PM July 9th Psalm 33

July 9^th Psalm 33

Praising God

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 skillfully 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.

Psalm 34

A Psalm of David when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech who drove him away and he departed

Praising God for Deliverance

1: I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. 2: My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3: O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4: I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. 5: They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed. 6: This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles. 7: The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them. 8: O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him. 9: O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 10: The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. 11: Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. 12: What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? 13: Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 14: Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. 15: The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. 16: The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. 17: The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles. 18: The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. 19: Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all. 20: He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken. 21: Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate. 22: The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

Today we are reading Psalm 33 & 34. In Psalm 33 David calls on the righteous to join him in rejoicing in the Lord because praise and rejoicing in the appropriate thing for the righteous to do. He says bring your praises to the Lord with harp, psaltery, and instrument of ten strings. David says sing new songs and play skilfully but loud. It’s interesting that most of the objections to music in worship have to do with new songs and loud music. But David encourages new songs and loud playing. So what are to be the proper subjects of worship? David says that we can sing of the word of the Lord which is right and of all the works of the Lord which are done in truth. The Lord loves righteousness and right judgement and all the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. The word of the Lord bought all creation into being and he brings all the works evil men to nothing. David reminds us that the nation that owns the Lord is blessed by him. The Lord looks down from heaven and sees everything that men do. In Psalm 34 David says that he will bless the Lord at all times and his praise will continually been in my mouth. David says that for I will be proud of the Lord and the humble will hear of this and be glad with me. David says magnify the Lord with me and let us rejoice into Lord together, because I sought the Lord and heard me. He delivered me from all my fears. I was a poor man and I cried to the Lord and the Lord heard me and he saved me out of all my troubles. David was a living testimony to the Lord and to his goodness. He says the Lord sends his angel to surround those who fear him. So come and taste the goodness of the Lord. All those who trust in him will not be ashamed. The Lord will provide everything for those who trust in him. Everyone wants to live a long time and prosper but if you keep yourself from evil speaking and always tell the truth. And if you depart from evil do good and seek peace then the Lord will look favorably on you. But the Lord will set his face against those who do evil. The Lord is near to those who are of a broken spirit and he will save those who have a contrite spirit. None of this is the gospel which we preach. This was the way of life under the Mosaic law. Under Grace those who look away from themselves find that there is salvation in what Christ has accomplished. And that it is a free gift given to those who have faith in Christ.

• Why should the righteous rejoice?
• When should we bless the Lord?
• How does the Lord save his people?