Salmi 33:5 Commento

This is a psalm of praise; it is probable that David was the penman of it, but we are not told so, because God would have us look above the penmen of sacred writ, to that blessed Spirit that moved and guided them. The psalmist, in this psalm, I. Calls upon the righteous to praise God (Psa 33:1-3). II. Furnishes us with matter for praise. We must praise God, 1. For his justice, goodness, and truth, appearing in his word, and in all his works (Psa 33:4, Psa 33:5). 2. For his power appearing in the work of creation (Psa 33:6-9). 3. For the sovereignty of his providence in the government of the world (Psa 33:10, Psa 33:11) and again (Psa 33:13-17). 4. For the peculiar favour which he bears to his own chosen people, which encourages them to trust in him (Psa 33:12) and again (Psa 33:18-22). We need not be at a loss for proper thoughts in singing this psalm, which so naturally expresses the pious affections of a devout soul towards God.

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 33 Though this psalm has no title to it, it seems to be a psalm of David, from the style and matter of it; and indeed begins with the same words with which the preceding psalm is ended. Theodoret is of opinion it was written by David as a prophecy concerning Hezekiah, as a song to be sung by the people after the destruction of the Assyrian army.

He loveth righteousness and judgment,.... Or "righteous judgment" (y); he delights in the administration of it himself, Jer 9:24; and he is well pleased with acts of righteousness done by others, when done according to his word, from love to him, by faith in him, and with a view to his glory; especially he loves the righteousness of his son, being satisfactory to his law and justice, and his people, as clothed with it; and he delights in the condemnation of sin in the flesh of Christ, and in the righteous judgment of the world, and the prince of it, by Christ; the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord; of the providential goodness of God, of which all creatures partake; and of the special goodness or grace of God manifested in Christ Jesus; it was full of it particularly when Christ was here on earth, who is full of grace and truth; and when the Gospel of the grace of God was preached everywhere by his apostles, according to his order, and appeared to all men; and so it will be especially in the latter day, when multitudes will be called by grace and converted, and when the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord; and still more when it will become a new earth, wherein only righteous men will dwell. (y) "judicium justum", Gejerus.

The Judge wishes to have mercy on you and to share his own compassion.… But if he sees your heart unrepentant, your mind proud, your disbelief of the future life and your fearlessness of the judgment, then he desires the judgment for you, just as a reasonable and kind doctor tries at first with hot applications and soft poultices to reduce a tumor, but, when he sees that the mass is rigidly and obstinately resisting, casting away the olive oil and the gentle method of treatment, he prefers henceforth the use of the knife. Therefore, God loves mercy in the case of those repenting, but he also loves judgment in the case of the unyielding.

"He loves Mercy and Judgment:" for He loves Mercy, which now He shows first; and Judgment, wherewith He exacts that which He has first shown. "The earth is full of the Mercy of the Lord" [Psalm 33:5]: throughout the whole world are sins forgiven unto men by the Mercy of the Lord.

This is typical of God, both to show lovingkindness and to judge—to show lovingkindness for those who hope in him and to condemn those who trust in themselves.

Grace and righteousness are characteristic of what is done by God. In other words, he said that loving is characteristic of him, speaking perhaps excessively and meaning that not only does what has been done in the past have these two characteristics, but also he is very fond of doing such things as happen to have these two characteristics.

He places kindness before judgment because God uses kindness, then judgment against those who continue in sin.

He describes the Lord by telling what he has done or what he does every day. We say that we love the things in which we are often engaged. So here the Lord’s love of mercy is celebrated in song … because he often imparts this mercy as a gift.… Since in this world he shows his love of mercy when he scatters it far and wide, when he bears with sinners, when he patiently waits for blasphemers, when he offers life to the unworthy and other similar acts that plainly ought to be attributed to divine compassion.… What follows is the statement that “the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord.” It is just this mercy that preserves us when we are miserable, when we struggle in the battle because of the devil’s attack, when we are distracted from the commands of heaven by the weakness of our flesh.… Therefore let us seek the mercy with which the entire world is filled.

Second, when he says, "Because," he assigns the reason for joy and praise. The reason for praise and joy is twofold. One is on the part of God, in whom we are to exult. The second is on the part of his effects, at "By the word of the Lord." Concerning the first he does three things. First, he sets forth the reasons on God's part. And first, because "the word of the Lord is right," that is, his instruction: Ps. 118: "Your word is a lamp to my feet," and so on. Or, his very promise: Prov. 8: "All my words are just," and so on, "they are right to those who understand." Second, because "all his works are done in faithfulness," that is, they are faithful: Ps. 144: "The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works." Now there is great joy when a faithful man is found: Prov. 20: "A faithful man, who shall find?" Or, he says "in faith" because the works of God are good merits. But these are not meritorious unless they are done in faith, because without faith it is impossible to please God, Heb. 11. Or, "his word is right" and "his works." But for whom? "In faith," that is, in the faithful; for in the unfaithful the works and right words of God do not appear. Third, because he loves; and concerning this he does two things. First, he shows the affection of God when he says, "The Lord loves." Second, he manifests it through a sign, at "The earth is full of the mercy of the Lord." Among all the things that cause joy in the Lord, there are two: namely, mercy and justice: Prov. 20: "Mercy and truth preserve the king." For through justice subjects are defended. Take away justice, and no one will be secure and happy. Likewise, without mercy all fear and do not love. He gives us to understand this about God when he says, "The Lord loves mercy and judgment." He loves these in himself, because they are in his works: Ps. 24: "All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth." Likewise, he loves these in each one: Mic. 6: "I will show you, O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you," and so on. And therefore he says, "Exult," because God truly loves mercy, for "the earth is full of the mercy of the Lord." Behold, he manifests it through a sign. For all the fullness of the earth proceeds from the mercy of God, because the earth is full not of temporal goods but of spiritual goods, and especially after the coming of Christ. Acts 2: "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit," and so on. All these things are from the mercy of God: Rom. 9: "It is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy." He says "the earth," and so on, not heaven, because in heaven there is no misery, and therefore it does not need mercy; but the earth, where man is filled with many miseries, needs the fullness of mercy.

A call to lively and joyous praise to God for His glorious attributes and works, as displayed in creation, and His general and special providence, in view of which, the Psalmist, for all the pious, professes trust and joy and invokes God's mercy. (Psa. 33:1-22) The sentiment falls in with Psa 32:11 (compare Co1 14:15). The instruments (Psa 92:3; Psa 144:9) do not exclude the voice.