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.