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Psalm 33

Blessed Is the Nation Whose God Is the Lord

Introductory Praise

Shout joyfully to the Lord, you righteous.
The praise of the upright is beautiful.
Thank the Lord with a lyre.
Make music for him with the ten-stringed harp.
Sing to him a new song.
Play skillfully and shout praises.
Yes, the word of the Lord is right,
and everything he does is trustworthy.
He loves righteousness and justice.
The mercy of the Lord fills the earth.

God’s Love in Creation

By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.
By the breath of his mouth he made the whole army of stars.[a]
He gathers the water of the sea into a heap.
He puts the depths into storehouses.
Let all the earth fear the Lord.
Let all the inhabitants of the world revere him.
For he said, “Let it be,” and it was!
He gave a command, and there it stood.

God’s Rule of History

10 The Lord wrecks the plan of the nations.
He hinders the intentions of the peoples.
11 The plan of the Lord stands forever.
The intentions of his heart stand through all generations.
12 How blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose to be his possession.

13 From heaven the Lord observes.
He sees all the children of Adam.
14 From his throne room he looks at all the inhabitants of earth.
15 He alone is the one who shapes all their hearts.
He understands all their deeds.
16 No king is saved by the great size of his army.
No hero is rescued by his great strength.
17 You cannot rely on a horse to save you.
Its great strength will not deliver you.
18 Look, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him,
on those who wait for his mercy.
19 He will deliver their souls from death.
He keeps them alive in famine.

Concluding Prayer

20 Our souls wait for the Lord.
He is our help and our shield.
21 Yes, in him our heart rejoices,
because we trust in his holy name.
22 May your mercy, O Lord, be on us,
    even as we wait confidently for you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 33:6 And/or army of angels

Praise to Yahweh for His Character and Creation

33 Exult in Yahweh, O you righteous,
for praise is fitting for the upright.
Give thanks to Yahweh with the lyre;
with a harp of ten strings play to him.
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully with jubilant shout.
For the word of Yahweh is upright,
and all his work is done in faithfulness.
He loves righteousness and justice.
The earth is full of the loyal love of Yahweh.
By the word of Yahweh the heavens were made,
and by the breath of his mouth all their host.
He gathered the waters of the sea like a heap.
He put the deeps in storehouses.
Let all the earth fear Yahweh.
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
For he himself spoke[a] and it came to pass.
He himself commanded[b] and it stood firm.
10 Yahweh brings to nothing[c] the plan of nations;
he frustrates[d] the intents of peoples.
11 The plan of Yahweh stands firm forever,
the intents of his heart from one generation to the next.[e]
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is Yahweh,
the people he has chosen for his inheritance.
13 From heaven Yahweh looks;
he sees all the children of humankind.
14 From his dwelling place[f] he gazes
on all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 he who fashions altogether their heart,
he who understands all their works.
16 The king is not saved by the greatness of an army.
The warrior is not delivered by the greatness of strength.
17 The horse is a false hope for victory,
nor can it save by the greatness of its power.
18 Behold, the eye of Yahweh is on those who fear him,
on those who hope[g] for his loyal love
19 to deliver their soul from death
and to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for Yahweh;
he is our help and our shield.
21 For in him our heart rejoices
because in his holy name we trust.
22 Let your loyal love, O Yahweh, be upon us,
even as[h] we hope in you.

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 33:9 Literally “he, he spoke”
  2. Psalm 33:9 Literally “He, he commanded”
  3. Psalm 33:10 Or “breaks”
  4. Psalm 33:10 Or “nullifies”
  5. Psalm 33:11 Literally “to a generation and a generation”
  6. Psalm 33:14 Or “the place where he sits enthroned”
  7. Psalm 33:18 Or “wait expectantly”
  8. Psalm 33:22 Literally “as which”