Psalm 33 — Lift hands in praise and awe — Reading the Psalms

1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous:
Praise is comely for the upright.
2 Give thanks unto the LORD with 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 the LORD is right;
And all his work is done in faithfulness.
5 He loveth righteousness and judgement:
The earth is full of the lovingkindness 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 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 spake, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
10 The LORD bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought:
He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of none effect.
11 The counsel of the LORD standeth fast for ever,
The thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD;
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 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 an host:
A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 An horse is a vain thing for safety:
Neither shall he deliver any by his great power.
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 hath waited 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 have hoped in thee.

What a wonderful God above and what wonderful words we’re given for worship and praise! Let us rejoice indeed! Let us be mindful and worship with all our skill and heart. Let us put the all of our being into the praise of our God, because God and his word are right.

His word wrought the works that we see, and we see that they are good. “The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.” It is like an imprint of his goodness, and when we look to his creation, or meditate on his works, we can know this goodness in God.

We, the inhabitants of the earth, stand in awe of him. We know the limit of our word is short, but God’s word stands fast for all eternity. We know the weakness of our own wisdom, but the counsel of the Lord endures and blesses any nation which seeks his truths. We know our sight is flawed, but the Lord looks and sees the whole of the earth. He knows and considers our very hearts. Praise God in fear and wonder.

“The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear him.” Let us lift hands in praise and awe. Let us lift lips in words of adoration and thanksgiving. Let us fear the Lord in humility and purity. Praise the Lord!