Psalm 33 - Pt 4: Victory Belongs to the Lord

Much of the world engages in a charade that provides a sense of comfort, perhaps more so than it offers sanity—the charade that we have any control over our future. A few years ago, we did a series called *The Best Laid Plans.* The title of the series came from a poem by Robert Burns entitled *To a Mouse.* It was a reflection on the toiling of mice to survive in a world invaded by humans, but it’s the line that brings humanity’s plight into view that has the most impact—a line you have probably heard:

*But little Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid (plans) of mice and men
Go often awry,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!*

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Many of us have heard that line, and its familiarity—its popularity—is rooted in its profound truth. To live this life is to experience the reality that, despite our best efforts, our best ideas, our best preparations, the reality—the chaos, the, dare I say, cruelty—of the human condition quite often overwhelms us. The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and as true as that is, it’s probably the next line that best captures the emotional, personal impact of that reality: *And leave us nothing but grief and pain for promised joy.*

And yet the truth is we still keep working on the plans, the schemes of man. Now, this is a truth that many here might not acknowledge, but it is a truth nonetheless: We are scheming for our happiness; we are planning for our fulfillment. Every human being, whether wittingly or not, has and is choosing a plan, a scheme, a path that they feel will most lead to the promise of joy. For some, it is hedonism (if it feels good, do it, because pleasure is the greatest good); for some, religious legalism (there is a formula of rules that provide ultimate salvation); agathism (the ends justify the means); or casualism... For some, it’s activism (working for your perceived good is the ultimate good); humanism; materialism; individualism; primitivism. Each of these represents a plan, a system, a scheme that, when embraced and practiced, provides the ‘best’ path to fulfillment, joy, or salvation. Some are devout followers of these plans; some use a combination. But each of the plans of man will always trade grief and pain for its promised joy.

It’s why we see what we see all around us—the best laid plans of man bringing forth not joy but disappointment. The Word of God expresses it like this in Proverbs 14:12: *There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.* That man has a plan, a scheme, a path that they believe is right but ultimately ends in destruction. But what is really interesting is if you read the context of Solomon’s declaration—Solomon, considered the wisest man to live—you seemingly see the thoughts of Burns echoed:

*11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.*

Burns says it as *promised joy results in grief and pain,* and Solomon declares that *the end of joy will be grief,* but both agree that man’s plans do not guarantee anything.

If we face the reality that our plans guarantee us nothing, provide no real promise, it can get pretty depressing. In fact, some of you might be depressed right now. Now, why do I bring this up? We are in the midst of a series examining Psalms 33. In the first week, looking at verses 1-5, we learned the impetus for praise from David: that lovingkindness fills the earth, and so we should praise. Last week, we expanded that understanding in verses 6-9, where we see God’s otherness—His majesty revealed in the creation of the world—which was to inspire not only awe-filled worship but also a sense of respectful fear that emphasizes our place before this mighty God.

This week, the nature of God—this awesome, powerful God of lovingkindness—is now brought to bear on the daily lives of His people in verses 10-15:

*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.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.*

The psalmist’s words in this passage speak directly to the application of the Sovereign God of verses 1-9 to the plans in which we put our hope:

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

The point of these verses is that both men and God take counsel and both plan. But in the end, it is not the counsel and plans of men that are established, but those of God. It is all-important to realize that God plans the world and He plans lives—and His plans succeed. His plans take precedence over our plans. Our plans have significance and durability to the degree that God plans for our plans to be significant and durable. God is the all-important reality in planning from beginning to end. God's will is for that to be known, to be explicit, to be admired and enjoyed.

This is a particularly important reality to grasp as we, as believers, venture into this world and into this life. Both men and God plan, but ultimately God’s will prevails. Now, this isn’t some message on determinism. I do believe that we can use knowledge and wisdom and experience with the world and life, which should influence our decisions and will have an impact on outcomes. There is a way in this world that we can see—not just us as believers, but even keen observers of this world can see what works and what doesn’t work. And remember, ‘works’ to a degree—the plans go awry. But when we acknowledge the Lordship of God, when we understand the Sovereignty of God, there is a world that opens to us that is not available to those who do not acknowledge the sovereignty of the Creator worthy of fear and awe.

John Piper describes what I am talking about like this:

“…it is true that most of what works in the world in science and industry (and life) is because sharp (God-given) minds see the handiwork of God in the world and read the book of providence well enough to make efficient inventions and devices and machines and procedures and processes and strategies. But Christians desperately need to realize that, for the most part, this is a secularized reading of God's providence, which has blindness to God at its core. We need to awaken to the remarkable fact that even Christians today are so soaked with secularism that we scarcely hesitate to endorse the way the world reads the book of providence, provided that it works—does it kill the virus? Does it increase speed and efficiency? Does it make the corporation grow? (Does it make ME prosper?) Precious few, it seems, pull up the reins of this galloping horse of efficient secular technology and say, 'But could it be that those who are blind to God in reading the book of His providence might get something fatally wrong, even as they produce 'success'? Could it be that the stripping away of God from His works distorts the true meaning of the works themselves?'"

The question being asked by Piper gets to the heart of the Christian life given to a Sovereign God vs. the secular life that refuses to acknowledge the Creator in their plans. How do we navigate a world beyond our ultimate control as we make our plans IF we truly believe in the God revealed in the first 9 verses of Psalms 33? Shouldn’t we be different? Shouldn’t our processes be different—how we plan, what influences those plans? Shouldn’t our expectations be different? Shouldn’t our hearts, our minds, our spirits be different? Shouldn’t joy always be realized?

*The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever…*

That becomes the first place where it’s different, right? We rest in the reality that God’s plan is the ultimate plan. Man plans, but God will have His way. This verse isn’t meant to lead you to an empty fatalism—‘it doesn’t matter what I do; God’s going to thwart the plan.’ Obviously, ALL throughout the Psalms and the Bible we are given instructions on what to do or not do and the various outcomes that can happen. I’m not going to cite examples because there are probably dozens and dozens just in Psalms, and if that’s not enough, read Proverbs. The idea here isn’t that it doesn’t matter what you do; the idea is that God’s plan will always be superior. So, the first thing to draw from this is: do it God’s way, follow His plan, follow His direction. It’s not simply about observing the world like secularists do but realizing that there is a God behind all the systems and the observable truths, so commune with Him and His word and follow His plans.

But even more to the point of this verse is the place where we find ourselves in the truth of His Sovereignty in these plans. Now, remember the context here: the chapter starts with praising God because of the evidence of His lovingkindness (expound briefly...) and then extols the MASSIVE greatness of God in His role as creator that inspires fearful respect and awe-filled worship from those who follow Him. And from THAT very personal exposition of the exchange between Creator and creation, the psalmist opens up this idea about God’s sovereignty over the unfolding of plans. God’s plans will not be thwarted. He’s saying to you who should worship Him, look at His lovingkindness to you, look at His majestic power and fear Him, worship Him, His plans are perfect, and He is in control, so:

*12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance…*

The point of this psalm is not to lead you to a place of fatalism but to a place of peace that is not available to those who do not acknowledge His Sovereign Lordship.

He is saying, “If you are His nation, whom He has chosen for His inheritance, rest in that place because the plans He has for you will not be thwarted. He is your shield; He is your fortress. You are blessed because His plans for you can never be thwarted if you belong to Him.” This is where we rise above the charade of peace that the world clings to in its plans and rest fully because we know our lives, our futures, our forever is in the hands of the Creator Sovereign who loves us. Look at the words He uses:

*Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance…*

Do you think that Peter might have had these words in mind when he wrote to us, the church, and said (1 Peter 2):

*9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.*

The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart from generation to generation… so blessed is the nation, the chosen people… His plans for YOU as His chosen people CANNOT be thwarted. That’s the word the psalmist is giving us. So many in this life are in fear, turmoil, and anxiety and cannot find peace because they have put their hope in their plans, but we belong to a God who has secured for us our place in Christ, who has a future for us that He knows and that He holds, and when we embrace the power of that God at play in our lives, there is a peace that we CAN have that the world can never know. THIS is at the heart of the peace we can discover in any turmoil. Look at a passage that many of you know and have heard, but see how it relates to the psalmist’s encouragements here: (Phil 4):

*4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.*

I want you to take note of something in the middle of this passage that is easy to overlook and that reflects the psalmist’s intent. In the middle of the message, Paul lets the people know the Lord is at hand. The most precise definition of the Greek phrase is “the Lord is near you.” Some commentators read this to mean “the Lord is coming soon,” but the Greek word here is most often used to mean proximity and accessibility—closeness and availability—and I think that makes the most sense in the context of the passage. The LORD is near and available to you. Paul, in this passage, is emphasizing that the Lord, the King, the Sovereign is near and available to you. Don’t read over or lose sight of the word “Lord” there. The Greek word *kyrios,* translated as “Lord,” means “he who has the power of deciding, the master, the lord, the sovereign, the prince.” Paul is trying to establish in the hearts of his readers that no matter what you are facing, HE REIGNS. He is Lord, and He is near. He reigns, and you have access. The plans of man NEVER overcome the plans of this sovereign Creator, whose lovingkindness toward His people fills the earth, so be blessed, be at peace. When you lay your life down before Him, your future is not dependent on your wisdom, the security of your job, the promise of your health, or the size of your paycheck, because God’s plan for YOU as His chosen people is secure.

Psalm 33 - Pt 3: Trusting God Over Our Best Laid Plans

Much of the world engages in a charade that provides a sense of comfort, perhaps more so than it offers sanity—the charade that we have any control over our future. A few years ago, we did a series called *The Best Laid Plans.* The title of the series came from a poem by Robert Burns entitled *To a Mouse.* It was a reflection on the toiling of mice to survive in a world invaded by humans, but it’s the line that brings humanity’s plight into view that has the most impact—a line you have probably heard:

*But little Mouse, you are not alone,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid (plans) of mice and men
Go often awry,
And leave us nothing but grief and pain,
For promised joy!*

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Many of us have heard that line, and its familiarity—its popularity—is rooted in its profound truth. To live this life is to experience the reality that, despite our best efforts, our best ideas, our best preparations, the reality—the chaos, the, dare I say, cruelty—of the human condition quite often overwhelms us. The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and as true as that is, it’s probably the next line that best captures the emotional, personal impact of that reality: *And leave us nothing but grief and pain for promised joy.*

And yet the truth is we still keep working on the plans, the schemes of man. Now, this is a truth that many here might not acknowledge, but it is a truth nonetheless: We are scheming for our happiness; we are planning for our fulfillment. Every human being, whether wittingly or not, has and is choosing a plan, a scheme, a path that they feel will most lead to the promise of joy. For some, it is hedonism (if it feels good, do it, because pleasure is the greatest good); for some, religious legalism (there is a formula of rules that provide ultimate salvation); agathism (the ends justify the means); or casualism... For some, it’s activism (working for your perceived good is the ultimate good); humanism; materialism; individualism; primitivism. Each of these represents a plan, a system, a scheme that, when embraced and practiced, provides the ‘best’ path to fulfillment, joy, or salvation. Some are devout followers of these plans; some use a combination. But each of the plans of man will always trade grief and pain for its promised joy.

It’s why we see what we see all around us—the best laid plans of man bringing forth not joy but disappointment. The Word of God expresses it like this in Proverbs 14:12: *There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.* That man has a plan, a scheme, a path that they believe is right but ultimately ends in destruction. But what is really interesting is if you read the context of Solomon’s declaration—Solomon, considered the wisest man to live—you seemingly see the thoughts of Burns echoed:

*11 The house of the wicked will be destroyed, but the tent of the upright will flourish.
12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.
13 Even in laughter the heart may ache, and the end of joy may be grief.*

Burns says it as *promised joy results in grief and pain,* and Solomon declares that *the end of joy will be grief,* but both agree that man’s plans do not guarantee anything.

If we face the reality that our plans guarantee us nothing, provide no real promise, it can get pretty depressing. In fact, some of you might be depressed right now. Now, why do I bring this up? We are in the midst of a series examining Psalms 33. In the first week, looking at verses 1-5, we learned the impetus for praise from David: that lovingkindness fills the earth, and so we should praise. Last week, we expanded that understanding in verses 6-9, where we see God’s otherness—His majesty revealed in the creation of the world—which was to inspire not only awe-filled worship but also a sense of respectful fear that emphasizes our place before this mighty God.

This week, the nature of God—this awesome, powerful God of lovingkindness—is now brought to bear on the daily lives of His people in verses 10-15:

*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.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.*

The psalmist’s words in this passage speak directly to the application of the Sovereign God of verses 1-9 to the plans in which we put our hope:

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

The point of these verses is that both men and God take counsel and both plan. But in the end, it is not the counsel and plans of men that are established, but those of God. It is all-important to realize that God plans the world and He plans lives—and His plans succeed. His plans take precedence over our plans. Our plans have significance and durability to the degree that God plans for our plans to be significant and durable. God is the all-important reality in planning from beginning to end. God's will is for that to be known, to be explicit, to be admired and enjoyed.

This is a particularly important reality to grasp as we, as believers, venture into this world and into this life. Both men and God plan, but ultimately God’s will prevails. Now, this isn’t some message on determinism. I do believe that we can use knowledge and wisdom and experience with the world and life, which should influence our decisions and will have an impact on outcomes. There is a way in this world that we can see—not just us as believers, but even keen observers of this world can see what works and what doesn’t work. And remember, ‘works’ to a degree—the plans go awry. But when we acknowledge the Lordship of God, when we understand the Sovereignty of God, there is a world that opens to us that is not available to those who do not acknowledge the sovereignty of the Creator worthy of fear and awe.

John Piper describes what I am talking about like this:

“…it is true that most of what works in the world in science and industry (and life) is because sharp (God-given) minds see the handiwork of God in the world and read the book of providence well enough to make efficient inventions and devices and machines and procedures and processes and strategies. But Christians desperately need to realize that, for the most part, this is a secularized reading of God's providence, which has blindness to God at its core. We need to awaken to the remarkable fact that even Christians today are so soaked with secularism that we scarcely hesitate to endorse the way the world reads the book of providence, provided that it works—does it kill the virus? Does it increase speed and efficiency? Does it make the corporation grow? (Does it make ME prosper?) Precious few, it seems, pull up the reins of this galloping horse of efficient secular technology and say, 'But could it be that those who are blind to God in reading the book of His providence might get something fatally wrong, even as they produce 'success'? Could it be that the stripping away of God from His works distorts the true meaning of the works themselves?'"

The question being asked by Piper gets to the heart of the Christian life given to a Sovereign God vs. the secular life that refuses to acknowledge the Creator in their plans. How do we navigate a world beyond our ultimate control as we make our plans IF we truly believe in the God revealed in the first 9 verses of Psalms 33? Shouldn’t we be different? Shouldn’t our processes be different—how we plan, what influences those plans? Shouldn’t our expectations be different? Shouldn’t our hearts, our minds, our spirits be different? Shouldn’t joy always be realized?

*The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever…*

That becomes the first place where it’s different, right? We rest in the reality that God’s plan is the ultimate plan. Man plans, but God will have His way. This verse isn’t meant to lead you to an empty fatalism—‘it doesn’t matter what I do; God’s going to thwart the plan.’ Obviously, ALL throughout the Psalms and the Bible we are given instructions on what to do or not do and the various outcomes that can happen. I’m not going to cite examples because there are probably dozens and dozens just in Psalms, and if that’s not enough, read Proverbs. The idea here isn’t that it doesn’t matter what you do; the idea is that God’s plan will always be superior. So, the first thing to draw from this is: do it God’s way, follow His plan, follow His direction. It’s not simply about observing the world like secularists do but realizing that there is a God behind all the systems and the observable truths, so commune with Him and His word and follow His plans.

But even more to the point of this verse is the place where we find ourselves in the truth of His Sovereignty in these plans. Now, remember the context here: the chapter starts with praising God because of the evidence of His lovingkindness (expound briefly...) and then extols the MASSIVE greatness of God in His role as creator that inspires fearful respect and awe-filled worship from those who follow Him. And from THAT very personal exposition of the exchange between Creator and creation, the psalmist opens up this idea about God’s sovereignty over the unfolding of plans. God’s plans will not be thwarted. He’s saying to you who should worship Him, look at His lovingkindness to you, look at His majestic power and fear Him, worship Him, His plans are perfect, and He is in control, so:

*12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance…*

The point of this psalm is not to lead you to a place of fatalism but to a place of peace that is not available to those who do not acknowledge His Sovereign Lordship.

He is saying, “If you are His nation, whom He has chosen for His inheritance, rest in that place because the plans He has for you will not be thwarted. He is your shield; He is your fortress. You are blessed because His plans for you can never be thwarted if you belong to Him.” This is where we rise above the charade of peace that the world clings to in its plans and rest fully because we know our lives, our futures, our forever is in the hands of the Creator Sovereign who loves us. Look at the words He uses:

*Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He chose for His inheritance…*

Do you think that Peter might have had these words in mind when he wrote to us, the church, and said (1 Peter 2):

*9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.*

The plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart from generation to generation… so blessed is the nation, the chosen people… His plans for YOU as His chosen people CANNOT be thwarted. That’s the word the psalmist is giving us. So many in this life are in fear, turmoil, and anxiety and cannot find peace because they have put their hope in their plans, but we belong to a God who has secured for us our place in Christ, who has a future for us that He knows and that He holds, and when we embrace the power of that God at play in our lives, there is a peace that we CAN have that the world can never know. THIS is at the heart of the peace we can discover in any turmoil. Look at a passage that many of you know and have heard, but see how it relates to the psalmist’s encouragements here: (Phil 4):

*4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.*

I want you to take note of something in the middle of this passage that is easy to overlook and that reflects the psalmist’s intent. In the middle of the message, Paul lets the people know the Lord is at hand. The most precise definition of the Greek phrase is “the Lord is near you.” Some commentators read this to mean “the Lord is coming soon,” but the Greek word here is most often used to mean proximity and accessibility—closeness and availability—and I think that makes the most sense in the context of the passage. The LORD is near and available to you. Paul, in this passage, is emphasizing that the Lord, the King, the Sovereign is near and available to you. Don’t read over or lose sight of the word “Lord” there. The Greek word *kyrios,* translated as “Lord,” means “he who has the power of deciding, the master, the lord, the sovereign, the prince.” Paul is trying to establish in the hearts of his readers that no matter what you are facing, HE REIGNS. He is Lord, and He is near. He reigns, and you have access. The plans of man NEVER overcome the plans of this sovereign Creator, whose lovingkindness toward His people fills the earth, so be blessed, be at peace. When you lay your life down before Him, your future is not dependent on your wisdom, the security of your job, the promise of your health, or the size of your paycheck, because God’s plan for YOU as His chosen people is secure.

Psalm 33 - Pt 2: God = the Creator of All

Did you know that it has only been since around the 1960s that science finally caught up with the Bible on probably the most important scientific question that could ever be asked? Before the 1960s, there was a belief about the existence of the universe that clearly contradicted the Bible. Prior to the twentieth century, before the Big Bang theory had been developed, philosophers and scientists debated whether the universe had a beginning. Some argued it had always existed: that it was “infinitely old.” This agreed with the worldview of ancient pagan philosophers and then-current atheism. Atheism particularly held to the idea of an “infinitely old” universe as a reason to dismiss God as unnecessary. This situation changed drastically in the first half of the twentieth century as several discoveries were made, leading to the formation of the Big Bang theory. Over several decades, those who preferred the idea of an eternal universe made many attempts to explain away hard evidence, but to no avail. The result was secular science lending tremendous support to the creation account of the Bible.

Einstein’s theory of general relativity, published in 1916, suggested the universe either had to be constantly expanding or constantly contracting. So, Einstein added a “cosmological constant” to his equations, for no other reason than to maintain the possibility of a static, eternal universe in opposition to Christian teaching. Einstein later called this the “biggest blunder” of his career.

The work of Edwin Hubble in the 1920s proved the universe is expanding. This finding contradicted Einstein’s cosmological constant and left non-believing astrophysicists uncomfortable. Their discomfort was made even worse with the contributions of Georges Lemaître, a Roman Catholic priest and astronomer. Lemaître noted that the combination of general relativity theory and Hubble’s discoveries implies a beginning. If the universe is currently expanding, then at some time in the past, the entire universe would have been contained in some infinitesimally small point. This idea is foundational to the Big Bang theory. Over the next several decades, physicists tried to salvage the eternality of the universe by proposing everything from the Milne model (1935) to the steady state theory (1948). In many (if not most) cases, these models were proposed explicitly because the implications of a non-eternal universe were “too religious.”

The year 1964 brought about the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of cosmic microwave background radiation—something predicted by the earliest Big Bang theorists in the 1940s. For all intents and purposes, that discovery made the “beginning” of the universe an inescapable fact of modern science. The question was no longer “did the universe have a beginning?” but “how did the universe begin?”

Science finally caught up with the Bible. It proves, on the most important scientific question, that the book of Genesis gave us the answer thousands of years earlier: “In the beginning.” And that reveals another reality: that at some point, there was nothing—no gases, no chemicals, no space, no atoms, no matter at all, and, as a result, no time. Since one of the most foundational truths of observational science is that something can never come from nothing, there had to be an impetus for the beginning. Something that transcends time, space, and matter, something that is outside of time, space, and matter, and that has the sufficient ability, force, and energy to bring time, space, and matter into existence. When observing the incredible order, the logical laws of nature, and the consciousness that occupies this universe, it is reasonable to assume that the sufficient force that transcends time, space, and matter would need intellect, logic, and consciousness. This seems to give evidence of a Creator.

Now, why do I bring this up? We are in the middle of a series on Psalm 33, and last week we examined the first five verses that open with “Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!” We explored the reasons the Psalmist David gave for unabandoned worship, and now we pick up Psalm 33 in verse 6:

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 as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.

Pray

The psalmist makes a declaration about the creation of the world: "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made." David, in describing the heavens being made—the sky, the stars, the planets—and then speaking to the depths of the seas having been “gathered” by the hands of God, is creating the imagery of the fullness of creation as the revelation of the greatness and majesty of God. He points to indescribable power and authority that transcends time, space, and matter, that orders the world, breathing life and consciousness as a platform for our response to Him.

He says, "Look at what God has done, look at His majestic work and the power and authority He has." And so, "Let the earth fear the Lord, let all its inhabitants stand in awe." This is an incredibly important truth that, when embraced, provides structure and meaning for our lives and our Christian faith. It puts in proper perspective both the life of the believer and the non-believer. God is the Creator of the world, and as a result, it is incumbent upon us as His creation to respond.

And that is the first truth about humanity in light of God as Creator that you have to see revealed here. If God is the Creator of the universe, it is necessary for us as His created beings to respond to that truth. It is a call to believers for specific actions, but it is also an explanation for why non-believers refuse to even acknowledge the possibility of a Creator God. If God exists, it will be incumbent upon you to respond, and the Bible teaches us that this is exactly why people deny what appears evident. David touches on this idea in Psalm 14 when he says: "The fool says in his heart, 'There is no God.' They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good." The word translated here as "fool" implies wickedness or being given to sin. He emphasizes those who desire and seek sinfulness say in their hearts there is no God. This makes sense because if there is no God, there is freedom to allow yourself to sit in His place. Your desires, your passions, your wants become your guiding values. Paul in Romans expounds on this idea even more directly when he writes:

18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! (Expound: the evidence of God; why throughout time man has asked the question; scientific discoveries have not diminished the evidence.

The question is, if there is a God, and I believe the evidence profoundly points in that direction, what does it say about Him and what must we do? Both points are addressed in verse 8 of the 33rd Psalm: "Let all the earth fear the Lord and then let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!"

"Let all the earth fear the Lord." This first statement, I believe, addresses the nature and status of God and us before Him. When the word uses the concept of "fear the Lord," it is meant to emphasize the right understanding of the difference and distance between God and man. The word "fear" means fear—not to be afraid, but to acknowledge the authority and power God has above you. (An imperfect analogy I use often to convey this is my relationship with my dad. He was kind of a scary guy. I knew he loved me and would fight for me and provide for me, but I also knew the respect he deserved, he had, and it required me to live from a posture of obedience and trust and understanding of his place, which was different from my place. God is NOT like us, and one of the greatly lost truths that need to be recaptured is that God is not defined and judged by our ideas, our values, or our morals, but we will FOREVER be defined and judged by His ideas, His values, and His morals. Just that reality should have a sobering effect. (Too often we judge God through our lens of what is loving or not loving, what is forgiving or not forgiving, what is fair or unfair, and He is Creator. He is not like us; He created us.)

To give you an example, I came across someone who professed to be a liberal Christian who took umbrage with the idea that God would punish sinners. His basic argument was that God asks us to forgive—in fact, he said, He asks us to forgive 70x7—and if He is going to expect us to forgive, then God, being more moral than us, will forgive. Setting aside the fact that Jesus prefaces that forgiveness in the Luke 14 account with "as many times as they come to you and REPENT," he prefaces it with repentance. But look at Romans 12 quickly: in verse 17, He says, "never repay evil for evil," and then He says, "never avenge yourself." What does that mean? If we TAKE vengeance, it is MORALLY wrong, right? But then what does it say? "Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay,' says the Lord." God’s authority as Creator and God means He is over us and cannot be judged like us. He has authority that we do not have, and to judge Him based on our standard is to lose sight of who He is and who we are. He is the Creator; He owes man nothing. Every breath we have is His gift.

The heart of sin is the denial of God’s rightful place as Creator. Instead of yielding to Him and His words, you put your own desires above Him. He is Creator; fear the Lord. Do not judge Him by your human standards. Understand the glory that is His, understand the authority that is His. Look to the creation of this world—the majesty of its mountains, the innumerability of its heavens, the complexity of our lives—and do not believe you have a place to judge Him or ignore Him or despise Him, but fear Him and be in awe of Him.

That’s the second statement that gives us our instruction in what we must do: "Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him." The first declaration relates directly to God’s position and our place; this relates more directly to our response. Barnes, in his commentary on this passage, describes this as instruction to “reverence or adore him.” The expression is equivalent to “worship,” with reverence entering essentially into the idea of worship. So, in a very real way, this is the continuation of the idea begun in verse 1. (Expound a little: David opens the Psalm imploring us to worship, and he says look at who He is, His worthiness to be adored.)

The heart of worship is born when we discover the nature of God as Creator. (Expound a little: He is not like man; personal nature as Creator.) The verses we looked at last week emphasized the practice of worship, the singing and shouting and playing of instruments, and this idea of God’s incredible nature revealed in His acts as Creator feeds that act of worship. He is worthy; He is majestic; He shows from that place His care.

But it extends even beyond that. Worship is the acknowledgment of Him as God and Savior. It is the response to knowledge of all He is and has done. Where the spiritual discipline of singing and playing is the beautiful and expressive manifestation of that understanding, worship extends to all aspects of our lives. We love as an expression of worship in acknowledgment of His incredible love towards us. We forgive as an expression of worship in acknowledgment of His ongoing forgiveness towards us. We live holy lives as an expression of worship in acknowledgment of His selfless sacrifice to redeem us from our sinfulness. We obey willingly His word as an expression of worship in the acknowledgment of His authority as our Creator.

Conclusion:

God is our Creator, and that is implied as a result. His authority, His majesty, His power leads us to the inescapable truth that He is worthy of our fear and devotion. But it’s not simply that creation reveals His authority and majesty and power. All of that has been leveraged, from a heart of love towards us, His creation, to bring us redemption and reconciliation, and that leads us to worship. A world, a person, who loses sight of His Creator is left to their own judgment, and that denial of the Creator will bring destruction, but those who serve their loving Creator will find nothing but life.

Psalm 33 - Pt 1: The Symphony of His Steadfast Love

How many of you remember hearing the phrase, “the steadfast love of the Lord”? The words of that phrase carry deep implications. Think about its powerful implication: the steadfast love of the Lord. Did you know that this poignant and powerful phrase appears 196 times in the Old Testament and 127 times in the Psalms alone? Now, the English words "steadfast love" are a translation of the Hebrew word "hesed." Hesed appears in the Old Testament over 220 times and has a profound breadth of definition with incredible implications. Hesed is a significant concept in the Hebrew Bible that refers to loyalty, steadfast love, and devotion in interpersonal relationships. It can also mean "compassion," "faithfulness," "unfailing love," "trustworthy," and "ever-enduring." Hesed implies a relationship between two people that requires certain behaviors. It’s not just an emotion or feeling but involves action on behalf of someone in need. The steadfast love of the Lord NEVER fails. This concept finds its translation in the New Testament. The idea speaks of mercy and enduring love that manifests in action. We see this partially revealed in 1 Peter 1: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” We see the steadfast nature of His love revealed in the words of Paul in Romans 8: “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We see the embodiment of that ACTIVE, enduring love and mercy in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Now, why do I bring this all up now? Today, we are beginning a new series unfolding the 33rd Psalm, and the concept of hesed, God’s unfailing love, is woven into the chapter in several places and is particularly relevant for our study today.

Turn with me to Psalm 33, starting in verse 1:

“Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. 2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 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 steadfast love of the Lord.”

This passage tellingly ends with “the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord,” and as a result, the implication is THAT’S why ALL the preceding verses and concepts exist. In other words, all of the other truths, all of the other instructions hinge on the reality that the earth is full of the unfailing, undeniable, unwavering, merciful, and expressed love of God. There is a lot to unfold from that reality.

So, he says the earth is full of the steadfast love of God, and it’s first manifested in the reality that… The word of the Lord is upright. How can the psalmist say the earth is full of the steadfast love of God? Because His word is upright. What does that mean? You can trust everything God says to you; He will never lie to you. What He’s said is upright; it’s right, always right, always helpful, always good. Listen, this is a foundational truth revealed in His word and in its application. God’s way, God’s word, God’s truth, and instruction are always right, always helpful, and always good. The Bible says there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end thereof is destruction. This is a truth that is SO evident in the world around us. If anyone can look at the path of human hedonism that dominates godless values, the path of self-service that defines godless living, and tell me it has produced health, joy, happiness, and wholeness, you are simply deceived. But the truth of Romans 8 becomes more and more self-evident as we see the world around us: “...we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” The word of the Lord IS upright and bears fruit and life and hope and peace. What a great evidence of the fullness of God’s steadfast love.

The second evidence of God’s steadfast love manifested in our midst is… The Lord is faithful in His work. I love this. He will never fail to do what He’s promised you He will do. And when you’re on your worst lazy day, He still works. In fact, the Psalm says that He never ever sleeps. The central work of the Lord is the salvation of His people. From the dawn of man, He has been working to redeem man from his sins, and He has shown Himself faithful through all the generations to bring to bear the redemption of mankind. Ephesians 2 expresses this in this way: “8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Expound… He is always faithful in His working. He doesn’t rest; He doesn’t stop, and we can see His hesed, steadfast love, revealed in this faithful work.) There is a song we sing that always reminds me of this with words that say: “Even when I don’t see it, You’re working; Even when I don’t feel it, You’re working, You never stop, You never stop working, You never stop, You never stop working.” The Lord is faithful in His work, and it reveals His steadfast love.

The psalmist says the third evidence of God’s steadfast love that fills the earth is… The Lord is committed to righteousness and justice. Because He’s holy in every way, what He fights for is what’s good and right. And He fights for those things on our behalf all the time. The psalmist declares the righteous inclination of God in the 11th Psalm, declaring: “For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face.” And He connects the ideas of righteousness and justice, showing their great value in the 21st Psalm when He says: “To do righteousness and justice is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” God is constantly at work from a place of righteousness and justice because it’s not simply what He does but who He is. Deuteronomy 32 says: "He is the Rock; his work is perfect, for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he." And Revelation 16 declares: “You are just in these judgments, O Holy One, you who are and who were; 6 for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets… “Yes, Lord God Almighty, true and just are your judgments.”

His commitment to righteousness and justice is such an expression of His steadfast love. We NEVER have to doubt that God will do what is right and just. We can trust ALL His judgments and do what is true and right.

So the psalmist, to this point, has said the earth is full of His steadfast love. We see it in His commitment to righteousness and justice, we see it expressed in the faithfulness of His work, and we see it manifested in the truth and dependability of His word. Because of all that, the psalmist makes the declaration: “Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. 2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.”

The introduction of the 33rd chapter of Psalms is an encouragement to see the nature of God’s unfailing love and be moved to the freedom of worship, to be SO convinced, so overwhelmed by the truth of His unfailing, merciful, expressed, and embodied love that you SHOUT for joy in the Lord, give thanks skillfully and loudly with instruments, and let your understanding of His deep love become so sewn into your spiritual consciousness that you overflow with praise and worship to Him.

Do you see what this is? The unfolding of the great nature of God’s unfailing love, His hesed, is simply expressed by the Psalmist David. You know David, the songwriter, the musician, the worship leader whose songs soothed the troubled mind of Saul and who was criticized by his wife for his unbridled worship of his God when he was king, is saying: “The earth is FULL of the steadfast love of the Lord; it is manifested in the upright nature of His word; it is revealed in the faithfulness of His work; it is expressed in His commitment to righteousness and justice. SO shout for joy in the Lord, give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.”

David is giving you insight into how and why he worshipped God so freely and in a way that caused his own wife to think he was making a fool of himself. When the ark of the covenant was brought back to Jerusalem, the VERY expression of all we see here—the upright nature of God’s word, the faithfulness of His work, His righteousness and justice—David expressed himself in worship fully, and his wife criticized him. He said, “I was worshipping before the Lord, and I will worship EVEN more than this, humbling myself EVEN more before Him because of all He has done for me.” It seems his wife’s criticism caused her to become barren according to 2 Samuel 6:23.

The response to knowing, deeply knowing, the truth of God’s steadfast love is to worship Him with EVERYTHING we have. I understand that, in total terms, we talk about worship being more than singing songs—total worship is our total lives—but the psalmist here is speaking specifically about singing, playing music, and shouting with joy before God. In our beings, we express with our mouths and bodies an expression of joy and delight in our God. When the truth of His hesed, His steadfast love, grips us, it becomes the impetus for expressions of worship.

What should that mean for us on a daily, weekly basis? In a very real sense, pure worship is not about ANYTHING else but God: who He is and what He has done. It should always transcend our preferences, our attitudes, our feelings, our circumstances, our moods, or our wants and flow from our conviction of God’s goodness.

Let me share a story from high school chapel...

Understand something, and I say this because this is ALWAYS, in 30 years of ministry, this is ALWAYS an issue in church. I am not preaching at anyone in particular; I am not preaching at any group of people. I guarantee you there are people in our church today, right now—and I don’t say that about particular people, but because in 30 years of ministry and every pastor I have talked to, this is always a thing: too loud, too soft, too dark, too bright, too old, too new, too fast, too boring. Every time. I get it, and I am not trying to be critical. I don’t want anyone to feel attacked. I am simply trying to get you to understand that the impetus and the foundation of worship come from a deep conviction that God’s steadfast love has been manifested in our lives, so everything else shouldn’t matter.

The psalmist in the Old Testament expresses this, and here’s maybe the greatest truth to grasp: the psalmist does not have nearly the foundation for worship we have. We have received Jesus, the full manifestation of the steadfast love of God.

Is not the gift of Jesus Christ the greatest expression of the uprightness of God’s word? Is He not the embodiment of the trustworthiness of God’s declaration?

Is not the gift of Jesus Christ the greatest expression of God’s faithfulness in work, specifically the work to redeem His people, His church?

Is not the gift of Jesus Christ the greatest expression of righteousness and justice? Christ comes to make right all wrongs, to establish righteousness and justice as Redeemer and Judge. Therefore, is not the gift of Jesus Christ the greatest expression of the steadfast love of the Lord manifested in this world? His love is perfected in the gift of Jesus Christ.

We gather here today in light of the manifestation of all that the psalmist says is the reason to shout with joy, to lift up worship, to praise the name of God. This place is filled with the steadfast love of God because this place is filled with people who have experienced the hesed, the unmerited mercy, the all-consuming grace, the never-ending love of God because we have received Jesus Christ and the deposit of His Holy Spirit. This is why every one of us, with joy, should worship.

There is nothing greater than God’s steadfast love for those of us who are its recipients, and so we rejoice. For those who do not know or have not received, know today that you can know His never-ending love, His unconditional mercy, His unmerited grace, and join us in praising Him.

Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.”

Let’s offer our praises continually, fully aware and deeply moved by the steadfast love of our Lord.