them that hope in his lovingkindness;
19 To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul hath waited for Jehovah: He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, Because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let thy lovingkindness, O Jehovah, be upon us, According as we have hoped in thee. Psalm 34 A Psalm of David; when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, who drove him away, and he departed.
1 Sing, ye righteous, in Jehovah, For upright ones praise `is' comely.
2 Give ye thanks to Jehovah with a harp, With psaltery of ten strings sing praise to Him,
3 Sing ye to Him a new song, Play skilfully with shouting.
4 For upright `is' the word of Jehovah, And all His work `is' in faithfulness.
5 Loving righteousness and judgment, Of the kindness of Jehovah is the earth full.
6 By the word of Jehovah The heavens have been made, And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
7 Gathering as a heap the waters of the sea, Putting in treasuries the depths.
8 Afraid of Jehovah are all the earth, Of Him are all the inhabitants of the world afraid.
9 For He hath said, and it is, He hath commanded, and it standeth.
10 Jehovah made void the counsel of nations, He disallowed the thoughts of the peoples.
11 The counsel of Jehovah to the age standeth, The thoughts of His heart to all generations.
12 O the happiness of the nation whose God `is' Jehovah, Of the people He did choose, For an inheritance to Him.
13 From the heavens hath Jehovah looked, He hath seen all the sons of men.
14 From the fixed place of His dwelling, He looked unto all inhabitants of the earth;
15 Who is forming their hearts together, Who is attending unto all their works.
16 The king is not saved by the multitude of a force. A mighty man is not delivered, By abundance of power.
17 A false thing `is' the horse for safety, And by the abundance of his strength He doth not deliver.
18 Lo, the eye of Jehovah `is' to those fearing Him, To those waiting for His kindness,
19 To deliver from death their soul, And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul hath waited for Jehovah, Our help and our shield `is' He,
21 For in Him doth our heart rejoice, For in His holy name we have trusted.
22 Let Thy kindness, O Jehovah, be upon us, As we have waited for Thee!
1 Exult, ye righteous, in Jehovah: praise is comely for the upright.
2 Give thanks unto Jehovah with the harp; sing psalms unto him with the ten-stringed lute.
3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud sound.
4 For the word of Jehovah is right, and all his work is in faithfulness.
5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the loving-kindness of Jehovah.
6 By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap; he layeth up the deeps in storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear Jehovah; 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.
10 Jehovah frustrateth the counsel of the nations; he maketh the thoughts of the peoples of none effect.
11 The counsel of Jehovah standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, the people that he hath chosen for his inheritance!
13 Jehovah looketh from the heavens; he beholdeth all the sons of men:
14 From the place of his habitation he looketh forth upon all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He who fashioneth the hearts of them all, who considereth all their works.
16 The king is not saved by the multitude of [his] forces; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17 The horse is a vain thing for safety; neither doth he deliver by his great power.
18 Behold, the eye of Jehovah is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his loving-kindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waiteth for Jehovah: he is our help and our shield.
21 For in him shall our heart rejoice, because we have confided in his holy name.
22 Let thy loving-kindness, O Jehovah, be upon us, according as we have hoped in thee.
1 Rejoice in Yahweh, you righteous! Praise is fitting for the upright.
2 Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings.
3 Sing to him a new song. Play skillfully with a shout of joy!
4 For the word of Yahweh is right. All his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loving kindness of Yahweh.
6 By Yahweh's word the heavens were made; All their host by the breath of his mouth.
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 Yahweh. 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 firm.
10 Yahweh brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.
11 The counsel of Yahweh stands fast forever, The thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh, The people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.
13 Yahweh looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of his habitation he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions all of their hearts; And he considers all of their works.
16 There is no king saved by the multitude of a host. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a vain thing for safety, Neither does he deliver any by his great power.
18 Behold, Yahweh's eye is on those who fear him, On those who hope in his loving kindness;
19 To deliver their soul from death, To keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul has waited for Yahweh. He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in him, Because we have trusted in his holy name.
22 Let your loving kindness be on us, Yahweh, Since we have hoped in you.
1 Be glad in the Lord, O doers of righteousness; for praise is beautiful for the upright.
2 Give praise to the Lord on the corded instrument; make melody to him with instruments of music.
3 Make a new song to him; playing expertly with a loud noise.
4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his works are certain.
5 His delight is in righteousness and wisdom; the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.
6 By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the army of heaven by the breath of his mouth.
7 He makes the waters of the sea come together in a mass; he keeps the deep seas in store-houses.
8 Let the earth be full of the fear of the Lord; let all the people of the world be in holy fear of him.
9 For he gave the word, and it was done; by his order it was fixed for ever.
10 The Lord undoes the designs of the nations; he makes the thoughts of the peoples without effect.
11 The Lord's purpose is eternal, the designs of his heart go on through all the generations of man.
12 Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord; and the people whom he has taken for his heritage.
13 The Lord is looking down from heaven; he sees all the sons of men;
14 From his house he keeps watch on all who are living on the earth;
15 He makes all their hearts; their works are clear to him.
16 A king's salvation is not in the power of his army; a strong man does not get free by his great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope; his great power will not make any man free from danger.
18 See, the eye of the Lord is on those in whose hearts is the fear of him, on those whose hope is in his mercy;
19 To keep their souls from death; and to keep them living in time of need.
20 Our souls are waiting for the Lord; he is our help and our salvation.
21 For in him our hearts have joy; in his holy name is our hope.
22 Let your mercy be on us, O Lord, as we are waiting for you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Keil & Delitzsch Commentary » Commentary on Psalms 33
Commentary on Psalms 33 Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
Praise of the Ruler of the World as Being the Defender of His People
The Davidic Maskמl, Psalms 32:1-11, is followed by an anonymous congregational song of a hymnic character, which begins just like the former closes. It owes its composition apparently to some deliverance of the nation from heathen oppression, which had resulted from God's interposition and without war. Moreover it exhibits no trace of dependence upon earlier models, such as might compel us to assign a late date to it; the time of Jeremiah, for instance, which Hitzig adopts. The structure is symmetrical. Between the two hexastichs, Psalms 33:1, Psalms 33:20, the materia laudis is set forth in eight tetrastichs.
The call contained in this hexastich is addressed to the righteous and upright, who earnestly seek to live a godly and God-pleasing life, and the sole determining rule of whose conduct is the will and good pleasure of God. These alone know God, whose true nature finds in them a clear mirror; so on their part they are joyfully to confess what they possess in Him. For it is their duty, and at the same time their honour, to praise him, and make their boast in Him. נאוה is the feminine of the adjective נאוה (formed out of נאוי ), as in Psalms 147:1, cf. Proverbs 19:10. On כּנּור (lxx κιθάρα, κινύρα ) and נבל (lxx ψαλτήριον, νάβλα, ναῦλα , etc.) vid., Introduction §II. נבל is the name given to the harp or lyre on account of its resemblance to a skin bottle or flash (root נב , to swell, to be distended), and נבל עשׂור , “harp of the decade,”' is the ten-stringed harp, which is also called absolutely עשׂור , and distinguished from the customary נבל , in Psalms 92:4. By a comparison of the asyndeton expressions in Psalms 35:14, Jeremiah 11:19, Aben-Ezra understands by נבל עשור two instruments, contrary to the tenour of the words. Gecatilia, whom he controverts, is only so far in error as that he refers the ten to holes ( נקבים ) instead of to strings. The בּ is Beth instrum ., just like the expression κιθαρίζειν ἐν κιθάραις , Revelation 14:2. A “new song” is one which, in consequence of some new mighty deeds of God, comes from a new impulse of gratitude in the heart, Psalms 40:4, and frequently in the Psalms, Isaiah 42:10, Judith 6:13, Revelation 5:9. In היטיבוּ the notions of scite and strenue, suaviter and naviter , blend. With בּתרוּעה , referring back to רננו , the call to praise forms, as it were, a circle as it closes.
Now beings the body of the song. The summons to praise God is supported (1) by a setting forth of His praiseworthiness
(Note: We have adopted the word “praiseworthiness” for the sake of conciseness of expression, in order to avoid an awkward periphrasis, in the sense of being worthy to be praised. - Tr.)
( a ) as the God of revelation in the kingdom of Grace. His word is ישׂר , upright in intention, and, without becoming in any way whatever untrue to itself, straightway fulfilling itself. His every act is an act in אמוּנה , truth, which verifies the truth of His word, and one which accomplishes itself. On אהב , equivalent to אהב הוּא , vid., Psalms 7:10; Psalms 22:29. צדקה is righteousness as conduct; משׁפּט is right as a rule of judgment and a state or condition. חסד is an accusative, as in Psalms 119:64 : misericordia Domini plena est terra (the introit for Misercordias Sunday or the second Sunday after Easter).
God's praiseworthiness ( b ) as the Creator of the world in the kingdom of Nature. Jahve's דּבר is His almighty “Let there be;” and רוח פּיו (inasmuch as the breath is here regarded as the material of which the word is formed and the bearer of the word) is the command, or in general, the operation of His commanding omnipotence (Job 15:30, cf. Job 4:9; Isaiah 34:16, cf. Psalms 11:4). The heavens above and the waters beneath stand side by side as miracles of creation. The display of His power in the waters of the sea consists in His having confined them within fixed bounds and keeping them within these. נד is a pile, i.e., a piled up heap (Arabic nadd ), and more especially an inference to harvest: like such a heap do the convex waters of the sea, being firmly held together, rise above the level of the continents. The expression is like that in Joshua 3:13, Joshua 3:15, cf. Exodus 15:8; although there the reference is to a miracle occurring in the course of history, and in this passage to a miracle of creation. כּנס refers to the heap itself, not to the walls of the storehouses as holding together. This latter figure is not introduced until Psalms 33:7 : the bed of the sea and those of the rivers are, as it were, אוצרות , treasuries or storehouses, in which God has deposited the deep, foaming waves or surging mass of waters. The inhabitants ( ישׁבי , not יושׁבי ) of the earth have cause to fear God who is thus omnipotent ( מן , in the sense of falling back from in terror); for He need only speak the word and that which He wills comes into being out of nothing, as we see from the hexaëmeron or history of Creation, but which is also confirmed in human history (Lamentations 3:37). He need only command and it stands forth like an obedient servant, that appears in all haste at the call of his lord, Psalms 119:91.
His praiseworthiness ( c ) as the irresistible Ruler in the history of men. Since in 2 Samuel 15:34; 2 Samuel 17:14, and frequently, הפר עצה is a common phrase, therefore heepiyr as in Psalms 89:34, Ezekiel 17:19, is equivalent to הפר (Ges. §67, rem. 9). The perfects are not used in the abstract, but of that which has been experienced most recently, since the “new song” presupposes new matter. With Psalms 33:11 compare Proverbs 19:21. The עצת of God is the unity of the “thoughts of His heart,” i.e., of the ideas, which form the inmost part, the ultimate motives of everything that takes place. The whole history of the world is the uninterrupted carrying out of a divine plan of salvation, the primary object of which is His people, but in and with these are included humanity at large.
Hence the call to praise God is supported (2) by a setting forth of that which His people possess in Him. This portion of the song is like a paraphrase of the אשׁרי in Deuteronomy 33:29. The theme in Psalms 33:12 is proved in Psalms 33:13 by the fact, that Jahve is the omniscient Ruler, because He is the Creator of men, without whose knowledge nothing is undertaken either secretly or openly, and especially if against His people. Then in Psalms 33:16 it is supported by the fact, that His people have in Jahve a stronger defence than the greatest worldly power would be. Jahve is called the fashioner of all the hearts of men, as in Zechariah 12:1, cf. Proverbs 24:12, as being their Maker. As such He is also the observer of all the works of men; for His is acquainted with their origin in the laboratory of the heart, which He as Creator has formed. Hupfeld takes יחד as an equalisation ( pariter ac ) of the two appositions; but then it ought to be וּמבין (cf. Psalms 49:3, Psalms 49:11). The lxx correctly renders it καταμόνας , singillatim . It is also needless to translate it, as Hupfeld does: He who formed, qui finxit ; for the hearts of men were not from the very first created all at one time, but the primeval impartation of spirit-life is continued at every birth in some mysterious way. God is the Father of spirits, Hebrews 12:9. For this very reason everything that exists, even to the most hidden thing, is encompassed by His omniscience and omnipotence. He exercises an omniscient control over all things, and makes all things subservient to the designs of His plan of the universe, which, so far as His people are concerned, is the plan of salvation. Without Him nothing comes to pass; but through Him everything takes place. The victory of the king, and the safety of the warrior, are not their own works. Their great military power and bodily strength can accomplish nothing without God, who can also be mighty in the feeble. Even for purposes of victory ( תּשׁוּעה , cf. ישׁוּעה , Psalms 21:2) the war-horse is שׁקר , i.e., a thing that promises much, but can in reality do nothing; it is not its great strength, by which it enables the trooper to escape ( ימלּט ) . “The horse,” says Solomon in Proverbs 21:31, “is equipped for the day of battle, but התּשׁוּעה לה , Jahve's is the victory,” He giveth it to whomsoever He will. The ultimate ends of all things that come to pass are in His hands, and - as Psalms 33:18. say, directing special attention to this important truth by הנּה - the eye of this God, that is to say the final aim of His government of the world, is directed towards them that fear Him, is pointed at them that hope in His mercy ( למיחלים ). In Psalms 33:19, the object, לחסדּו , is expanded by way of example. From His mercy or loving-kindness, not from any acts of their own, conscious of their limited condition and feebleness, they look for protection in the midst of the greatest peril, and for the preservation of their life in famine. Psalms 20:8 is very similar; but the one passage sounds as independent as the other.
Accordingly, in this closing hexastich, the church acknowledges Him as its help, its shield, and its source of joy. Besides the passage before us, חכּה occurs in only one other instance in the Psalter, viz., Psalms 106:13. This word, which belongs to the group of words signifying hoping and waiting, is perhaps from the root חך (Arab. ḥk' , ḥkâ , firmiter constringere sc. nodum ), to be firm, compact, like קוּה from קוה , to pull tight or fast, cf. the German harren (to wait) and hart (hard, compact). In Psalms 33:20 we still hear the echo of the primary passage Deuteronomy 33:29 (cf. Deuteronomy 33:26). The emphasis, as in Psalms 115:9-11, rests upon הוּא , into which בּו , in Psalms 33:21, puts this thought, viz., He is the unlimited sphere, the inexhaustible matter, the perennial spring of our joy. The second כּי confirms this subjectively. His holy Name is His church's ground of faith, of love, and of hope; for from thence comes its salvation. It can boldly pray that the mercy of the Lord may be upon it, for it waits upon Him, and man's waiting or hoping and God's giving are reciprocally conditioned. This is the meaning of the כּאשׁר . God is true to His word. The Te Deum laudamus of Ambrose closes in the same way.