| Psalm 33 | |
|---|---|
| "Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous" | |
Verse 2 in German at the organ of an Austrian Protestant church
| |
| Other name |
|
| Text | attributed to King David |
| Language | Hebrew (original) |
| Psalm 33 | |
|---|---|
← Psalm 32 Psalm 34 → | |
| Book | Book of Psalms |
| Hebrew Bible part | Ketuvim |
| Order in the Hebrew part | 1 |
| Category | Sifrei Emet |
| Christian Bible part | Old Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 19 |
Psalm 33 is the 33rd psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright". The Book of Psalms is part of the third section of the Hebrew Bible, and a book of the Christian Old Testament. In the slightly different numbering system used in the Greek Septuagint and Latin Vulgate translations of the Bible, this psalm is Psalm 32. In Latin, it is known by the incipit, "Exultate iusti in Domino".[1] Its purpose is to praise "the Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History".[2]
Psalm 33 is used in both Jewish and Christian liturgies. It has been set to music.
The following table shows the Hebrew text[3][4] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).
| Verse | Hebrew | English translation (JPS 1917) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | רַנְּנ֣וּ צַ֭דִּיקִים בַּֽיהֹוָ֑ה לַ֝יְשָׁרִ֗ים נָאוָ֥ה תְהִלָּֽה׃ | Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous, Praise is comely for the upright. |
| 2 | הוֹד֣וּ לַיהֹוָ֣ה בְּכִנּ֑וֹר בְּנֵ֥בֶל עָ֝שׂ֗וֹר זַמְּרוּ־לֽוֹ׃ | Give thanks unto the LORD with harp, Sing praises unto Him with the psaltery of ten strings. |
| 3 | שִֽׁירוּ־ל֭וֹ שִׁ֣יר חָדָ֑שׁ הֵיטִ֥יבוּ נַ֝גֵּ֗ן בִּתְרוּעָֽה׃ | Sing unto Him a new song; Play skilfully amid shouts of joy. |
| 4 | כִּֽי־יָשָׁ֥ר דְּבַר־יְהֹוָ֑ה וְכׇל־מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗הוּ בֶּאֱמוּנָֽה׃ | For the word of the LORD is upright; And all His work is done in faithfulness. |
| 5 | אֹ֭הֵב צְדָקָ֣ה וּמִשְׁפָּ֑ט חֶ֥סֶד יְ֝הֹוָ֗ה מָלְאָ֥ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | He loveth righteousness and justice; The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD. |
| 6 | בִּדְבַ֣ר יְ֭הֹוָה שָׁמַ֣יִם נַעֲשׂ֑וּ וּבְר֥וּחַ פִּ֝֗יו כׇּל־צְבָאָֽם׃ | By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; And all the host of them by the breath of His mouth. |
| 7 | כֹּנֵ֣ס כַּ֭נֵּד מֵ֣י הַיָּ֑ם נֹתֵ֖ן בְּאוֹצָר֣וֹת תְּהוֹמֽוֹת׃ | He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap; He layeth up the deeps in storehouses. |
| 8 | יִֽירְא֣וּ מֵ֭יְהֹוָה כׇּל־הָאָ֑רֶץ מִמֶּ֥נּוּ יָ֝ג֗וּרוּ כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֥י תֵבֵֽל׃ | Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. |
| 9 | כִּ֤י ה֣וּא אָמַ֣ר וַיֶּ֑הִי הֽוּא־צִ֝וָּ֗ה וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽד׃ | or He spoke, and it was; He commanded, and it stood. |
| 10 | יְֽהֹוָ֗ה הֵפִ֥יר עֲצַת־גּוֹיִ֑ם הֵ֝נִ֗יא מַחְשְׁב֥וֹת עַמִּֽים׃ | The LORD bringeth the counsel of the nations to nought; He maketh the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect. |
| 11 | עֲצַ֣ת יְ֭הֹוָה לְעוֹלָ֣ם תַּעֲמֹ֑ד מַחְשְׁב֥וֹת לִ֝בּ֗וֹ לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹֽר׃ | The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, The thoughts of His heart to all generations. |
| 12 | אַשְׁרֵ֣י הַ֭גּוֹי אֲשֶׁר־יְהֹוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו הָעָ֓ם ׀ בָּחַ֖ר לְנַחֲלָ֣ה לֽוֹ׃ | Happy is the nation whose God is the LORD; The people whom He hath chosen for His own inheritance. |
| 13 | מִ֭שָּׁמַיִם הִבִּ֣יט יְהֹוָ֑ה רָ֝אָ֗ה אֶֽת־כׇּל־בְּנֵ֥י הָאָדָֽם׃ | The LORD looketh from heaven; He beholdeth all the sons of men; |
| 14 | מִֽמְּכוֹן־שִׁבְתּ֥וֹ הִשְׁגִּ֑יחַ אֶ֖ל כׇּל־יֹשְׁבֵ֣י הָאָֽרֶץ׃ | From the place of His habitation He looketh intently Upon all the inhabitants of the earth; |
| 15 | הַיֹּצֵ֣ר יַ֣חַד לִבָּ֑ם הַ֝מֵּבִ֗ין אֶל־כׇּל־מַעֲשֵׂיהֶֽם׃ | He that fashioneth the hearts of them all, That considereth all their doings. |
| 16 | אֵֽין־הַ֭מֶּלֶךְ נוֹשָׁ֣ע בְּרׇב־חָ֑יִל גִּ֝בּ֗וֹר לֹא־יִנָּצֵ֥ל בְּרׇב־כֹּֽחַ׃ | A king is not saved by the multitude of a host; A mighty man is not delivered by great strength |
| 17 | שֶׁ֣קֶר הַ֭סּוּס לִתְשׁוּעָ֑ה וּבְרֹ֥ב חֵ֝יל֗וֹ לֹ֣א יְמַלֵּֽט׃ | A horse is a vain thing for safety; Neither doth it afford escape by its great strength. |
| 18 | הִנֵּ֤ה עֵ֣ין יְ֭הֹוָה אֶל־יְרֵאָ֑יו לַֽמְיַחֲלִ֥ים לְחַסְדּֽוֹ׃ | Behold, the eye of the LORD is toward them that fear Him, Toward them that wait for His mercy; |
| 19 | לְהַצִּ֣יל מִמָּ֣וֶת נַפְשָׁ֑ם וּ֝לְחַיּוֹתָ֗ם בָּרָעָֽב׃ | To deliver their soul from death, And to keep them alive in famine. |
| 20 | נַ֭פְשֵׁנוּ חִכְּתָ֣ה לַֽיהֹוָ֑ה עֶזְרֵ֖נוּ וּמָגִנֵּ֣נוּ הֽוּא׃ | Our soul hath waited for the LORD; He is our help and our shield. |
| 21 | כִּי־ב֭וֹ יִשְׂמַ֣ח לִבֵּ֑נוּ כִּ֤י בְשֵׁ֖ם קׇדְשׁ֣וֹ בָטָֽחְנוּ׃ | For in Him doth our heart rejoice, Because we have trusted in His holy name. |
| 22 | יְהִי־חַסְדְּךָ֣ יְהֹוָ֣ה עָלֵ֑ינוּ כַּ֝אֲשֶׁ֗ר יִחַ֥לְנוּ לָֽךְ׃ | Let Thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, According as we have waited for Thee. |
Alternatively, "as a heap" may be read as "in a vessel",[6] or "in a wineskin".[7]
In the International Critical Commentary series, Charles and Emilie Briggs described it as follows: "Ps. 33 is a song of praise. (1) A call to worship in the temple with song, music, and shouting (v.1–3), because of the righteousness and kindness of Yahweh (v.4–5). (2) All mankind are called to fear Yahweh, the creator of all things, and disposer of all nations (v.6–10). (3) Yahweh from His heavenly throne inspects all mankind (v.13–15); and victory is not due to armies or warriors (v.16–17). (4) He delivereth those who fear Him (v.18–19); therefore his people long for Him, are glad in him, and trust in His name for victory (v.20–22). A gloss praises the plans of Yahweh as everlastingly secure, and also the happiness of His people (v.11–12)."[8]
Psalm 33 does not contain an ascription to any particular author in the Hebrew text, although the Septuagint ascribes it to David.[9] Some manuscripts join it with Psalm 32.[10] The Briggses suggest that it dates to the time of the Maccabees.[9]
Verse 6, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made",[20] is alluded to in Hebrews 11:3: "By faith we know the universe was made by God's command".[21]
In the Church of England's Book of Common Prayer, this psalm is appointed to be read on the evening of the sixth day of the month.[22]
Heinrich Schütz wrote a setting of a paraphrase of the psalm in German, "Freut euch des Herrn, ihr Christen all", SWV 130, for the Becker Psalter, published first in 1628. Carl Loewe composed a setting in German for male a cappella choir, published in Dresden in 1845. Alan Hovhaness set portions of this psalm, along with Psalms 146 and 150, in his opus 222 Praise the Lord with Psaltery.[23]
