Hope Changes Everything

 

Many believe this Psalm to be connected with some national deliverance or a time of national crisis. In the first forty-one chapters of Psalms, all chapters have titles or a caption, with only four exceptions: Ps. 1; 2; 10; and 33. This simply means that the author saw them as connected, for instance, Ps 33 is connected and linked together with Psalm 32. We find them linked by their subject – the mercy and majesty of God. Together, they set Him forth as a God of infinite grace and greatness. One deals with God as Redeemer, the other with God as Creator.

 

The verbs in this Psalm are plural, which means it involved the worshipping community at the sanctuary. The leader called them to worship (1-3); the choir led the assembly in praising the Lord, and all closed with affirmation of faith (20-22). It’s likely that their praise was occasioned by the nation’s victory over the enemy (10-11, 16-19). Except for the prayer in verse 22, the entire Psalm is devoted only to praise and forms a helpful “primer on praise.”

 

I. THE CALL TO WORSHIP. 1-3

 

“rejoice” – shout for joy; it portrays a public, ringing celebration; connected to Ps 32:11

 

“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous;

And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”

 

vs. 32:11 translates, “Ring out your joy you upright in heart”

 

A call to worship is a call to praise.

 

PRAISE HIM THANKFULLY. 1

Both Ps 32:11 and 33:1 remind us that only those who are righteous by faith and obedient in their walk (upright) can sincerely worship the Lord.

 

NOTE: Ps. 15

 

Psalms 15:1-2

“Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?

Who may dwell in Your holy hill?

He who walks uprightly,

And works righteousness,

And speaks the truth in his heart”

 

We can shout for joy, ring out our joy because our sins are forgiven. “Praise from the upright is beautiful” (fitting)

 

PRAISE HIM THOROUGHLY. 2

Tune up the orchestra, pull out the stops, bring all the musical skills you have and use them to sound forth the praises of our God. No wonder the worship leader exhorted the people to rejoice, praise, play instruments, and sing to the Lord (make melody to Him). Worship is not a performance simply for our inspiration or entertainment. Worship is the vehicle through which we bring our “praise” and our “joy” to the Lord.

We thank Him for Who He is and for what He has done for us.

 

PRAISE GOD THOUGHTFULLY. 3

“Sing to Him a new song” – a new song calls for thought and exercise, for skill and careful composition; suggests a song never heard. New song may mean new in time or expression. The Spirit of God can make an old song new to us as we grow in our knowledge of God and His Word, or as we have new experiences.

 

New song means not simply traditional or familiar. It is to reflect our creative joy before the Creator and our responses to the ever-new acts of God. New song can speak of freshness in our worship.

 

II. THE CHARACTER OF THE ONE WE WORSHIP. 4

 

The beauty of God’s character should elicit from His people songs of praise and thanksgiving. Unless our worship focuses on the character of God, we have ignored the Person Who ought to be the center of the worship.

 

A. THE WORD CREATES WORSHIP. 4-5

 

.4 “right” means straightforward; there is no deception in what God says.

 

“work is done in truth” – we can count on them. The power and authority of God’s Word to work are consummated in Jesus, the “Word-Worker.”

 

.5 “righteousness” – moral purity in relationships

 

“justice” – true judgments

 

“goodness” – covenant-love; His love is manifested everywhere

 

This is the basis of our worship. God has spoken; God has acted; He makes Himself known as righteous, just, and loving. Now – “rejoice in the Lord.”

 

B. THE WORD IN CREATION. 6-9

 

Out of nothing, He created everything by the power of His Word. He created it and He controls it (holds it together)

 

.6-7 presupposes Gen. 1:1

 

.8 to fear Him is to stand in awe of Him, to be humbled before His powers and majesty, His Word and His works.

 

Speaks of the motivation to worship; contemplation of His power should move us to reverence.

 

“Word” – Elohim – the God of Creation

Jehovah – the God of Revelation

 

.9 He not only creates, He sustains the world.

 

Colossians 1:16-17, “by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. “

C. THE WORD IS OUR COUNSEL. 10-12

 

1. Those Who Reject His Counsel. 10-11

 

.10 People with authority make decisions that affect the destinies of nations, and when God isn’t permitted to rule, then He overrules, for His will shall accomplished.

 

.11 The will of God for His children comes from the heart of God and is an expression of His love for them, so there is no cause for us to be alarmed or afraid.

 

2. Those Who Receive His Counsel. 12

 

The Jews are called to be God’s servants and to carry out His will in the world. This promise, however, is now extended to God’s new Israel, the Church.

 

I am of the conviction that our nation has been so singularly blessed because of our commitment in days gone by to Almighty God. The decline of America is in step with our growing independence of God.

D. THE WORD AND HIS DIVINE CARE. 13-19

 

1. Seen In His Omniscience. 13-15

ALL KNOWING

 

.13 His watchful eye assures us of His attention and presence.

 

Psalms 34:15

“The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

And His ears are open to their cry.”

 

.14 “look” – to gaze intently. Heb 4:15 teaches that He “knows the thoughts and intents of the heart” – all are the object of His watchfulness

 

.15 This text reminds us that each nation has its own characteristics, yet at heart they are all the same; each has the same basic needs.

 

He beholds not only nations but also individuals.

 

2. Seen In His Omnipotence. 16-17

ALL POWERFUL

 

.16 Host, Hero, Horse; useless/helpers

Godless man’s strength becomes weakness

 

.17 “vain-hope” – false

No matter how powerful a nation might be, no

matter how great its armaments, no matter how

mobilized for war, God is not impressed.

 

3. Seen In His Omnipresence. 18-19

HE’S EVERYWHERE

 

The destinies of the nations are in His hands. The economic affairs of the nations do not lie in the hands of the oil rich Arabs. God is on His throne.

 

“He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”

 

.18 Submitted to Him in worship, they are lifted up by the expectation of His mercy, His covenant – love.

 

.19 He will be the master of their circumstances.

 

John 11:25-26, “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?’"

 

 

III. THE CONFIDENCE IN THE ONE WE WORSHIP.

20-22

 

A. THEIR DEPENDENCE. 20

 

This is a confession of faith in the living God; may have been expressed by the choir as the song came to an end. Worship had brought peace in their hearts and now they could quietly wait on Him to work.

 

Their hope had been strengthened. “Help is on the way.”

 

B. THEIR DELIGHT. 21

 

NOTE: Worship increases your joy which all stems from trusting Him. It is born of gratitude. Our circumstances challenge us at times, but He never changes.

 

 

 

‘I trust in God where-ever I may be,

Upon the land or on the rolling sea;

For, come what may, from day to day,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

 

The valley may be dark, the shadows deep,

But, oh, the Shepherd guards His lonely sheep;

And through the gloom He’ll lead me home,

My heavenly Father watches over me.

 

I trust in God, I know He cares for me,

On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea;

Though billows roll, He keeps my soul,

My heavenly Father watches over me.”

 

 

C. THEIR DIRE NEED. 22

 

In Ps. 33, there is a massive reflection upon God’s character (meditation). The Psalmist takes his thoughts and turns them into prayers, while fully expecting to experience more and more of Him as he waits before Him.

 

1 John 5:4-5, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?”

 

CONCLUSION

“The Worship Service”

 

It isn’t enough to leave the place of worship simply “feeling good,” because feelings are temporary and sometimes deceptive. If we find ourselves loving God and His people more, having greater faith and hope in the Lord, and going forth into the battle of life with greater confidence and joy, then our worship has accomplished what God wanted it to accomplish.

 

“Those who would taste God’s love, full, free, and tender,

Must be prepared for absolute surrender.

Our perfect love is what our Lord requires.

A love that dominates the heart’s desires.

Such love alone His dictates can fulfill,

And make man consecrated to His will.

 

Those who entirely to their God belong,

Those only, can be wise, and pure, and strong.

Lord, help me lest, when Thou dost claim my heart,

I keep back, doubting, just one little part.

Help me, O God, to give to Thee the whole,

The infinite surrender of the soul.”