Why should we praise God? (Psalm 33:1-9)
Psalm 33:1-9
When I moved to the UK, I wondered how people could smile and joke even when their life was falling apart. They seemed more together than Hungarians who often responded to the how-are-you question with a string of woes. It took me a while to realise some of the cultural expectations behind the British response, like not wanting to burden others with one’s troubles and the need to sound more positive and collected. Of course, not everyone fits neatly into these cultural categories, but if there is some truth in them, then it highlights both advantages and blind spots in these responses. Being able to share one’s troubles can be a relief, but someone with constant negativity drags others down. Having a more cheerful outlook on life and being able to joke at one’s misery can lift the spirits, but if such an attitude hides bottled up tensions, it can cause harm.
Praise as orientation towards God
The Bible offers a third way and that is an orientation towards God expressed in praise. When we struggle with life’s questions, we can cry out to Him and pour out our troubles, but even then, there can be an anticipation of a time when we will be able to praise the Lord (e.g. Ps 42:5). Praising God can be exuberant and joyful as described in our psalm (Ps 33:1-3), but whatever the mood, the key is a focus on God, and this is indeed fitting for those who belong to Him (v.1). Although ‘righteous’ and ‘upright’ are generally read as moral categories, Jacobson points out that in the Psalter these are relational terms and describe those who recognise their weakness and rely on God’s mercy.[1] As we praise God, we are reminded of who He is and what He has done and it strengthens our love for Him and helps put our lives, even our difficulties in perspective.
God’s character and creation
Why should we praise God then? What should be our focus? First, the psalm describes God’s character as worthy of praise (Ps 33:4-5). His word is upright or straight (v.4), so that God tells no lies, He is honest and true and will never mislead us or pretend. Further, whatever He does is done in faithfulness (v.4). The two aspects (word and work) match each other, so that God has integrity, He is reliable and true. Moreover, He holds together what is right and just with loyal, unfailing love (v.5). We can be either too emphatic about justice and consequently relentless, even ruthless in its pursuit, or so intent on love and forgiveness (for the perpetrator of wrongdoing) that we ignore the pain of those unjustly treated. God, however, can be trusted to hold the two together.
The psalm then goes onto God’s activity in creation (Ps 33:6-7). As in Genesis 1, the focus is not on a scientific explanation of how things came into being but a theological reflection that it was all by God’s power. God spoke and it happened (v.6; c.f. Gen 1:3, 9). Once again word and deed are one. Since waters and the sea are often associated with the forces of chaos in Israel’s world, God’s easy control over these elements that threaten to undo order underlines His power (v.7; Gen 1:6-10). Moreover, the unusual expression that the seas were gathered into ‘a heap’ is reminiscent of the exodus when God separated the waters that stood up in ‘a heap’ (Exod 15:8). Through the parting of the sea, God achieved another creation, that of His people Israel.
Gaining perspective
Reflecting on God’s character in general and what is revealed through His creation of the world and His people, we can be reassured that we have a God who is utterly reliable, powerful, just, and unfailingly loving. He can deal with the waters of chaos that at times threaten to drown us and undo our world. What He promises, He will keep because He speaks truth and will stay true to what He says. Not only that but His Word is immensely powerful to give hope, challenge, confront and bring new life out of chaos and despair. Let’s remind ourselves daily of the God we serve and gain perspective on the challenges we face.
[1] It is because such people rely on God that they also acknowledge His will in living godly and right lives, hence the designation ‘upright’, ‘righteous’ for these people. Nancy Declaissé-Walford, Rolf A. Jacobson, Beth Laneel Tanner, The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2014), 312-13.
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