We might, irreverently, describe Psalm 33 as a psalm sandwich. In between a call to worship (verses 1 to 3) and people coming to prayer and worship (verses 20 to 22), we meet an incredible list of reasons for us to worship (verses 4 to 19). It would be remiss to start anywhere other than the beginning, and so we shall jump in right there.
Verses 1 to 3 call us to “rejoice”, “praise”, “make music”, “sing a new song”, and “play skillfully”, all “with a joyful shout”. In short, this is a call to musical worship, although as we have already considered – and will see again in Psalm 34 – this is not the be-all and end-all of worship. I think these verses offer something of a corrective to an attitude that I often have towards times of sung praise in church and other settings, where anything that smacks of musical excellence becomes suspect because we don’t know if it is great music for God’s glory or the musicians’ own sense of musicality.
Whilst this definitely can be a problem, and should be thought through carefully by those involved in music ministry at churches, playing skillfully is not itself sinful. So those of us who can be tempted to sinfully judge others in this way ourselves should carefully check our own sinful hearts and pray for forgiveness in this matter. The concept of “singing a new song to him” (verse 3), is also worth discussing, for much the same reason. We don’t have to stick to all the great classics, or use songs that all share the same structure and musical features, as some are wont to do.
Part of the delight of worshipping the never-changing, infinitely perfect God is that we can never fully express our worship, and so fresh words and song styles can help us to express our love for our creator. In the past, I’ve often found that it is only when I have had to learn a new tune for a well-known hymn that I really pay attention to the words. Whatever changes are made should always be constrained by a clear understanding of what is helpful for us to sing about, as touched upon in my thoughts upon Psalms 29 & 30. So, the psalmist here is calling us to worship God. But why should we worship him?
This is where the main body of the psalm comes in (verses 4 to 19). This is done in a revelation of his glory and an underscoring of his covenant care to his people. Verses 4 and 5 start off the list of reasons with a summary of God’s character, which can be seen through his revealed word and activity (verse 4). What is this activity? Verses 6 to 9 give us a partial answer: he is the creator and sustainer of all things, so we should worship him!
For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.
Colossians 1 verses 16 and 17
Part of the way in which God’s continual sustenance of and control over the world is expressed in the fates of those who oppose him (verse 10) and who worship him (verse 12). The plans of the wicked are frustrated, but those under God are “happy”, which is more familiarly translated as “blessed”. Verses 11 and 12 really feel like the theological centre of the Psalm. We are reminded in verse 11 of the fact that God’s counsel and plan are eternal, and in verse 12 that he has chosen a people for his own possession.
This echo of grace reminds us that we were chosen by God before creation; that his plan from before creation and our fall was to redeem us to himself in Christ. No matter what we do in life, we are God’s special posession, and he blesses us with immense blessings in this life, but also and especially in the life to come.
Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ. For he chose us in him, before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him. He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. He made known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure that he purposed in Christ as a plan for the right time—to bring everything together in Christ, both things in heaven and things on earth in him.
In him we have also received an inheritance, because we were predestined according to the plan of the one who works out everything in agreement with the purpose of his will, so that we who had already put our hope in Christ might bring praise to his glory.
In him you also were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed. The Holy Spirit is the down payment of our inheritance, until the redemption of the possession, to the praise of his glory.
Ephesians 1 verses 3 to 14
We see God’s care of his covenant people more fully developed through verses 13 to 19, where we see him exercising his role as the perfect judge of all. He sees all people and knows them intimately (verses 13 to 15), and there is no external power that can save a person from their fate before him (verse 16 and 17). But the people who “fear” him (verse 18), which is to say those who recognise who God is and submit to his covenant lordship – “those who depend on his faithful love” (verse 18), receive deliverance from God (verse 19). God’s covenant gives us certainty of salvation.
And so, having remembered the nature of the God we have been called to worship (verses 1 to 3), reviewing all that he has done and is (verses 4 to 19), we can confidently join the psalmist in declaring our faith and trust in this God, certain in his salvation (verse 20). Our trust in God brings us joy (verse 21), and allows us to pray with confidence that God would treat us in the “faithful love” of his covenant (verse 21).
I had written quite a few thoughts out for Psalm 34 as well, but looking back over them there was something very wrong with them. I hadn’t properly chewed over the psalm or found its theological heartbeat. So here are some more truncated ‘general notes’ from my time in the psalm. The way I read it, there are basically three main divisions.
In the first part, we see a declaration of the psalmist’s desire to worship God (verses 1 and 2), followed by a call for others – for us – to join in and exalt God together (verse 3). What is the root of this worship? The experience of salvation (verses 4 to 7). David is recounting his prayer for deliverance and ultimate rescue from the situation with Abimelech (verses 4 and 6), at the same time as telling us what it is like to experience salvation – it is an inward transformation that has a noticeable outward effect (verse 5), and provides complete assurance to those in covenant relationship with God (verse 7).
In the second movement of Psalm 34 (verses 8 to 14), we meet two injunctions calling on people to come into a covenant relationship with the God of grace (verse 8), who is worthy to be feared (verse 11). [Anecdotally, young man recently joined fellowship who has all the head knowledge of a life of attending church, but doesn’t actually really have a personal relationship of saving faith, it seems – this invite seems especially for those who are ‘sort of there’, but not really]. Positively, his graciousness gives us certainty of his provision for us (verses 9 and 10), but entering in this relationship is about accepting God’s rule over our lives, and a reordering of our priorities around his (verses 12 to 14).
The third section of the psalm brings us back to the gracious character of the saving God of the covenant (verses 15 to 22). He lovingly cares for those who trust in him (verse 15), but those who reject him in their evilness will face his judgment and wrath (verse 16). He both rescues and is present with his people in their need (verses 17 and 18). He works all things together for the good of his people (verses 19 and 20, compare Romans 8). The way of the wicked leads to death, but the way of relationship with God leads to redemption and life (verses 21 and 22, compare Romans 6 v 23).
In short, I see this psalm as a kind of call to check whether we really have a personal relationship with the covenant God who works great salvation for his people. Do we have the same excitement and desire to worship him (verses 1 to 3)? Do we feel the same joy as David over our salvation, or is it so clearly visible in our countenance (verses 4 to 7)? Are we aware of the sweetness of amazing grace, and are we humbly submitting to God through reverent fear (verses 8 to 14)? And finally, do we really see the eternal difference that having this covenant relationship with a gracious God makes for our lives (verses 15 to 22)?
How does Psalm 34 point us to the cross? This is the huge redemptive work of salvation (verses 4 to 7) that secures new life for us (verse 22), and is our prime motivation for worship (verses 1 to 3). It is the biggest evidence we have for the grace-filled and fear-worthy character of God (verses 8 to 21).
Four Month Psalter 