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"Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us; even as we hope in you."

~ Psalm 33:20-22

 

If you are in Christ…if you have placed your faith in Jesus for salvation, then you have received his righteousness…you have been made upright.  He has taken your sin and imputed to you his righteousness.  Oh, what a wonderful exchange!  I could never be righteous in and of myself.

Psalm 33 extols that praise befits (is appropriate/suitable from) the righteous (v.1).  Worship of God is fitting and right and proper and good and necessary for those who have been saved.  This worship looks like hope (v.22), trust and gladness (v.21), waiting (v.20), fear (v.19), singing (v.3), making music (v.2-3), giving thanks (v.2) and shouting for joy (v.1).  This worship is actually commanded of us (v.1-3).

We should worship God because:  

  • His word is upright (v.4)
  • All of his works are done in faithfulness (v.4)
  • He loves righteousness and justice (v.5)
  • His steadfast love fills the earth (v.5)
  • He is the Creator (v.6-9)
  • He created by speaking (v.6,9)
  • He upholds his creation (v.7,9)
  • He is fearful and awesome (v.8)
  • He is most wise and sovereign, the one whose counsel stands forever (v.10-11)
  • He blesses and elects (v.12)
  • He is the King enthroned in heaven, observing the hearts and deeds of man (v.13-15)
  • He is the only source of salvation, deliverance, rescue and life (v.16-19)
  • He is our help and shield (v.20)
  • His name is holy and trustworthy (v.21)
  • He is the object of our hope and the source of steadfast love (v.22)

I love the ‘Analogy of Faith’ in this psalm, having Scripture interpret Scripture.  Thousands of years after Creation, we see David (presumably) poetically validate the historical narrative of Genesis 1.  These two passages are congruous, not in conflict or contradiction.

Praise God for who he is and what he has done as on the list above; praise God for your salvation righteousness; praise God for the cohesion and consistency of his Word; praise God with shouts of joy!