My Praise and Hope are Anchored in God

Opening Statement

: Praise for God’s Faithfulness

Have you ever felt like a victim of circumstances. Like the deck was stacked against your succeeding, whether in your career in your home, in your relationships, or in your finances? There is good news for you and I and it’s found in the very pages of scripture. News that will allow you and I to enjoy the life we have been given no matter the circumstances that we are facing. However, there is one unescapable condition we must meet before experiencing this world of bliss: a genuine relationship with the Living God.

The psalmist calls for spontaneous praise to God (33:1–3), the dependable Creator (vv. 4–9) and shaper of history (vv. 10–11). God has shown His loyalty to His people (vv. 12–19), and God’s people hope joyfully in Him (vv. 20–22).

Be warned, I have come to praise, I have come to rejoice, I have come to relate encouragement from God’s Word.

Praise is fitting (33:1). Praise is appropriate because: * God’s Word is true (trustworthy) * He Himself is faithful in all He does * He loves justice * Earth is filled with expressions of His love * He created all things * He sustains all things * He shapes history to accomplish His purposes * He chose Israel as His inheritance * He watches (pays close attention to) all humanity * He guards those who fear Him * He delivers from death those who hope in Him. How could we not praise such a wonderful God!

This is a word for this and every season, “God is dependable, trustworthy and worthy of our praise!” Please turn with me to and be encouraged by the words of the songwriter.

Waiting in hope (33:20). In the O.T. “waiting” and “hope” are so intimately connected that one of the Heb. words translated “hope” (yahal) is also rendered “wait” at times.

The Scriptures

Psalm 33 ESV

1 Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright. 2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 3 Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. 4 For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. 5 He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. 6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. 7 He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. 8 Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11 The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations. 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! 13 The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; 14 from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, 15 he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds. 16 The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue. 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, 19 that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine. 20 Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. 22 Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Eight (8) Reasons Why My Praise and Hope Should Be Anchored in God

Joyful praise is consistent with who we are (vv.1-3)

Anchored in the dependability of God’s word and character (vv.4-5)

Anchored in God’s creative and protective power (vv.6-9)

Anchored in God’s greater wisdom and sovereignty over the nations (vv.10-11)

Anchored in God’s favor towards those He chooses to be in covenant with (v.12)

Anchored in God’s awareness of the activities of every individual (vv.13-15)

Anchored in the reality that God alone provides true salvation from our enemies (vv. 16-19)

Anchored in the hope of God’s strength, holy name and steadfast love for us (vv.20-22)

Closing Statement

Nations and individuals are prone to making grand boasts and sweeping declarations about their greatness or their intentions to pursue a course of action. It speaks to the foolishness of man to think that any of his self-willed plans will withstand the assault of God’s word and eternal plan for His creation. With all the upheaval going on around us, and the seemingly shifting ground of truth and acceptable behaviors, only being anchored in the word and character of God will provide the perspectives that we need not only to survive but to thrive!

In the scriptures the Psalmist declares that “You make known to me the paths of life; in your presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy.” (). It is an unashamed and unapologetic statement of being anchored in and dependent on God. How marvelous it would be if you and I possessed such steadying faith in the power of our God. It would change our perspective on politics and politicians. It would change our perspective on how we engage with a fallen culture, it would change the way we rear our children and it would supply us with the strength to remain joyful and hopeful in this increasingly negative environment that we find ourselves living in. The value of hitching our cart to God can never be and should never be underestimated.