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Commentary on Psalms 33 verses 1–11
Four things the psalmist expresses in these verses:
I. The great desire he had that God might be praised. He did not think he did it so well himself, but that he wished others also might be employed in this work; the more the better, in this concert: it is the more like heaven. 1. Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise, and that is here pressed upon all good people (Psa 33:1): Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous; so the foregoing psalm concluded and so this begins; for all our religious exercises should both begin and end with a holy complacency and triumph in God as the best of being and best of friends. 2. Thankful praise is the breath and language of holy joy; and that also is here required of us (Psa 33:2): "Praise the Lord; speak well of him, and give him the glory due to his name." 3. Religious songs are the proper expressions of thankful praise; those are here required (Psa 33:3): "Sing unto him a new song, the best you have, not that which by frequent use is worn, thread-bare, but that which, being new, is most likely to move the affections, a new song for new mercies and upon every new occasion, for those compassions which are new every morning." Music was then used, by the appointment of David, with the temple-songs, that they might be the better sung; and this also is here called for (Psa 33:2): Sing unto him with the psaltery. Here is, (1.) A good rule for this duty: "Do it skilfully, and with a loud noise; let it have the best both of head and heart; let it be done intelligently and with a clear head, affectionately and with a warm heart." (2.) A good reason for this duty: For praise is comely for the upright. It is well pleasing to God (the garments of praise add much to the comeliness which God puts upon his people) and it is an excellent ornament to our profession. It becomes the upright, whom God has put so much honour upon, to give honour to him. The upright praise God in a comely manner, for they praise him with their hearts, that is praising him with their glory; whereas the praises of hypocrites are awkward and uncomely, like a parable in the mouth of fools, Pro 26:7.
II. The high thoughts he had of God, and of his infinite perfections, Psa 33:4, Psa 33:5. God makes himself known to us, 1. In his word, here put for all divine revelation, all that which God at sundry times and in divers manners spoke to the children of men, and that is all right, there is nothing amiss in it; his commands exactly agree with the rules of equity and the eternal reasons of good and evil. His promises are all wise and good and inviolably sure, and there is no iniquity in his threatenings, but even those are designed for our good, by deterring us from evil. God's word is right, and therefore all our deviations from it are wrong, and we are then in the right when we agree with it. 2. In his works, and those are all done in truth, all according to his counsels, which are called the scriptures of truth, Dan 10:21. The copy in all God's works agrees exactly with the great original, the plan laid in the Eternal Mind, and varies not in the least jot. God has made it to appear in his works, (1.) That he is a God of inflexible justice: He loveth righteousness and judgment. There is nothing but righteousness in the sentence he passes and judgment in the execution of it. He never did nor can do wrong to any of his creatures, but is always ready to give redress to those that are wronged, and does it with delight. He takes pleasure in those that are righteous. He is himself the righteous Lord, and therefore loveth righteousness. (2.) That he is a God of inexhaustible bounty: The earth is full of his goodness, that is, of the proofs and instances of it. The benign influences which the earth receives from above, and the fruits it is thereby enabled to produce, the provision that is made both for man and beast, and the common blessings with which all the nations of the earth are blessed, plainly declare that the earth is full of his goodness - the darkest, the coldest, the hottest, and the most dry and desert part of it not excepted. What a pity is it that this earth, which is so full of God's goodness, should be so empty of his praises, and that of the multitudes that live upon his bounty there are so few that live to his glory!
III. The conviction he was under of the almighty power of God, evidenced in the creation of the world. We "believe in God," and therefore we praise him as "the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth," so we are here taught to praise him. Observe,
1.How God made the world, and brought all things into being. (1.) How easily: All things were made by the word of the Lord and by the breath of his mouth. Christ is the Word, the Spirit is the breath, so that God the Father made the world, as he rules it and redeems it, by his Son and Spirit. He spoke, and he commanded (Psa 33:9), and that was enough; there needed no more. With men saying and doing are two things, but it is not so with God. By the Word and Spirit of God as the world was made, so was man, that little world. God said, Let us make man, and he breathed into him the breath of life. By the Word and Spirit the church is built, that new world, and grace wrought in the soul, that new man, that new creation. What cannot that power do which with a word made a world! (2.) How effectually it was done: And it stood fast. What God does he does to purpose; he does it and it stands fast. Whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever, Ecc 3:14. It is by virtue of that command to stand fast that things continue to this day according to God's ordinance, Psa 119:91.
2.What he made. He made all things, but notice is here taken, (1.) of the heavens, and the host of them, Psa 33:6. The visible heavens, and the sun, moon, and stars, their hosts - (2.) Of the waters, and the treasures of them, Psa 33:7. The earth was at first covered with the water, and, being heavier, must of course subside and sink under it; but, to show from the very first that the God of nature is not tied to the ordinary method of nature, and the usual operations of his powers, with a word's speaking he gathered the waters together on a heap, that the dry land might appear, yet left them not to continue on a heap, but laid up the depth in store-houses, not only in the flats where the seas make their beds, and in which they are locked up by the sand on the shore as in storehouses, but in secret subterraneous caverns, where they are hidden from the eyes of all living, but were reserved as in a store-house for that day when those fountains of the great deep were to be broken up; and they are still laid up there in store, for which use the great Master of the house knows best.
3.What use is to be made of this (Psa 33:8): Let all the earth fear the Lord, and stand in awe of him; that is, let all the children of men worship him and give glory to him, Psa 95:5, Psa 95:6. The everlasting gospel gives this as the reason why we must worship God, because he made the heaven, and the earth, and the sea, Rev 14:6, Rev 14:7. Let us all fear him, that is, dread his wrath and displeasure, and be afraid of having him our enemy and of standing it out against him. Let us not dare to offend him who having this power no doubt has all power in his hand. It is dangerous being at war with him who has the host of heaven for his armies and the depths of the sea for his magazines, and therefore it is wisdom to desire conditions of peace, see Jer 5:22.
IV. The satisfaction he had of God's sovereignty and dominion, Psa 33:10, Psa 33:11. He over-rules all the counsels of men, and makes them, contrary to their intention, serviceable to his counsels. Come and see with an eye of faith God in the throne, 1. Frustrating the devices of his enemies: He bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought, so that what they imagine against him and his kingdom proves a vain thing (Psa 2:1); the counsel of Ahithophel is turned into foolishness; Haman's plot is baffled. Though the design be laid ever so deep, and the hopes raised upon it ever so high, yet, if God says it shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass; it is all to no purpose. 2. Fulfilling his own decrees: The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever. It is immutable in itself, for he is in one mind, and who can turn him? The execution of it may be opposed, but cannot in the least be obstructed by any created power. Through all the revolutions of time God never changed his measures, but in every event, even that which to us is most surprising, the eternal counsel of God is fulfilled, nor can any thing prevent its being accomplished in its time. With what pleasure to ourselves may we in singing this give praise to God! How easy may this thought make us at all times, that God governs the world, that he did it in infinite wisdom before we were born, and will do it when we are silent in the dust!
The Judge wishes to have mercy on you and to share his own compassion.… But if he sees your heart unrepentant, your mind proud, your disbelief of the future life and your fearlessness of the judgment, then he desires the judgment for you, just as a reasonable and kind doctor tries at first with hot applications and soft poultices to reduce a tumor, but, when he sees that the mass is rigidly and obstinately resisting, casting away the olive oil and the gentle method of treatment, he prefers henceforth the use of the knife. Therefore, God loves mercy in the case of those repenting, but he also loves judgment in the case of the unyielding.
This is typical of God, both to show lovingkindness and to judge—to show lovingkindness for those who hope in him and to condemn those who trust in themselves.
Grace and righteousness are characteristic of what is done by God. In other words, he said that loving is characteristic of him, speaking perhaps excessively and meaning that not only does what has been done in the past have these two characteristics, but also he is very fond of doing such things as happen to have these two characteristics.
"He loves Mercy and Judgment:" for He loves Mercy, which now He shows first; and Judgment, wherewith He exacts that which He has first shown. "The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord" [Psalm 33:5]: throughout the whole world are sins forgiven unto men by the Mercy of the Lord.
He places kindness before judgment because God uses kindness, then judgment against those who continue in sin.
He describes the Lord by telling what he has done or what he does every day. We say that we love the things in which we are often engaged. So here the Lord’s love of mercy is celebrated in song … because he often imparts this mercy as a gift.… Since in this world he shows his love of mercy when he scatters it far and wide, when he bears with sinners, when he patiently waits for blasphemers, when he offers life to the unworthy and other similar acts that plainly ought to be attributed to divine compassion.… What follows is the statement that “the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.” It is just this mercy that preserves us when we are miserable, when we struggle in the battle because of the devil’s attack, when we are distracted from the commands of heaven by the weakness of our flesh.… Therefore let us seek the mercy with which the entire world is filled.
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SUMMARY
Psalm 33:5 offers a profound theological statement, revealing two essential aspects of God's character and their pervasive manifestation. It first declares that the Lord's very nature is defined by an intrinsic affection for moral uprightness and the administration of justice, establishing Him as the ultimate standard of equity and order. This foundational truth is then complemented by the affirmation that His benevolent, steadfast love permeates and fills the entire earth, demonstrating a divine goodness that is both universal in scope and actively present in creation, providing a secure basis for trust and worship.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalm 33:5 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound theological truths with clarity and impact. The most prominent is Parallelism, specifically a form of synthetic or complementary parallelism, where the second line expands upon or completes the thought of the first. The initial clause establishes God's internal character ("He loveth righteousness and judgment"), while the subsequent clause demonstrates the external, pervasive manifestation of that character ("the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD"). This creates a comprehensive and holistic picture of God's being and action. Anthropomorphism is also evident in the phrase "He loveth," attributing a human emotion (love) to God. This device makes God's character more relatable and understandable to human readers, emphasizing His active delight in justice and righteousness rather than portraying Him as a detached, impersonal force. Furthermore, the phrase "the earth is full" utilizes Hyperbole to emphasize the overflowing, abundant, and inescapable nature of God's goodness, suggesting that it is not merely present in isolated instances but is overwhelmingly pervasive throughout all creation.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse beautifully intertwines the themes of God's holy character and His benevolent providence. God's intrinsic love for righteousness and judgment establishes His absolute moral authority and reliability, assuring us that His governance of the universe is always just, equitable, and true. This inherent justice, however, is not a cold, detached principle but is intimately connected to His chêçêd, His steadfast love and goodness, which actively permeates and sustains all creation. Therefore, the order, beauty, and provision observable in the world are not random occurrences but are tangible, continuous expressions of a God who is both perfectly righteous and infinitely good. This dual revelation of God's character provides a robust and trustworthy foundation for faith, demonstrating that His immense power is always wielded with integrity, compassion, and unwavering benevolence.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
In a world frequently marked by profound injustice, widespread suffering, and moral ambiguity, Psalm 33:5 offers a bedrock of divine truth and a wellspring of enduring hope. It calls us to anchor our understanding of reality in the unwavering character of God: a God who not only defines but loves righteousness and judgment. This profound truth assures us that His ultimate purposes are just and that His sovereign rule is entirely equitable, even when immediate circumstances appear chaotic or unfair. Furthermore, the declaration that "the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD" invites us to cultivate a posture of profound gratitude and heightened awareness, recognizing the countless manifestations of His steadfast love and benevolent provision in our daily lives—from the very breath we breathe to the breathtaking beauty of creation, from unexpected acts of kindness to enduring faithfulness in relationships. This verse challenges us not only to acknowledge God's character but also to actively reflect it in our own lives, diligently pursuing righteousness, advocating for justice for the oppressed, and extending goodness and compassion to others. By doing so, we become instruments of His pervasive chêçêd in a world desperately in need of His divine attributes.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
If the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD, why is there so much suffering and evil in the world?
Answer: This is a profound and ancient question, often referred to as the problem of evil or theodicy. Psalm 33:5 asserts God's character and the pervasiveness of His goodness, not the absence of evil. The Bible teaches that suffering and evil entered the world through humanity's rebellion against God (the Fall, as described in Genesis 3). While sin has profoundly marred creation and introduced immense suffering, God's goodness (chêçêd) continues to be present in His sustaining grace, His common grace (blessings extended to all humanity, like sunshine and rain, as mentioned in Matthew 5:45), His redemptive work, and His ultimate promise to restore all things. The "fullness" of His goodness implies that His benevolent purposes and active presence are still at work, even amidst brokenness, providing hope, comfort, and a path to redemption. It reminds us that His character remains perfectly just and good, and His ultimate victory over evil is assured, culminating in a new heaven and new earth where "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain" (as promised in Revelation 21:4).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalm 33:5 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and redemptive work of Jesus Christ. He is the perfect embodiment of God's love for righteousness and judgment, having lived a life of absolute moral purity, without sin, and perfectly upholding divine justice in every action and word. As the very Word of God made flesh (as declared in John 1:14), Jesus perfectly reveals the Father's character and nature. His crucifixion, in particular, stands as the supreme demonstration of how God's righteousness and judgment are satisfied: God, being perfectly just, could not simply overlook sin, but in Christ, He provided the perfect, atoning sacrifice that both upholds His righteous standard and offers forgiveness to humanity, making Him "just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus" (as profoundly explained in Romans 3:26). Furthermore, the "goodness of the LORD" that fills the earth is supremely manifested in Christ. Through His incarnation, miraculous ministry, compassionate healing, and triumphant resurrection, Jesus tangibly demonstrated God's chêçêd—His steadfast love, mercy, and active benevolence—bringing light into spiritual darkness and offering salvation and eternal life to all who believe (as seen in John 3:16). He is the one through whom all things were created and in whom all things hold together (as affirmed in Colossians 1:16-17), ensuring that the earth is indeed permeated by His divine goodness, even as He actively works to redeem it and establish His righteous and everlasting kingdom fully.