Psalm 33:1-11

Rachel Workman: 1 Let the godly sing for joy to the Lord;
    it is fitting for the pure to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with melodies on the lyre;
    make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.
3 Sing a new song of praise to him;
    play skillfully on the harp, and sing with joy.
4 For the word of the Lord holds true,
    and we can trust everything he does.
5 He loves whatever is just and good;
    the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.

I love verses 4 and 5. For the word of the Lord holds true. If the word of the Lord hold true then we have no reason to doubt, be scared or worry about anything. So the question of the day is then why do I continue to do it?

6 The Lord merely spoke,
    and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
    and all the stars were born.
7 He assigned the sea its boundaries
    and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let the whole world fear the Lord,
    and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began!
    It appeared at his command.

I love this reading. If the Lord merely spoke and the heavens were created what could possibly be too hard for him? We have limits on everything we do. It's hard to imagine a limitless God. But when we limit God we limit ourselves. My guess is I've spent a lifetime doing just that.

10 The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations
    and thwarts all their schemes.
11 But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever;
    his intentions can never be shaken.

Can we not see that now? Nothing is a surprise to God. His plans will be successful no matter what man does or does not do.

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John Burnett:  33 Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones;
Praise is becoming to the upright.
² Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre;
Sing praises to Him with a harp of ten strings.
³ Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy. 
⁴ For the word of the Lord is upright,
And all His work is done in faithfulness.
⁵ He loves righteousness and justice;
The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the Lord.

⁶ By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
And by the breath of His mouth all their host.
⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea together ^[a]as a heap;
He lays up the deeps in storehouses. 

⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.  It still amazes me how blinded people are to fact that God created everything and He did it with the breath of His mouth.

⁹ For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it ^[b]stood fast.
¹⁰ The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations;
He frustrates the plans of the peoples.  He frustrates them now but when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way, Katie bar the door.  The evil plans of the people will take place and will be like no other time on earth.  Glad I will not be here.
¹¹ The counsel of the Lord stands forever,
The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

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Michael Allens:  ¹ Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
    it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
² Praise the Lord with the harp;
    make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
³ Sing to him a new song;
    play skillfully, and shout for joy.

⁴ For the word of the Lord is right and true;
    he is faithful in all he does.

All God’s words are right and true; they can be trusted. The Bible is reliable because, unlike people, God does not lie, forget, change His words, or leave His promises unfulfilled. We can trust the Bible because it contains the words of a holy, trustworthy, and unchangeable God.
⁵ The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
    the earth is full of his unfailing love.

⁶ By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
    their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
⁷ He gathers the waters of the sea into jars;
    he puts the deep into storehouses.
⁸ Let all the earth fear the Lord;
    let all the people of the world revere him.
⁹ For he spoke, and it came to be;
    he commanded, and it stood firm.

Verses 6-9 are pretty much a poetic summary of the first chapter of Genesis. God is not just the coordinator of natural forces; He is the Lord of creation, the almighty God. Because He is all-powerful, we should revere Him in all we do.

¹⁰ The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
    he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
¹¹ But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
    the purposes of his heart through all generations.

“The plans of the Lord stand firm forever.” Are you frustrated by inconsistencies you see in others, or even in yourself? I know I am. God is completely trustworthy; His intentions never change. There is a promise that good and perfect gifts come to us from the Creator who never changes (James 1:17). When we wonder if there is anyone in whom we can trust, it’s important to remember that God is completely consistent and in control. We must listen and let Him counsel us, and trust in His plans for our life.