Surrey Chapel Fellowship Groups 27th / 28th May 2015
JOY IN THE LORD
Psalm 33

‘Raise the praise’ – is the heading in Explore Notes. Quite a Psalm. Like a sandwich! Begins with PRAISING THE LORD v1-3 – ends with COMPLETE TRUST in the Lord v20-22. In between –the filling – we learn of God the Ruler and God the Judge.
Tyndale –The body of the Psalm is occupied with the Lord as Creator, Sovereign, Judge and Saviour- while the beginning and ending expresses 2 elements of worship, doing honour to so great a King- and a declaration of trust, made in humble expectation.	

PRAISING GOD   v 1 – 3   (FITTING PRAISE)
These verses are in couplets –first half of verse a command, the second half emphasising.
Pick out the commands- to whom is the command (note v1) given?
Note –v1  – the praising is ‘in the Lord’ – what does that mean for us? 
v4-22 gives you many things to praise Him for.

GOD THE RULER  v 4 – 11 (GOD CREATES & GOVERNS)
What an awesome God we serve! His Word is right and true (v4) His unfailing love fills the earth (v5) He so perfectly created it all (v6-9) He is Sovereign over it (v10-11)
v4 cf. Psalm 19v7&8 and 2 Timothy3v16 - -Are we fully confident of God’s Word?
How did the Lord create the universe? (cf. v 6 and v9)
What response should that lead us to? (v8)
v10-11	What makes God’s plans different from ours?

GOD THE JUDGE  v 12 – 19  (GOD SEES BENEATH)
v12	Reminds us how God chose one person, Abraham, which led to one people for His inheritance. However since Jesus has come and brought in the New Covenant by His death on the cross –all who trust in Him are now included in His inheritance. What should be our response?
v13-15	A comfort and a challenge. He sees right into our hearts. 
v16-17	We are under review. How does this challenge us?
		How potent is military power?
v18	So who can know God?   Who are His people?
v19	What will God do for them? 

TRUSTING GOD  v 20 – 22  (CONFIDENT HOPE)
As God’s people we have a confident hope (or expectation) – not only of spending eternity with Him - -but a hope that assures us that He is ‘our help and shield’ (v20) right now. So then, that means we may fully trust Him because of what He has revealed about Himself (His Holy  Name v21). We may therefore rejoice in Him and praise Him for all that He is (v22)
How do we ‘wait in hope for the Lord’?

‘unfailing love’ –(compare and share other translations) Chesedh in the Hebrew –described as one of the most important words in the OT. See another use in Isaiah 54v8. Used of David’s kindness to Mephibosheth 2 Samuel 9v7 Has meaning then of an act of kindness, love or mercy shown to someone undeserving. See therefore what we have received in Christ –Romans 5v6-11.
In closing –refer back to our title –and read Philippians 4v4 

												DJ
PRAYER:
From this Psalm there is much to praise the Lord for. Thank Him that He loves you and rules over your life today. May our reverent response to Him be v8a.