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Psalms 33:1

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous,.... [See comments on Psalms 32:11]; [for] praise is comely for the upright; it becomes them; it is their duty; they are bound unto it by the mercies and favours they have received; should they not give praise to God, the stones of the wall would cry out, and rebuke them for their ingratitude: it is beautiful,...

Psalms 33:2

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Praise the Lord with harp,.... An instrument David was well skilled in the use of, the inventor of which was Jubal, Genesis 4:21; sing unto, him with the psaltery; the name of this instrument is in the Hebrew language "nebel": the account which Josephus (w) gives of this, and of the former, is, "the harp is extended with ten strings, and is...

Psalms 33:3

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Sing unto him a new song,.... One newly composed on account of recent mercies received; and as the mercies of God are new every morning, there ought to be a daily song of praise to him; and so a new song is a continual song, as Christ is called the "new and living way", Hebrews 10:20; because he is the everliving way; or the constant and only one,...

Psalms 33:4

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

For the word of the Lord [is] right,.... The revealed word of God: the law of God is right; its precepts are holy, just, and good; its sanction or penalty is righteous; it is impartial unto all; it is just in condemning the wicked, and in acquitting believers on the account of Christ's perfect righteousness, by which it is magnified and made...

Psalms 33:5

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

He loveth righteousness and judgment,.... Or "righteous judgment" (y); he delights in the administration of it himself, Jeremiah 9:24; and he is well pleased with acts of righteousness done by others, when done according to his word, from love to him, by faith in him, and with a view to his glory; especially he loves the righteousness of his son,...

Psalms 33:6

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

By the word of the Lord were the heavens made,.... The aerial and starry heavens, and the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, the seat of the divine Majesty, and the habitation of angels and glorified saints; these were "made" even out of nothing, not out of any pre-existent matter, nor were they eternal; and being made are creatures, and so not...

Psalms 33:7

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap,.... Which was done on the third day of the creation, by means of which the dry land appeared, Genesis 1:9; when the waters of the sea were piled up as an heap, and stood higher than the earth, as they now do; and which is a wonderful instance of the power and providence of God, to bound them,...

Psalms 33:8

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Let all the earth fear the Lord,.... That is, all the men that dwell upon the face of the earth. As it follows, let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him; which fear and awe design a reverence of the divine Majesty, whose divine perfections are so manifest in the works of creation; and a carefulness not to offend him, into whose...

Psalms 33:9

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

For he spake, and it was [done],.... Or "it was" (a), it came into being by a word speaking, almighty power going along with it; see Genesis 1:3; he commanded, and it stood fast; every created thing continued in its being; not only all things were produced into being by his all commanding word and power, "nutu Jovis", as Maximus Tyrius speaks (b);...

Psalms 33:10

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

The Lord bringeth the counsel of the Heathen to nought,.... The psalmist having taken notice of the works of creation, in order to excite the saints to praise, proceeds to observe the providence of God, and particularly that branch of it which lies in disappointing the designs of wicked men; it is wickedness which they consult and devise, and thin...

Psalms 33:11

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever,.... By which are meant, not the doctrines of the Gospel, nor the ordinances of it; though these will stand firm, and remain to the end of the world; but the purposes and decrees of God, which are wisely formed in himself, are eternal and unfrustrable, and relate to all things in providence and grace. The...

Psalms 33:12

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Blessed [is] the nation whose God [is] the Lord,.... Who have an interest in such a wonder working God, both in creation and in providence, and especially in grace: which, though it may have a principal regard to the nation of Israel, whose God he was in a very distinguishing manner, yet must not be limited to them; for he is the God of the...

Psalms 33:13

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

The Lord looketh from heaven,.... Where his throne and temple are, upon the earth and men, and things in it, as follows; he beholdeth all the sons of men; the evil and the good; which is contrary to the sense of many wicked men, who imagine he takes no notice of what is done here below; but his eye is upon all, upon all the workers of iniquity,...

Psalms 33:14

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

From the place of his habitation,.... Which is heaven, that is, the habitation of his holiness, and of his glory, Isaiah 63:15; he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth; good and bad; and not the nation of Israel only, but the Gentile world, whom in former times he overlooked, but under the Gospel dispensation visits in a way of mercy; by...

Psalms 33:15

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

He fashioneth their hearts alike,.... The Lord is the former and fashioner of the heart, spirit, or soul of man, even of all hearts and spirits; whence he is called the Father of spirits, Hebrews 12:9; see Zechariah 12:1; and he is the former of them alike; which seems to intimate as if all seals were alike, as they are made by the Lord; and it...

Psalms 33:16

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

There is no king saved by the multitude of an host,.... He may be at the head of a numerous army, and yet not get the victory over a lesser one, nor escape safe, but be taken by it: there have been such instances; and if he is saved, or gets the victory, it is not owing to the multitude with him, but to the Lord, that gives salvation to kings,...

Psalms 33:17

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

A horse [is] a vain thing for safety,.... Though it is prepared for the day of battle, and is a very warlike creature, and of great service in war, yet safety only is of the Lord, Proverbs 21:31; this is put for all kinds of military preparations which men are apt to trust in, but should not, for they are "a lie" (i), as the horse is here said to...

Psalms 33:18

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Behold, the eye of the Lord [is] upon them that fear him,.... Not with dread of his wrath, or distrust of his grace, or for sinister ends and selfish views, but with a godly fear; by which men hate evil, depart from it, are careful not to offend God by it, but to serve and worship him; on such is not only his eye of Providence to protect from...

Psalms 33:19

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

To deliver their soul from death,.... Not a corporeal death, for the soul dies not, and is never in any danger of death; and should life, or the whole man, be intended here, yet those that fear the Lord, and hope in his mercy, are not exempted and secured from a corporeal death, but die as other men; though sometimes indeed they are remarkably...

Psalms 33:20

John Gill - Exposition - John Gill

Our soul waiteth for the Lord,.... This, and what follows, are the words of the church, expressing her expectation, faith, and joy, by reason of what is suggested in the preceding verses. She signifies her expectation of good by waiting for the Lord; either for his coming in the flesh, and salvation by him; for which the patriarchs, prophets, and...