Psalm 33:12-22

Praise to the Ruler of the World as the Protector of His People

V. 12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, Yahweh, as their Ruler, being also their greatest treasure; and the people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance, as was the case in Israel at the time of David, the spiritual Israel, the Church of God, being His heritage in the highest sense of the word.

V. 13. The Lord, as the great Ruler of the universe, looketh from heaven, with the eyes of His omniscience; He beholdeth all the sons of men, not one being hidden from His knowledge.

V. 14. From the place of His habitation He looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth, all their deeds being open to His gaze.

V. 15. He fashioneth their hearts alike, He is the Former of their hearts all at once, both in the creation of each soul and in forming the thoughts of the heart under His providence; He considereth all their works, understanding exactly how they put their plans into execution.

V. 16. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host, no matter what display of strength and arms he may make; a mighty man is not delivered by much strength, all this is useless without God.

V. 17. An horse is a vain thing for safety, for a man to rely on; neither shall He deliver any by His great strength; as it is a delusion for help and victory, so it will disappoint him who absolutely relies upon it to carry him to safety. All this is subject to God's government.

V. 18. Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, the entire purpose of the world and of His government is realized in them, upon them that hope in His mercy, putting aside all trust in themselves; v. 19. to deliver their soul from death, sustaining them in all dangers which threaten their life, and to keep them alive in famine.

These facts being set forth, the psalmist makes the application to the Church of God of all times. V. 20. Our soul waiteth for the Lord, trusting firmly in His help, no matter when it is manifested; He is our Help and our Shield. V. 21. For our heart shall rejoice in Him because we have trusted in His holy name, as the foundation of their faith, love, and hope, from which all salvation comes.

V. 22. Let Thy mercy, O Lord, which alone gives the believers the courage to invoke the Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee, their confident waiting and trusting and the divine answer being correlates. In this way the attitude of hope and trust is the attitude of the Church in all ages, sustained by the Word of God's grace.