Psalms 33:20

_OUR SOUL WAITETH FOR THE LORD: HE IS OUR HELP AND OUR SHIELD._ Conclusion. Believers testify their joy and trust in the Lord as their 'help and shield,' and pray that Yahweh's "mercy" may be upon them, according as their "hope" is in Him. OUR SOUL WAITETH - with intent expectation, as the Hebrew implies. So Israel's forefather, Jacob, on his death-bed (Genesis 49:18)....

20._Our soul waiteth upon Jehovah. _What the Psalmist has hitherto spoken concerning God’s providence, and particularly concerning that faithful guardianship by which he protects his people, he has spoken not so much from himself as from the mouth of the Holy Spirit. He now, therefore, in the name of the whole Church, raises his song to declare that there is nothing better than to commit our welfare to God. Thus we see that the fruit of the preceding doctrine is set forth to all true believers, that they may unhesitatingly cast themselves with confidence, and with a cheerful heart, upon the paternal care of God. In this matter, the Psalmist declares nothing concerning himself in particular, but unites the whole of the godly with him in the acknowledgement of the same faith. There is an emphasis in the word _soul _which should be attended to; for, although this is a common mode of speech...

12-22 All the motions and operations of the souls of men, which no mortals know but themselves, God knows better than they do. Their hearts, as well as their times, are all in his hand; he formed the spirit of each man within him. All the powers of the creature depend upon him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without him. If we make God's favour sure towards us, then we need not fear whatever is against us. We are to give to him the glory of his special grace. All human devices for the salvation of our souls are vain; but the Lord's watchful eye is over those whose conscientious fear of his name proceeds from a believing hope in his mercy. In difficulties they shall be helped; in dangers they shall not receive any real damage. Those that fear God and his wrath, must hope in God and his mercy; for there is no flying from him, but by flying to him. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upo...

Verse Psalms 33:20. _OUR SOUL WAITETH_] Our whole life is employed in this blessed work; we _trust_ in nothing but him; neither in multitudes of armed men, nor in natural strength, nor in the fleetest animals, nor in any thing human: we trust in Him alone "who is our help and our shield....

OUR SOUL WAITETH FOR THE LORD - This and the subsequent verses to the end of the psalm refer to the people of God, expressing their faith in him in view of the considerations suggested in the former part of the psalm. The language is expressive of the general character of piety. True piety leads people to wait on the Lord; to depend on Him; to look to His interposition in danger, sickness, poverty, want; to rely upon Him for all that is hoped for in this life, and for salvation in the life to come. Compare Psalms 62:1; Psalms 25:3. HE IS OUR HELP - Our aid; our helper. Compare Psalms 10:14;...

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')

OUR SOUL WAITETH FOR THE LORD,.... This, and what follows, are the words of the church, expressing her expectation, faith, and joy, by reason of what is suggested in the preceding verses. She signifies her expectation of good by waiting for the Lord; either for his coming in the flesh, and salvation by him; for which the patriarchs, prophets, and all the Old Testament saints, waited, Genesis 49:18; and so the Targum paraphrases it, "our soul waiteth for the redemption of the Lord"; or for his spiritual coming, his appearance to them, and gracious presence with them, he having been for some time absent; and it is right and good so to do, and in the issue proves advantageous, Isaiah 8:17; and this being soul waiting, it denotes the heartiness, sincerity, and earnestness of it; he [i

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....