Psalm 33:4 Study Bible: For the word of the LORD is right. All his work is done in faithfulness.

◄ Psalm 33:4 ►

For the word of the LORD is upright, and all His work is trustworthy.

For the word of the LORD is upright
The phrase "For the word of the LORD" refers to the divine communication and decrees of God, as revealed in the Scriptures. The Hebrew term for "word" is "dabar," which encompasses not only spoken words but also God's promises, commands, and actions. This highlights the authority and reliability of God's communication. The word "upright" is translated from the Hebrew "yashar," meaning straight, right, or just. This suggests that God's word is morally and ethically perfect, without deviation or error. Historically, the Israelites experienced the trustworthiness of God's word through His covenants and fulfilled promises, reinforcing their faith in His uprightness.

and all His work is trustworthy
The phrase "and all His work" encompasses the entirety of God's actions and creations. The Hebrew word for "work" is "ma'aseh," which refers to deeds, acts, or accomplishments. This indicates that everything God does is intentional and purposeful. The term "trustworthy" is derived from the Hebrew "emunah," meaning faithfulness or reliability. This assures believers that God's actions are consistent with His character and promises. Throughout history, God's faithfulness has been demonstrated in His creation, providence, and redemption, providing a foundation for trust and confidence in His ongoing work in the world.

Persons / Places / Events

1. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant name of God, emphasizing His eternal existence and faithfulness to His promises.

2. Psalmist
The author of Psalm 33, traditionally attributed to David, who expresses trust and reverence for God's word and works.

3. Israel
The nation to whom the Psalms were originally given, serving as a context for understanding God's faithfulness and righteousness.

4. Creation
The backdrop of God's trustworthy works, as the Psalm reflects on His creation and governance of the world.

5. The Word of the LORD
Refers to God's spoken and written revelation, which is characterized by truth and righteousness.

Teaching Points

The Reliability of God's Word
God's word is described as "upright," meaning it is morally correct and reliable. Believers can trust in the Scriptures as a foundation for their faith and life.

The Trustworthiness of God's Works
All of God's actions are trustworthy, reflecting His perfect character. This assurance encourages believers to rely on God's providence and guidance in their lives.

The Importance of Scripture in Daily Life
Engaging with God's word regularly helps believers align their lives with His truth and righteousness, leading to spiritual growth and maturity.

God's Faithfulness in Creation and Redemption
The consistency of God's word and works in creation and redemption history assures believers of His ongoing faithfulness and involvement in their lives.

Living in Response to God's Word
Believers are called to respond to the truth of God's word with obedience and trust, allowing it to shape their thoughts, actions, and relationships.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does understanding the "upright" nature of God's word influence your view of Scripture?

2. In what ways can you see the trustworthiness of God's works in your own life or in the world around you?

3. How can you incorporate the teachings of Psalm 33:4 into your daily routine to strengthen your faith?

4. What other biblical passages reinforce the idea of God's word being reliable and trustworthy, and how do they impact your understanding of this verse?

5. How can you encourage others in your community to trust in the reliability of God's word and works?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Genesis 1
The creation account demonstrates the power and trustworthiness of God's word, as He speaks the universe into existence.

John 1:1-3
Connects the Word of God to Jesus Christ, affirming the divine nature and creative power of the Word.

Hebrews 4:12
Highlights the living and active nature of God's word, emphasizing its ability to discern and transform.

Isaiah 55:11
Illustrates the effectiveness and purposefulness of God's word, which accomplishes what He desires.

2 Timothy 3:16-17
Affirms the inspiration and usefulness of Scripture for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness.

Sermons

A Call to Praise God	C. Short	Psalm 33:1-11
A Call to True Worship	Homilist	Psalm 33:1-22
Joy in God	C. Clemance	Psalm 33:1-22
Praise Comely	R. Roberts.	Psalm 33:1-22
Praise is Comely	B. Whichcote, D. D.	Psalm 33:1-22
Praise to the God of Creation, Providence, and Grace	T. W. Chambers, D. D.	Psalm 33:1-22
The Duty of Praise	J. Adams, M. A.	Psalm 33:1-22
The Gratitude of the Upright	J. Saurin.	Psalm 33:1-22
The Spirit of Rejoicing	J. H. Jowett, M. A.	Psalm 33:1-22
The Toy Which the Righteous Haw in God		Psalm 33:1-22
This is a Hymn of Praise to God	W. Forsyth	Psalm 33:1-22

People

David, Psalmist

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

Faithful, Faithfulness, Truth, Upright, Works

Dictionary of Bible Themes

Psalm 33:4

     1125   God, righteousness
     1150   God, truth of
     1155   God, truthfulness
     1461   truth, nature of
     1511   Trinity, relationships in
     1613   Scripture, purpose
     1690   word of God
     8166   theology
     8275   honesty
     8315   orthodoxy, in OT
     8331   reliability

Psalm 33:1-5

8660 magnifying God

Psalm 33:4-5

5627 word

Library

The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Material Universe.
There are many who think of the work of the Holy Spirit as limited to man. But God reveals to us in His Word that the Holy Spirit's work has a far wider scope than this. We are taught in the Bible that the Holy Spirit has a threefold work in the material universe. I. The creation of the material universe and of man is effected through the agency of the Holy Spirit. We read in Ps. xxxiii. 6, "By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth." We …
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

Two Standpoints.
"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth."-- Psalm xxxiii. 6. The work of the Holy Spirit that most concerns us is the renewing of the elect after the image of God. And this is not all. It even savors of selfishness and irreverence to make this so prominent, as tho it were His only work. The redeemed are not sanctified without Christ, who is made to them sanctification; hence the work of the Spirit must embrace the Incarnation of the Word …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Indwelling and Outgoing Works of God.
"And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth."--Psalm xxxiii. 6. The thorough and clear-headed theologians of the most flourishing periods of the Church used to distinguish between the indwelling and outgoing works of God. The same distinction exists to some extent in nature. The lion watching his prey differs widely from the lion resting among his whelps. See the blazing eye, the lifted head, the strained muscles and panting breath. One can see that the crouching lion is laboring intensely. …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

The Mercy of God
The next attribute is God's goodness or mercy. Mercy is the result and effect of God's goodness. Psa 33:5. So then this is the next attribute, God's goodness or mercy. The most learned of the heathens thought they gave their god Jupiter two golden characters when they styled him good and great. Both these meet in God, goodness and greatness, majesty and mercy. God is essentially good in himself and relatively good to us. They are both put together in Psa 119:98. Thou art good, and doest good.' This …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Excursus on the Worship of the Early Church.
(Percival, H. R.: Johnson's Universal Cyclopædia, Vol. V., s.v. Liturgics.) St. Paul is by some learned writers supposed to have quoted in several places the already existing liturgy, especially in I. Cor. ij. 9., [183] and there can be no doubt that the Lord's prayer was used and certain other formulas which are referred to by St. Luke in the Acts of the Apostles [184] as "the Apostles' prayers." How early these forms were committed to writing has been much disputed among the learned, and …
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

"Nunc Dimittis"
We shall note, this morning, first, that every believer may be assured of departing in peace; but that, secondly, some believers feel a special readiness to depart now: "Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace;" and, thirdly, that there are words of encouragement to produce in us the like readiness: "according to thy word." There are words of Holy Writ which afford richest consolation in prospect of departure. I. First, then, let us start with the great general principle, which is full of comfort; …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 17: 1871

The Principle of Life in the Creature.
"By His Spirit He hath garnished the heavens; His hand hath formed the crooked serpent."-- Job xxvi. 13. We have seen that the work of the Holy Spirit consists in leading all creation to its destiny, the final purpose of which is the glory of God. However, God's glory in creation appears in various degrees and ways. An insect and a star, the mildew on the wall and the cedar on Lebanon, a common laborer and a man like Augustine, are all the creatures of God; yet how dissimilar they are, and how varied …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

They all Hold Swords, Being Expert in War; Every Man Hath his Sword Upon his Thigh Because of Fear in the Night.
They all hold swords to engage in combat with the soul which, by a secret presumption, attributes to self what belongs to God only; and this causes them to exclaim with united voice; Who is like unto God? The Divine Righteousness is the first that comes to fight with and destroy the self-righteousness of the creature, and then comes strength to bring to naught the power of man, and causing him to enter by experience of his own infinite weakness into the strength of the Lord (Psalm lxxi. 16), teaches …
Madame Guyon—Song of Songs of Solomon

The Creation
Q-7: WHAT ARE THE DECREES OF GOD? A: The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he has foreordained whatsoever shall come to pass. I have already spoken something concerning the decrees of God under the attribute of his immutability. God is unchangeable in his essence, and he-is unchangeable in his decrees; his counsel shall stand. He decrees the issue of all things, and carries them on to their accomplishment by his providence; I …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Holy Spirit in Relation to the Father and the Son. ...
The Holy Spirit in relation to the Father and the Son. Under this heading we began by considering Justin's remarkable words, in which he declares that "we worship and adore the Father, and the Son who came from Him and taught us these things, and the host of the other good angels that attend Him and are made like unto Him, and the prophetic Spirit." Hardly less remarkable, though in a very different way, is the following passage from the Demonstration (c. 10); and it has a special interest from the …
Irenæus—The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching

The Host of Heaven and of Earth.
"The Spirit of God hath made me."--Job xxxiii. 4. Understanding somewhat the characteristic note of the work of the Holy Spirit, let us see what this work was and is and shall be. The Father brings forth, the Son disposes and arranges, the Holy Spirit perfects. There is one God and Father of whom are all things, and one Lord Jesus Christ through whom are all things; but what does the Scripture say of the special work the Holy Spirit did in creation and is still doing? For the sake of order we examine …
Abraham Kuyper—The Work of the Holy Spirit

Easter Tuesday
Second Sermon. Same Text. Acts 13, 26-39. THE WORD AND THE RESURRECTION.[1] [Footnote 1: This sermon appeared first in the Church Postil, the Explanation of the Epistle and Gospel Texts from Easter to Advent. Printed by Hans Lufft, Wittenberg, 1559.] 1. This sermon was preached by Paul in the synagogue at Antioch of Pisidia, where were gathered with the Jews some Greek converts. Wherever in a city Jews were to be found, there also were their synagogues in which they taught and preached; and many …
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

How the Whole and the Sick are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 13.) Differently to be admonished are the whole and the sick. For the whole are to be admonished that they employ the health of the body to the health of the soul: lest, if they turn the grace of granted soundness to the use of iniquity, they be made worse by the gift, and afterwards merit the severer punishments, in that they fear not now to use amiss the more bountiful gifts of God. The whole are to be admonished that they despise not the opportunity of winning health for ever. …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great

The Providence of God
Q-11: WHAT ARE GOD'S WORKS OF PROVIDENCE? A: God's works of providence are the acts of his most holy, wise, and powerful government of his creatures, and of their actions. Of the work of God's providence Christ says, My Father worketh hitherto and I work.' John 5:17. God has rested from the works of creation, he does not create any new species of things. He rested from all his works;' Gen 2:2; and therefore it must needs be meant of his works of providence: My Father worketh and I work.' His kingdom …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

The Power of God
The next attribute is God's power. Job 9:19. If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong.' In this chapter is a magnificent description of God's power. Lo, he is strong.' The Hebrew word for strong signifies a conquering, prevailing strength. He is strong.' The superlative degree is intended here; viz., He is most strong. He is called El-shaddai, God almighty. Gen 17:7. His almightiness lies in this, that he can do whatever is feasible. Divines distinguish between authority and power. God has both. …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Notes on the Third Century
Page 161. Line 1. He must be born again, &c. This is a compound citation from John iii. 3, and Mark x. 15, in the order named. Page 182. Line 17. For all things should work together, &c. See Romans viii. 28. Page 184. Lines 10-11. Being Satan is able, &c. 2 Corinthians xi. 14. Page 184. Last line. Like a sparrow, &c. Psalm cii. Page 187. Line 1. Mechanisms. This word is, in the original MS., mechanicismes.' Page 187. Line 7. Like the King's daughter, &c. Psalm xlv. 14. Page 188. Med. 39. The best …
Thomas Traherne—Centuries of Meditations

Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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