Psalm 33

If you haven't read this Psalm lately, please do so. I was reading it this morning and there were so many thoughts that came to me that I was blown away. Just a few thoughts about it.

"Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the people of the world revere him." (vs. 8 NIV) Unfortunately this is not the case any longer. The people of the world do not revere God. Yes, there are many who do. There are many faithful people who hold to the Lord, follow the Lord and love the Lord. You may well be one of them. Praise the Lord for that. But does the world revere the Lord any longer? Is He really seen as the God of the universe, who made all things at His word? (The Psalmist talks of that as well.)

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord." (vs. 13 NIV) Why does the US have such problems today? It is because we no longer revere the Lord nor is God the Lord of our nation. Day after day we thumb our nose at God - abortion, same-sex marriage, self-centered greed, lust for power, despicable acts (There was a poll on Facebook asking if there should be a national holiday in honor of Michael Jackson! Can you imagine? A man who was the epitome of self-centered, egocentric, pleasure driven, child molesting entertainer, and there are those who want to honor him? Where is God in that? Where is the nation that reveres the Lord? Who is greater in the minds of the nation? God or Michael Jackson? I don't even want the answer to that question for it would greatly trouble me.)

"But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations." (vs. 11 NIV) Praise the Lord for that promise! No matter how the nations rage, no matter how sick people become, no matter how far we fall from the way that He would have us live, His plans stand firm. What are His plans? To save, to bring the lost and the erring to life eternal. The gates of hell will not prevail against the Gospel. Scowl fierce as they will, they can harm us none, the Kingdom ours remaineth. How can we say that when it appears the opposite in today's world? Because the plans of the Lord stand firm forever. In the end, it is the purpose of the Lord that wins because He is still God and Lord. He is the Almighty. He is the potter and we are the clay. We cannot prevail against Him (though many think they can).

"The eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love." (vs. 18 NIV) That gives hope when the daughter and son stand at the bedside of their mother who dies. The Lord was watching over her. That gives comfort to the parents whose son or daughter is driving down the road in the middle of the night after having an argument with the significant other. The eyes of the Lord are upon them. They are not alone. Never alone. His love is with them. Does that mean they won't die? Does it mean they won't be hurt when the deer runs out in front of the car? No. It means that the Lord is with them even then, and that, my friends, gives comfort and peace.

Thank You Lord for Psalm 33. I needed it today. And there it was.