Rejoice and Praise the Lord
Psalm 33:1-22
Good News Christian Fellowship
BUCAS, Daraga Albay
July 14, 2007
Introduction
Ascribing to God His supreme worth - God who is the Omnipotent, the Omniscient, the gracious and merciful God, faithful and just God should be our unceasing and overflowing joy. Why is it the person who sees God in relation to man more likely to praise God?
Psalm 33 is a song of praise. However, there’s no particular identification who wrote this 33 Psalm. Some says it is David. But we are not sure of that. We also don’t know the event why this song of praise was written. But one thing for sure, this Psalm was altogether inspired of God. The praise of Jehovah is the subject of this sacred song. The upright or righteous are exhorted to praise Him, to rejoice in Him.
In our present context we are also exhorted to rejoice in Him and to praise Him. Often we focus on the preacher’s worth, the teacher’s worth, the music’s worth, the building’s worth! All of these are important. But too often, we stop there and fail to allow these elements to usher us into the very presence of God. Our tendency is to look at them instead of Him.
Central Truth : God, the mighty Creator, is the great deliverer of all who trust in Him.
I Praise God for His righteousness (v.1-5)
The psalmist say, “Rejoice in the Lord.” We are here exhorted to rejoice in the Lord. What is “rejoice”?
“Rejoice” means to shout (usually for joy): - aloud for joy, cry out, be joyful, (greatly, make to) rejoice, (cause to) shout (for joy), (cause to) sing (aloud, for joy, out), triumph.
(Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary)
So when we rejoice it means we shout for Joy. It is natural for believers to do so. It is not something supernatural; it comes from the inner heart of the believer walking and fellowshipping with the Lord wherein he acknowledges God’s faithfulness and mercy.
Then the psalmist exhorts us to “Praise” God. We have to sing a song of praise to the Lord. The psalmist is calling for all of us. It doesn’t say, “if you fell like it,” but it say “praise the Lord.”
Man should praise God with their entire being or with enthusiasm. It also important to praise God “with uprightness” of heart (Psalm 119:7) The scriptures emphasize that we should praise God audibly, for we read: “My mouth shall show forth thy praise.” (Psalm 51:15)
Our praise to God should be also with joy (Psalm 63:5), and continually (Psalm 35:28).
Now, who is to praise God? Look at verse 1. Look up the words righteous and upright.
According to verse 1, it only those who are righteous in conduct and in character should praise the Lord. They are bound unto it by the mercies and favors they have received. Why?
“Praise is not comely from unpardoned professional singers; it is like a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout. Crooked hearts make crooked music, but the upright are the Lord’s delight. Praise is the dress of saints in heaven, it is meet that they should fit it on below.” (C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David)
You can’t praise God with music that comes from the world. It is not possible. God will not and can’t accept the praise of unrepentant sinners and wayward saints.
Now, how we praise the Lord? Read verse 2.
We are told to praise God with musical instruments. We heard guitars. We heard tambourine. We heard piano, trumpets and other musical instruments. If we are using these for the glory of God, then it is appropriate.
In this Church we play musical instruments unto the Lord, not for ourselves. We are here not to put spotlight for ourselves but for God’s worth. We are here to sing a new song to the Lord spontaneously (verse 3). Sing a song that comes from the heart.
Why rejoice and praise God? Because he is worthy to be praise.
Christians of all people need to recognize that the word of God is sure and does not change. The Lord’s instruction to man’s nature does not change. What God declares will always come to pass. We are sure for that because God is just and faithful.
We have to recognize that “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord.” (verse 5)
“To hear its’ worthless inhabitants complain, one would think that God dispensed evil, not good. To examine the operation of His hand everything is marked with mercy and there is no place where His goodness does not appear.” (Adam Clarke)
Have we not seen the goodness of God in our life especially in times of trials and stressed? We have seen, isn’t? Some of you here received financial assistance for the construction of their home. Some of you here have been delivered from sickness. Some of our children here and even adults have been a recipient of expensive nutritious milk.
So, the word of the Lord is upright. What He promised will come to pass because He is faithful and just.
II Praise God for His Power (v.6-12)
While the word of God is absolutely essential for salvation for fallen man there is also a great revelation of nature:
• 1.Paul declare that men can know God because of the revelation of nature (Rom. 1:19-20).
• 2. From nature men learn that God is in all-powerful being (Isaiah 40:26).
• 3. Nature declare the infinite wisdom of God (Psalm 136:5).
• 4. Creation shoe fort the glory and handiwork of God (Psalm 19:1)
Those who mocked the Lord and those who mock the creation will one day stand before the judgment seat of the Lord and give account of their idle words.
“Let the inhabitant fear the Lord” (v.8)
“Let them not fear another instead of him. Doth a wild beast rage? Fear God. Doth a serpent lie in wait? Fear God. Doth man hate thee? Fear God. Doth the devil fight against thee? Fear God. For the whole creation is under him whom thou art commanded to fear.” (Augustine.)
God has power in His command. What He speaks will come to pass (v.9) It is of these very reasons why we have to praise God.
When Christ says, “I give you eternal life and they shall never perish and no one can snatch them in my Father’s hand,” I’ll take it as it is. I’ll take that as true for born-again believer. Why? Because God’s word is sure. God is faithful.
Verse 10 we read, “The Lord brings counsel of the nations to nought; he frustrates the plan of the people.”
The Lord influences the heart of every people, and all that is in it, his thoughts, counsels, purposes, and designs. God overrule even evil thoughts of men to bring good out of it. There are people who try to device plan against God and against His commandments. However, the Lord makes the devices of people to non-effect and His counsel remain or stand forever.
Verse 11, “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.”
We read in Romans 8:29-30, “For those whom He foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom called he justified; and those whom he justified he glorified.”
“No man can expect his will or plan to be carried out from age to age; the wisdom of one period is the folly of another, but the Lord’s wisdom is always wise, and his designs run on from century to century. His power to fulfil his purposes is by no means diminished by the lapse of years.”( C.H. Spurgeon, Treasury of David)
Will this purpose of God for His people stand forever? No one can thwart the plan of God for His people. When He acts, no one can reverse it; no one can change it or hold it back. As Psalm 138:8 says, “The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me.”
God’s purpose and His word is going to stand because it is forever in heaven and the application of it is to be done on earth.
Verse 12 we read, Blessed is the nation where God is the Lord, the people whom He has chosen as his heritage.”
What a blessing indeed to be chosen and people of God. I am glad I am chosen. I am glad I am the child of God. I am glad and of great joy, by His grace and mercy He chooses me to be one of the many people whom He will bless with an inheritance imperishable reserve in heaven for me.
Isn’t it of great rejoicing brothers and sisters to all of us? God have chosen us to be His own possessions, a peculiar people.
“Lest it should be thought that men obtain so great a good by their own efforts and industry, David teaches us expressly that it proceeds from the fountain of God’s gracious electing love that we are accounted the people of God.”( John Calvin.)
III. Praise God for His Steadfast Love - vv. 13-22
The Psalmist said, “The Lord look upon heaven”
Heaven is said to be the dwelling place of God (I kings 8:30)
It is from heaven that God answered those who call upon Him (2Chronicles 7:14)
It is also from heaven that judgment seat of God is manifested towards evil (Roman 1:18)
Read verse 15.
“Though he has endued man with understanding and freedom of will, yet he reserves to himself the government of him, and even of those very faculties by which he is qualified to govern himself. 1. The children of men are all under his eye, even their hearts are so; and all the motions and operations of their souls, which none know but they themselves, he knows better than they themselves” (Matthew Henry)
All men owe their being to God. God as the creator has the ultimate understanding of human heart. God knows the hearts of wicked men, and all the wickedness that is in them; he knows the hearts of good men, the worst that is in them, and also the best, which he himself has put there.
Read verse 16-17.
It says here that God rule over nations. He is sovereign. God sits upon the throne of universal dominion, directing ALL things, ruling ALL things, and working ALL things “after the counsel of his own will”
Not only God sovereignty rule over the decisions kings of the earth (Prov.16:33), He also determines military victory. He brings victory to the kings as he pleases.
I Kings 20:28-29 we read, “The man of God came up and told the King of Israel, ‘This is what the LORD says: ‘Because the Aramenas think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the Lord.’”
David was a king, and a man of war from his youth, and yet acknowledged God to be his only protector and Saviour.
It is very evident that the strength of an army is nothing without God. It says here that we can’t put our trust in nations army, but we as Christians should put our trust to the Sovereign, Most powerful God.
Read verse 18-19
While those that depend on arms and armies, on chariots and horses, perish in the disappointment of their expectations, God’s people, under his protection, are safe, for he shall deliver their soul from death when there seems to be but a step between them and it. If he do not deliver the body from temporal death, yet he will deliver the soul from spiritual and eternal death. Their souls, whatever happens, shall live and praise him, either in this world or in a better. (Matthew Henry)
Those that have the Lord for their God shall find him their help and their shield.
Read 20-22.
The godly believer waits in quiet expectation for the Lord in time of help.
Let me remind you, this is a call for praise for the Lord. , this is a call for praise for the Lord. You have to consider seriously what you are in.
Believer I urged you to live in conduct of character praising the Lord in songs, in words.
[1.] We must wait for God. We must not only in word and tongue profess a believing regard to God, but it must be inward and sincere, a secret and silent attendance on him.
[2.] We must rely on God, hope in his mercy, in the goodness of his nature, though we have not an express promise to depend upon. Those that fear God and his wrath must hope in God and his mercy.
Conclusion
“Praise is becoming to the upright.” (verse2) God designed praise and worship for people who need Him. Rejoicing and praising God for His holiness, majesty and power helps us to see ourselves as we truly are – always in need of Savior; always in needs for His strength and help and hope.
The Psalmist learned that he could rejoice because of his trust in God.
Let me share to you this story:
“There is excellent story of a young man, that was at sea in a mighty raging tempest; and when all the passengers were at their wit’s end for fear, he only was merry; and when he was asked the reason of his mirth, he answered that the pilot of the ship was his father, and he knew his father would have a care of him. The great and wise God, who is our Father hath from all eternity decreed what shall be the issue of all wars, what the event of all troubles; He is our pilot, He sits at the stern; and though the ship of the church or the state be in sinking conditions, yet be of good comfort, our Pilot will have a care of us.” – Edmund Calamy.
Let us pray.
