Psalms 33:11

_THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD STANDETH FOR EVER, THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART TO ALL GENERATIONS._ The counsel ... standeth for ever - even as the earth at His bidding "stood fast" (Psalms 33:9). Omnipotent as His work of creation proves Him to be, it is easy for Him to "bring to nought the counsel of the pagan" against Israel and Israel's king, and "the devices" of the anti-Christian 'peoples' against the spiritual Israel, the Church (Psalms 33:10). But His own plans for His glory and the good of His people are "forever," and can never be frustrated. What cause, then, hath Israel for fear? THE THOUGHTS (_ MACHSHªBOWT_ (H4284)). The same Hebrew stands for, God's "thoughts" here, as stood for the people's "devices,...

11._The counsel of Jehovah. _The prophet extols the infinite power of God in such a manner as that he may build up our faith in its greatness; for he does not here commend a counsel of God which is hidden in heaven, and which he would have us to honor and revere at a distance. But as the Lord everywhere in Scripture testifies that he loveth righteousness and truth; that he cares for the righteous and good; and that he is ever inclined to succor his servants when they are wrongfully oppressed; — the prophet means, that all this shall remain sure and steadfast. Thus he declares for what end God bringeth to nought the counsels of the nations, namely, because without discrimination they run headlong into the violation of all order. In the first place, then, let us learn to look at God’s counsel in the glass of his word; and when we have satisfied ourselves that he has promised nothing but wh...

1-11 Holy joy is the heart and soul of praise, and that is here pressed upon the righteous. Thankful praise is the breath and language of holy joy. Religious songs are proper expressions of thankful praise. Every endowment we possess, should be employed with all our skill and earnestness in God's service. His promises are all wise and good. His word is right, and therefore we are only in the right when we agree with it. His works are all done in truth. He is the righteous Lord, therefore loveth righteousness. What a pity it is that this earth, which is so full of the proofs and instances of God's goodness, should be so empty of his praises; and that of the multitudes who live upon his bounty, there are so few who live to his glory! What the Lord does, he does to purpose; it stands fast. He overrules all the counsels of men, and makes them serve his counsels; even that is fulfilled, whic...

Verse Psalms 33:11. _THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD_] What he has determined shall be done. He determined to make a world, and he made it; to create man, and he created him. He determined that at a certain period God should be manifested in the flesh, and it was so; that he should taste death for every man, and he did so; that his Gospel should be preached in all the world; and behold it has already nearly overrun the whole earth. All his other counsels and thoughts, which refer to the _future_, shall be accomplished in their times....

THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD - The purpose of the Lord. STANDETH FOR EVER - It will be carried out. It will never be changed. There can be no “superior” counsel or will to change it, as is the case with the plans of men; and no purposes of any beings “inferior” to himself - angels, men, or devils - can affect, defeat, or modify his eternal plans. No changes in human affairs can impede his plans; no opposition can defeat them; no progress can supersede them. THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART - The things which he has “designed,” or which he intends shall be accomplished. TO ALL GENERATIONS - Margin, as in Hebrew, “to generation and generation.” That is, from one generation of men to another; or, to all time. The plans of God are not changed by the passing off of one generation and the coming on of another; by new dynasties of king

EXPOSITION THIS psalm has no title in the Hebrew, and in some manuscripts it is joined on to the preceding psalm, and forms one with it. But the difference of subject-matter and of tone render it highly improbable that that arrangement is the correct one. The two psalms are best regarded as wholly separate compositions, though the writer of the present one took for his key-note the last verse of Psalms 32:1. The Septuagint makes David the author, but with no support from the Hebrew. An author in the reign of Asa or Jehoshaphat, and again one in the reign of Josiah, has been suggested, but the psalm itself scarcely gives a hint towards fixing the date. As a simple psalm of praise and thanksgiving, intended for the service of the temple, it is well worthy of admiration, being "singularly bright, and replete with beautiful imagery" ('Speaker's Commentary')

THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD STANDETH FOR EVER,.... By which are meant, not the doctrines of the Gospel, nor the ordinances of it; though these will stand firm, and remain to the end of the world; but the purposes and decrees of God, which are wisely formed in himself, are eternal and unfrustrable, and relate to all things in providence and grace. The Lord does all things according to the counsel of his will in the government of the world, and in the salvation of men: the choice of persons to everlasting life is according to it; and so are their redemption, effectual calling, and glorification; THE THOUGHTS OF HIS HEART TO ALL GENERATIONS; which, with respect to his own people, are thoughts of peace, grace, and mercy; these are many, and within himself, were very early, even from all eternity, and have their sure and certain effect, Isaiah 14:24; see...

Psalms 33:1. _Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright._ False gods were worshipped with dolorous sounds, accompanied by cutting with knives and with lancets; but our God is the happy God, and he would have his people happy. «Rejoice in Jehovah, O ye righteous.» The praises of God are very beautiful when they are sung by holy people: «for praise is comely for the upright.» But the praises of God on the lips of godless men are altogether out of place. I wonder how Christians can allow those to lead their praises in the sanctuary who never can from their hearts praise God. They who sing to the worldling all the week should not be employed to sing to the God of the holy on the Sabbath, surely. «Praise is comely for the upright.» Hymns and psalms sung by the ungodly are but as sweet spices laid upon a dunghill; but «praise is comely for the upright.»...

Psalms 33 The Future Praise of Jehovah _ 1. The call to praise Jehovah (Psalms 33:1)_ 2. His praise as the Creator (Psalms 33:4) 3. His praise of His governmental dealings (Psalms 33:10) 4. His praise as the Keeper and Deliverer of the Righteous (Psalms 33:18) What the last verse of the preceding Psalm exhorts to shout for joy, is in this Psalm more fully unfolded. Such praise the Lord has not yet received, it looks forward to millennial times when all earth fears the Lord and all the inhabitants stand in awe of Hi

XXXIII. A SONG OF PRAISE. This Ps. has no title in MT. It may have been added at a later time to an older collection, probably Psalms 33:3. The LXX prefix, By David, when he changed his face before Abimelech (_sic_) and he loosed him and he went away. The Ps. is an invitation to praise Yahweh as the Creator and for His care of Israel throughout its history. Yahweh alone can save His people, and for that salvation the Psalmist will wait....