Psalms 33:1

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous,.... [See comments on Psalms 32:11]; [for] praise is comely for the upright; it becomes them; it is their duty; they are bound unto it by the mercies and favours

Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

Psalms 33 THE This Psalm contains a celebration of God for his great and glorious works, both of creation and providence. God is to be praised by reason of his goodness, ; of his power, ; and of his providence, . And they that fear him shall find mercy and rejoice in him, . Rejoice in the Lord; let his excellency discovered in his works be the matter of your joy and praise. Praise is comely for the upright; it well becomes them to exercise themselves in this work of praising and blessing of God; partly because they have such singular and abundant obligations and occasions to do so; and partly because they will praise God worthily and heartily, and with due reverence and thankfulness, as God requires, and deserves to be praised; whereas ungodly men do indeed disparage and pollute the holy name of God, while they pretend to praise it, and therefore God rejects their praises and prayers. See 119:7 .

Psalms 33:1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: [for] praise is comely for the upright.Ver. 1. Rejoice in the Lord, O ye rightness] That is, O ye upright in heart, as it followeth here, and as Psalms 32:11. For as there he ended, so here he beginneth, calling upon the saints to be cheerful; and indeed there is hardly any duty more pressed in the Old and New Testament, or less practised. To quicken them, therefore, to so necessary but much neglected a duty, this psalm seemeth to be added to the former, purposely to excite us, by many arguments, to consecrate our whole lives to the singing and setting forth of God’ s worthy praises. In which regard nihil potest esse hoc carmine augustius, saith Beza, this is surely a most excellent psalm; and if it were well practised we might have a very heaven here; as because it is not, we lose very much of the comtbrt of our lives. Only that cautionating counsel of Bernard would not be forgotten, Laeti simus, non securi; gaudentes in Spiritu Sancto, sed tamen caventes a recidivo; Let us be cheerful, but not secure; and rejoice in the Holy Ghost, but take heed we let not fall the watch of the Lord. Crede mihi res severa est gaudium verum, Believe me, true joy is a severe matter, said Seneca. We may better say so of spiritual joy, which he never tasted of, neither doth any stranger meddle with. And if Plato could tell the musicians, philosophers could tell how to be merry without music; much more may God’ s people. Quid nobis cum fabulis, cure risu? saith Bernard, What have we to do with carnal mirth and jollity? &c.; we have meat to eat, and music to our meat, that the world knoweth not of; let us make us merry with it. For praise is comely for the upright] For them, and for none but them; high words are not fit for a fool, saith Solomon. Laudari ab illaudato, to be praised by a praiseless person is no praise at all (Seneca). That State in story would not approve of good words from an evil mouth; no more doth God, Psalms 50:15-16. Christ would not suffer the devil to confess him. Hypocrisy slurreth all it toucheth. If a man should sing a good song with his voice, and play a bad one on his instrument, it would make but a black sanctus. Such is the praise of the unupright; who had better therefore be silent, unless themselves were better, since they do not only lose their labour, but commit sin. Displeasing service is double dishonour; and dissembled sanctity double iniquity.

(1) Rejoice.—A common hymnic word, meaning properly to “shout,” or “sing for joy.”

PSALM XXXIII The Lord is praised for his works of creation, 1-9; and for the stability of his own counsels, 10, 11. The blessedness of the people who have the knowledge of the true God, his grace, and providence, 12-15. The vanity of all earthly dependence, 16, 17. The happiness of them that fear God, and trust in his mercy, 18-22. NOTES ON PSALM XXXIII This Psalm has no title in the Hebrew and it was probably written on no particular occasion, but was intended as a hymn of praise in order to celebrate the power, wisdom, and mercy of God. Creation and providence are its principal subjects; and these lead the psalmist to glance at different parts of the ancient Jewish history. In eight of Kennicott's MSS., this Psalm is written as a part of the preceding. Verse 1. Rejoice in the Lord] It is very likely that the last verse of the preceding Psalm was formerly the first verse of this. As this Psalm has no title, the verse was the more easily separated. In the preceding Psalm we have an account of the happiness of the justified man: in this, such are taught how to glorify God, and to praise him for the great things he had done for them. Praise is comely for the upright.] It is right they should give thanks to Him, who is the fountain whence they have received all the good they possess and thankfulness becomes the lips of the upright.

1–3. Introductory call to praise.

Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous - This is the sentiment with which the preceding psalm closes. See the notes at Psalms 32:11. For praise is comely for the upright - Is befitting, suitable, proper.

1. Praise is comely—It is suitable, fit, pleasant. A call upon the righteous for loud rejoicing.