Wednesday Devo
Scripture:
Psalm 33
4 For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.
5 He loves whatever is just and good;
the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.
6 The Lord merely spoke,
and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
7 He assigned the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let the whole world fear the Lord,
and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began!
It appeared at his command.
4 For the word of the Lord holds true,
and we can trust everything he does.
5 He loves whatever is just and good;
the unfailing love of the Lord fills the earth.
6 The Lord merely spoke,
and the heavens were created.
He breathed the word,
and all the stars were born.
7 He assigned the sea its boundaries
and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let the whole world fear the Lord,
and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began!
It appeared at his command.
Commentary:
33:4–9 Reason 1: God’s Word Is Upright. The first reason for this kind of praise is God’s word (vv. 4, 6, 9): it is upright, expressing the very best of motives on God’s part (vv. 4–5), and it is spoken by the same God who made everything (vv. 6–9). Verses 6–9 echo the creation account (Gen. 1:1–2:3), where each time God spoke, what he commanded produced its effect. The Septuagint Greek of Ps. 33:6, with the word (Gk. logos) as the means of creation, probably lies behind John 1:3; the Word came to be seen as a personal agent, whom John identifies as Christ himself (cf. John 1:14). Since the Lord is the Creator of everything, all the earth and all the inhabitants of the world, and not just Israel, should fear him (Ps. 33:8–9).
33:6 God’s power and wisdom displayed in creation and in providence encourage praise and encourage hope in his salvation. Instances of temporal salvation look forward to eternal salvation in Christ (see 33:22; Matt. 1:21; Luke 2:30).
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 977.
33:6 God’s power and wisdom displayed in creation and in providence encourage praise and encourage hope in his salvation. Instances of temporal salvation look forward to eternal salvation in Christ (see 33:22; Matt. 1:21; Luke 2:30).
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 977.
Questions:
- David says we should praise God joyfully, and the first reason he gives us is for the STRENGTH of His WORD. His word is true and we can trust everything He says and does. What He says He will do is as good as done. His word and His works are inseparable. His words are never empty. How inclined are you to fully believe and trust in the things God has said He will do? When you are tempted to doubt, how can you fall back on a choice of trusting God?
- God's word is so powerful, everything that exists in the entire universe came to be when God spoke. And for that reason, David suggests we should FEAR Him. Yes we should have reverence and awe, but also a healthy does of FEAR for just how powerful and righteous and just our God is. Reflect on this quote from Thomas Horne: “He who made all things, preserves all things, and can in a moment destroy all things, is the proper object of our ‘fear’; and that we fear him so little, is a most convincing proof of the corruption and blindness of our hearts.” Do you have a healthy dose of fear of the Lord? What are the dangers if we fear Him too little?
Pray:
- That you would trust what God says.
- That you would keep a healthy fear of the Lord.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
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