Sermon Tone Analysis

Intro: Psalm 33 is a special Psalm.

It is one of only four Psalms that lacks a title.

The others are Psalm 1; 2, and Psalm 10.

All the other Psalms have some sort of title.

Many commentators believe that this Psalm is linked to Psalm 32.

In that Psalm, David praises the Lord for forgiving his sins.

Psalm 32 closes with a command to rejoice, v. 11.

Psalm 33 opens with the same command.

While these two Psalms are very different in their content, they are both centered on the theme of praise.

In Psalm 32 God is to be praised because He forgives sin.

In Psalm 33 God is to be praised because He is in control.

Both of those themes make God worthy to be praised.

In verse 1, the saints of God are commanded to “rejoice”.

This word means “to be overcome; to cry out, to give a ringing cry, to shout for joy.”

This is a command for loud, vocal praise to be lifted up to the Lord.

• Verse 1 also tells us that “praise is comely for the upright”.

The word “comely” means “beautiful”.

There are many emotions that can grip our hearts.

We can be overcome with pride, hate, malice, anger, envy, unforgiveness, and a host of other harmful emotions.

No emotion is as elegant, as beneficial, or as beautiful as a heart that is filled with praise for the Lord.

• Verse 2 calls on us to use our musical skills to praise Him.

When instruments are played for His glory, it honors Him because music is another form of praise to the Lord.

• Verse 3 calls on us to “sing unto Him a new song”.

The idea of a “new song” means that we are to be thoughtful and we are to exercise our minds to find new ways to praise Him.

When you consider the fact that Lam.

3:22–23 says, “It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”

It should be clear that we have ample reason every day to exalt Him for His grace, His blessings and His goodness to us.

• Verse 3 also calls on us to praise Him in such a way that they are heard by others.

That does not mean that we are to praise Him so that others will see us, but we are to praise Him so that others will be aware of Who He is and what He has done for His people.

Now, having commanded us to praise the Lord, the Psalmist now gives us the reasons why we are to praise Him.

I want to walk through this Psalm today and preach on the subject Why Saints Should Rejoice In Our God.

I. v. 4–9 WE SHOULD REJOICE IN HIS WORD

A. v. 4a God’s Word Is Precious—The word “right” has the idea of “upright, straight, correct”.

This word reminds us that God’s Word sets the standard for righteousness and morality.

The Word of God is like a compass that guides the people of God through the desert of this world.

All around us we see the results of abandoning the Word of God.

Our society has been cast adrift upon the sea of time without a rudder.

Our nation, and the world as a whole, has abandoned the Ten Commandments, the Great Commandment, and every other precept of God.

The obvious result of sinful man’s foolish decision to abandon the Word of God is rampant immorality, wickedness and evil in this world.

Those who read the Word, honor the Word and live by the Word, knowing how precious the Word of God is.

They say with the Psalmist, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path,” Psa.

119:105.

They also know the truth of Pro.

6:23, which says, “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.”

The saints of God have a rudder as they sail the uncertain seas of life.

We have a pattern after which we can live our lives.

From His Word we can discern His will for the course of our lives and we can find out how we are to live day by day.

His Word is precious.

We should praise Him for it!

B. v. 4b–5 God’s Word Is Personal—In His Word we learn about the Lord Himself.

His Word is His revelation of Himself to the world.

We learn that He does everything He does in “truth”, v. 4. That word carries the idea of “steadfastness”.

The text tells us in verse 5 that God “loveth righteousness” and judgment”.

This reminds us that He will bless those who honor His Word and He will judge those who abandon His Word.

Verse 5 also teaches us that God’s goodness can be seen in all the world around us.

All these truths teach us that the Word of God is a revelation of the Person of God.

How else could a holy, transcendent, eternal God reveal Himself to man?

It would be like us trying to communicate with the ants in an anthill.

We are so removed from their experience that we could not possibly communicate with them on our level.

God so longed to reveal Himself to humanity that He condescended to reveal Himself in the pages of a Book.

Not just any book!

God has chosen to reveal Himself in the pages of the Word of God, John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.

We should praise Him for His Word because it reveals the nature of God to us!

C. v. 6–9 God’s Word Is Powerful—In these verses the Psalmist reminds us that everything we see around us was spoken into existence by the Word of God.

Everything that is visible; everything that is invisible; everything that is large; everything that is small; everything that is near; and everything that is far came into existence through the Word of God.

In Gen. 1:3 God spoke for the first time.

When He spoke light appeared out of the darkness.

All through Genesis 1 God kept speaking and great things kept appearing.

His Word had power then, and His Word still has power today.

Every promise will be fulfilled.

Our actions will be judged based on His commands.

The Word of God is filled with power, glory and hope.

Listen to the testimony of His Word about His Word.

• “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart,” Heb.

4:12.

• “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven,” Psa 119:89.

• “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works,” 2 Tim.

3:16–17.

We should praise Him for His Word because it is infused with divine power!

It will stand though the entire world stand against it, Isa.

55:11.

I.

We Should Rejoice In His Word

II.

v. 10–12 WE SHOULD REJOICE IN HIS WILL

A. v. 10 God’s Will Is Dominate—Men can make their plans and devise their schemes, but in the end, God’s will is going to be accomplished.

If you look at all the maneuvering of the nations, it is possible to become filled with fear.

When you think of the militant regimes in Iran and North Korea; the power, the military and financial resources of China; the belligerent attitude of Russia; and the threat posed to peaceful people by radical Islam, it may seem to us that the world is out of control.

The foolish decisions by our own government leave us wondering how things will play out in time and history.

We need not fear, because our God is in control of all things.

He will have the final word, because His will is dominant.

As the Psalmist said, “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased,” Psa.

115:3.

B. v. 11 God’s Will Is Determined—The things that occur in this world are all part of our Lord’s plan for the ages.

Nothing takes place that is not a part of His divine plan.

I know that doesn’t sit well with a lot of people in our day.

We want to be in control.

We want to think that our thoughts and opinions matter.

We want the world to revolve around us and our desires.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but what you think, want, or plan doesn’t matter in the least.

God has determined what will take place in this world and that is what is going to happen.

• “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it,” Isa.

46:9–11.

• “Whatsoever the LORD pleased,that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places,” Psa.

135:6.

• “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” Dan.