Psalm 33 “The New Song Worship”

“Truth for Truckers” *March 3, 2014*  Psalm 33 “The New Song Worship”

     This Psalm begins with five direct commands to the believer, exhorting them to worship the LORD utilizing musical skill: ‘Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Praise the LORD with harp: Sing unto Him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings. Sing unto Him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise, For the Word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth. He loves righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.’

(v.1-5)

     Rejoicing lays the foundation for the rest of the Psalm, and especially this first section as praise, singing and playing instruments naturally flow from a rejoicing spirit. The emphasis on ‘A new song’ calls for the working of the Spirit in the life of the singer, bringing forth a song of praise to the LORD which is fresh from the heart-strings of one truly blessed by the presence of the LORD and the power of meditating upon His supernatural Word.

     This is the first of nine times ‘New song’ is mentioned in Scripture, with six occurrences in the Psalms (33:3, 40:3, 96:1, 98:1, 144:9, 149:1). Of these six times, four of them are direct commands to the Believer to sing a new song unto the Lord. Then, new song appears as another command in Isaiah 42:10. The term also is recorded twice in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ (5:9, 14:3). The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ has more worship passages than any other book of the New Testament! The new song is new and original because it is authored and formulated by the Holy Spirit of God within the Believer as they memorize and meditate upon the Word of God! 

     This truth is evident from the writings of Paul: ‘Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.’ (Colossians 3:16) The source of the ‘Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs’ is the heart filled with ‘The Word of Christ’ providing the foundation for Biblical teaching and the ministry of admonition to others mentioned in this passage.

     In Psalm 33 the Lord is exalted, and, the reason for this magnificent expression of exaltation is found in (Psalm 33:4, 5) ‘For the Word of the LORD is right; and all His works are done in truth. He loves righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. The Word of God is focused upon here, emphasizing the veracity of the Word, and it’s regulation of the very works of God. His Word also reveals His love for right actions and justice with the abundance of goodness evident in His creation flowing from His own acclamation (Genesis 1:31) and His foundational personal attribute of goodness (Nahum 1:7).

     God’s creative work is referred to briefly: ‘By the Word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. He gathered the waters of the sea together as an heap: He lays up the depth in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. For He spake and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast’.

     It was His Word that brought it all into being, therefore: ‘Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the earth stand in awe of Him’. This must be the first response to the Creator which brings wisdom and the eventual knowledge of His so great salvation. This is why the godless theory of evolution has so corrupted man’s thinking and clouds the truth of the Word of God for it has eliminated the first step to the ultimate knowledge of God and His great love which was manifest in the Cross of His only begotten Son!

     This knowledge revealed to lost men by the Holy Spirit is the only avenue to repentance which brings salvation to the sinful soul for it is ‘The goodness of God that leads to repentance’ (Romans 2:4) and His goodness is revealed in His great love for man which was manifest upon the Cross as the Lord Jesus Christ suffered and died for the sins of all mankind. In order to be saved from the penalty of sin, man must first believe that there is a God, and this God is the God Who in fact created him and all that exists in the universe. This knowledge brings about the healthy and holy fear of God into the heart and wisdom to the soul with the knowledge of a personal need for a Savior from the penalty of sin (Romans 6:23).

     ‘The LORD brings the counsel of the heathen to naught: He makes the devices of the people of none effect.’ (v.10). This is an accurate description of God’s powerful ability to cause the plans and purposes of the lost to be meaningless and without effectiveness and could well apply to the fraud and deception of evolution. In direct contrast: ‘The counsel of the LORD stands for ever, the thoughts of His heart to all generations.’ (v.11) His plans and purposes will stand the test of time as they will take effect and bring forth His desired intentions throughout all of eternity having impact upon all mankind.

     ‘Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD: and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance.’ (v.12) Although the first application here is the nation of Israel, His blessing is obviously upon other nations that have embraced Christianity and contain a great number of His chosen people in their population, whether it be His spiritual people, the born-again Christians, or His physical people, the Jews, His hand of blessing upon the nation is evident in both cases.

     His blessed surveilance and deliverance is revealed in (v.13-19) ‘The LORD looks from heaven; He beholds all the sons of men. From the place of His habitation He looks upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashions their hearts alike; He considers all their works.’  The LORD looks upon and beholds those whom He made and ‘considers all their works’ which the following verses describe: ‘There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.’

     This list of earthly and temporal beings cannot bring salvation or deliverance. These are the natural ways man uses to give him deliverance when trouble or trial comes but they cannot bring about the spiritual deliverance man needs. ‘Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy. To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.’ (v.18, 19) The protective deliverance brought about by the LORD’s eye of knowledge, is given to those who fear Him and put their faith in His mercy which endures forever.

     Although man may employ a host, a mighty man, or a horse, he will not be delivered from the events that only the supernatural God of heaven has the ability to deliver him from. This is the bottom line, for without the enduring merciful watch care and saving grace of the LORD, we would be consumed and consigned to the eternal torment of hell! But, for the Believer there is hope: ‘Our soul waits for the LORD: He is our help and our shield. For our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name. Let Thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee.’ (v.20-22)

     The Psalmist fully recognizes where deliverance comes from as he patiently waits upon the LORD knowing that ‘He is our help and our shield’. Rejoicing is looked forward to as faith is applied with its foundation resting in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. His request for mercy is assured as it also is put into operation by his faith. Drivers, let us meditate upon the Word allowing the Holy Spirit to create New Songs in our heart whereby we can worship the Lord and minister to others!

Chaplain L.E.Wolfe www.btmi.org I-85 Exit 35 SC  McPilot  Stop in, and please pray for our ministry!