Psalm 33:1-9

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Psalms 33:1-11

Four things the psalmist expresses in these verses: I. The great desire he had that God might be praised. He did not think he did it so well himself, but that he wished others also might be employed in this work; the more the better, in this concert: it is the more like heaven. 1. Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise, and that is here pressed upon all good people (Ps. 33:1): Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous; so the foregoing psalm concluded and so this begins; for all our religious... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:1

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous ,.... See Gill on Psalm 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, and looks lovely in them; it is an ornament to them, and is, in the sight of God, of great esteem: it is very acceptable to him, and when grace is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:2

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 F23 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. s. 3. gives of this, and of the former, is, "the harp is extended with ten strings, and is plucked with a quill; the "nabla", or psaltery, has twelve sounds, and is played upon with the fingers;' ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:3

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, which always was, is, and will be. Or it may denote some famous and excellent song, as a new name is an excellent name, an unknown and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:4

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 honourable: the Gospel part of the word is right; it publishes right and good things; it directs to the right way, to heaven and happiness; it makes... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:5

He loveth righteousness and judgment ,.... Or "righteous judgment" F25 צדקה ומשפט "judicium justum", Gejerus. ; 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, being satisfactory to his law and justice, and his people, as clothed with it; and he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:6

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 to be worshipped, neither they nor their hosts after mentioned; angels, sun, moon, and stars; these were made by the Word of God, the essential... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:7

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, and preserve the earth from being overflowed by them, Job 38:9 ; he layeth up the depth in storehouses ; that is, large quantities of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:8

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 hands it must be a fearful thing to fall; and the whole worship of him, which is often in Scripture expressed by the fear of him: and this is to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Psalms 33:9

For he spake, and it was done ,.... Or "it was" F1 ויהי "et fuit", Pagninus, Montanus, Musculus, Gejerus; so Ainsworth. , 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 F2 Dissert. 25. ; but by the same all things are upheld and... read more

Group of Brands