Psalm 33
A Call to Praise and Trust
The psalmist invites the humble to join in magnifying the Lord, who answers those who call upon him in distress.
I will thank and bless the Lord at all times; my mouth will always joyfully declare his praise. My soul will glory in God on every side; let all the humble hear this and rejoice. Magnify the Lord and praise him with me. Let’s exalt his name together with joyful hearts. I sought the Lord of great renown, calling on him by name, and he answered me well. When sorrows came upon me, he drew me out of all my distress.
The Refuge of the God-Fearing
Those who fear the Lord find protection and true riches, as God draws near to rescue the poor and humble.
Go to him, and you’ll be filled with light. No shame will touch you. This poor man—listen to this song—cried out, and God would make him blessed in everything he faced. That is, from all his grievous suffering. God’s angel will draw near to those who fear God and rescue them. Taste and see, for the Lord God is good beyond all measure. Blessed is the person who can place all their hope and trust in God, who is full of love. Fear the Lord, you saints, and take this to heart.1 Those who fear God are truly rich.2
Instruction in the Way of Life
The psalmist offers counsel on how to live a life that pleases God by turning from evil and pursuing peace.
The rich will come to need and suffer great hunger, but those who sincerely seek God will lack nothing good. Children here below, come and listen to my counsel. I will teach you—be at peace—to understand the fear of God well. Who is there who loves the sweetness of life and wants to enjoy good days? Keep your tongue from every evil. Don't let your lips begin to speak deceit with evil intent; instead, turn away from evil and do good. Seek peace and always pursue it.
God’s Justice and Deliverance
God watches over the righteous to deliver them from suffering, while opposing those who do evil.
God's eyes are on the righteous, and he will hear their prayers. He will set his face against those who do evil, so that he may destroy them. And the memory of those who have embraced wickedness will vanish completely from the earth. The righteous cried out together; God heard their longing, and the Lord of heaven delivered them when distress had overwhelmed them. God is near the fearful as their witness, and He will make completely whole those who hold fast to humility.3 Much suffering comes upon the good; their distress is great. From all of it he will deliver them by his grace. He will protect every one of their bones forever. Not one of them will be broken by affliction.
The Hope of the Redeemed
While the wicked face judgment, the Lord sets his servants free and ensures they are not condemned.
The death of sinners will truly prove to be the worst of all. And all who hate the righteous—their sins are great. He sets the souls of his servants completely free; those who always hope in him will not be condemned.
Read the original Latin
ICk sal den Heer tot alder tijt Dancken, ghebenediden Sijn lof altijt met groot iolijt Mijn mont hier sal beliden In God aen allen siden Sal zijn mijn siel ghepresen fijn Dit horende laet verbliden Al die daer goedertieren zijn.
Maect groot den Heer, loeft hem met mi Laet ons zijn naem te samen Verheffen hier van herten bli. Den Heer van grooter famen Heb ick ghesocht bi namen En hy heeft mi verhoort seer wel Als mi droefheyden quamen Tooch hi my wt al mijn ghequel.
Wilt tot hem gaen, en wort verlicht. Geen schand en sal v raken Dees arme mensch (hoort dit ghedicht) Die riep: God wou hem maken Salich in al zijn saken. Dat is, van al zijn liden swaer Gods enghel sal ghenaken Die God vreesen: verlossen haer.
Smaect, ende siet, want God den Heer Is soet bouen allen maten. Salich is hy die can wel seer Sijn hoep zijn toeuerlaten Op God, vol charitaten Hier stellen: vreest den Heere reyn Ghi heylighen wilt dit vaten? Die God vreesen, zijn rijck certeyn.
Die rijcke hebben hier behoeft En sij veel honghers leden Die God hier soecken onbedroeft Gheen goet sal van haer treden Ghi kindren hier beneden Coemt hier, en hoort nae mijn vermaen Ick sal v (weest te vreden) Leeren Gods vreese wel verstaen.
Wie ysser die dit leuen soet Goey daghen wil beminnen Van alle quaet v tonghe snoet. V lippen laet niet beghinnen Bedroch, met boosen sinnen Te spreken: maer van tquaet v keert: Doet goet: wilt vrede winnen: Ende dyen altijt persequeert.
Gods ooghen sien den goeden aen Haer ghebeden wil hi horen. Sijn aensicht sal hy op haer slaen Dyet quaet brenghen te voren Dat hyse mocht verstoren. En haer memory vander eerdt Mocht bliuen heel verloren Die boosheyt hebben aengheueerdt.
Die goede riepen al ghelijck God hoorde haer verlanghen En haer die Heer van hemelrijck Als druck haer had beuanghen Verloste: en den banghen Is God nae by tot een oorcont Die ootmoedicheyt aenhanghen Sal hi maken gheheel ghesont.
Ueel lidens coemt den goeden voer Groot is haer tribulacy Van allen desen sal hi hoer Verlossen doer zijn gracy. Haer ghebeente tot alder spacy Wil hi bewaren al ghemeen. Daer af met molestacy En sal ghebroken worden gheen.
Die doot der sondaers wort voerwaer Die quaetste hier beuonden. En die den goeden alle gaer Haten: groot zijn haer sonden. Die sielen (gans ontbonden) Van sinen knechten, maect hi vry Die in hem tot allen stonden Hopen: niet en verbueren sij.
Notes
- 1 ↩The phrase is syntactically ambiguous in the verse and may describe either God or the person who trusts in him; it is rendered here as describing God.
- 2 ↩Literally, “certainly rich”; in the psalmic context, the sense is that those who fear God lack no good thing.
- 3 ↩Rendered “as their witness.” The early Dutch phrase appears to describe God as one who is present to attest or support the fearful, though its precise force is uncertain.
Souterliedekens (Psalm Songs) companion
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