The Way of the Word: The Thirty-Third Psalm – A Contemplative Reading.
Psalm Thirty-Third – A Reflection – Audio
Monsignor Joji Vadakara, Vatican City
The thirty-third psalm is a psalm that calls us to praise and worship God, who by his word created the heavens and the earth and the universe and everything in it. The psalmist highlights the transience and futility of men’s words, intelligence, strength, and talents in the face of God’s power. The psalmist reminds us that man is glorified when he accepts and accepts with an open heart and joy the call to be accepted and loved by God. Man who trusts in God as Creator and Sustainer makes a wise and blessed choice. Man’s true hope is God, who lives and sustains.
Give thanks to the Lord
The first three verses of the psalm are David’s invitation to the righteous to give thanks to the Lord: “Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous; for it is fitting for the righteous to give thanks. Praise the Lord with the harp, sing to him with the ten-stringed lute. Sing to the Lord a new song; Give” (Ps. 33, 1-3). David invites the righteous who love the Lord and walk in his ways to sing his praises. Here we see a repetition of the invitation to the righteous to give thanks to the Lord in the closing verse of the thirty-second Psalm. The Lord delights in the praises of his people. It is appropriate to sing hymns to God who gives life and protects it. Those who acknowledge the Lord as God and lean in His way can give thanks to God with a full heart and with loud shouts.
God is the Creator and Sustainer
Let the psalmist write who the Lord is and what His glory is in verses four through nine. He is one who has a word of truth and trustworthy deeds and loves justice and judgment (Ps. 33, 4-5). His mercy fills the earth. After this description of God that we read in verses four and five, the psalmist speaks about God who created the entire universe with his word in verses six to nine. The heavens and the heavenly bodies were created by the word of God (Ps. 33, 6). It is God who gathered together all the waters of the sea on the face of the earth, and separated the land from the water (Ps. 33, 7). Everyone is obliged to worship the God who caused the establishment of the world and made it stable with the awe and reverence that comes from the realization that he is the creator of everything (Psalms 33, 8-9).
God’s eternal plans
In verses ten and eleven the psalmist highlights the permanence of God’s plans and the transience of human plans: “The Lord brings to naught the counsels of the nations; He destroys their plans. The plans of the Lord are eternal; His thoughts endure for generations” (Ps. 33, 10-11). Mere human plans without God and without foundation in God do not last long. But the Lord’s are eternal plans, thoughts that last for generations. It is the Lord who makes meaningful and stable the ways and plans of the righteous of His people who trust in Him and lean in His way. Human limits and limitations. God does not accept selfish plans. People who accept the Lord as God and live according to God’s will are those who know God’s will and work according to His will. The twelfth verse tells us that they are blessed: “Blessed are the people whose God is the Lord, and the people whom He has chosen for Himself” (Ps. 33, 12). Our plans and thoughts become stable and possible when we work in harmony with God’s will.
Weak Men and the Lord’s Mercy
Verses 13 to 19 of the Psalm deal with the insignificance of men and God’s protection of men who trust in Him. God is the One who looks down on men from His throne and clearly understands them and their hearts. Here the psalmist repeats what we have understood in previous verses about the insignificance and meaninglessness of the one who seeks salvation in his own strength and intelligence, away from God. A warrior cannot be liberated by his own strength, nor can victory be achieved by the great power of a horse alone. Verses eighteen and nineteen of the Psalms exhort us to trust and hope in God, who is merciful and protective. It is only the Lord who guards and cares for the life of His righteous in the face of want and famine.
Live with trust in God
The Psalms in the last three verses, which describes the glory of God, and in the last three verses, we hope in the Lord. For we have pleased with us in His holy name. ” . These words of the psalmist are both a declaration and a call. We find a similar message in Psalm 115 verse 9: “Trust in the Lord, O Israel; he is your help and shield” (Ps. 115, 9). The psalmist, praising God and singing of his glory and mercy, which is revealed in various ways, asks the people to hope in this merciful God and trust in his name. The heart of the people will be filled with joy, with God as their helper and protector.
Psalm in life
Psalm 33 is a beautiful example of God’s praise, calling believers to trust in and give thanks to the Lord who created the universe and everything in it and created man in his image and likeness. One who recognizes God’s divine life, love, protection and care is one who rejoices in God with a full heart and sings His praises. This psalm calls our attention to the transience and meaninglessness of a life and plans apart from God, the Lord of all. Recognizing and accepting the Lord as our Lord and Savior, we can sing with the psalmist and God’s people daily the psalms of gratitude overflowing with the harp and the lute. May God be kind to us too so that we may constantly experience His infinite mercy and protection.
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2023-07-25 14:58:03
