Before reflecting on Psalm 33 we might take note of verse 11 in the preceding Psalm 32. Here is the invitation:
"Be glad in the Lord and rejoice O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart."
Some parishes spend months and endless committee meetings creating their mission statement. I'd suggest we can't do better than this: be glad in the Lord, rejoice, shout for joy, have an upright heart. Now Psalm 33.
Verses 1-3: "Sing joyfully," what a summons. "Praise the Lord." "Make music." "Sing a new song." "Play skillfully." "Shout for joy." The love of God, the claim of being dependent upon God, the desire to be the Lord's servant - all of these begin with praise. Then why is church singing so tired and lifeless. Praising God is the offering of self.
The scriptures are loaded with references to the instruments of temple praise. God isn't partial to pipe organs. The little non-denominational churches that are springing up everywhere and which are filled with former Catholics, especially young former Catholics use guitars, banjos, flutes, harps, drums, tambourines and bells. I was in a monastery where a monk play on an old scrub board at Mass. It wasn't irreverent in the least.
But it's the goal of praising God and celebrating God's rule that ultimately matters. If we really understood and accepted that of course we might shout out loud! At Mass we might start with the sung Gloria, the Alleluia before the Gospel, the Holy, Holy, Holy and the Acclamation after the Consecration. God is God! We each owe our existence to God. Shouldn't be be raising the roof over that? And with more than just the minimal one verse.
Verses 4-5: Here the psalmist gives us reasons for praising God. God is always expressing God's self. God is always giving himself away to us in God's Word and works. Praise God because God is faithful and true. Praise God because of God's justice (how to be on this planet according to God's intentions). Praise God because God's love is unfailing. God's purposes spring out of God's love for us. How wonderful is this!
Verses 6-9: Creation is carried on God's breath. The stars in the sky are placed by God's exhaling them. And of course, the life within each human person is animated by a breath of God. No one, however mistaken, however twisted up or various, is without that God-infused dignity.
The line here about the "waters being kept in a jar" would resonate with the ancient Hebrews who witnessed the sea opening and dividing for their passage to freedom. Fearing the Lord: not that God will ping me off into a black hole for being naughty - but that I would fear anything that would take me away from the love of this all-providing God. Fear the loss!
Verses 10-12: But now there is a shift. Notice that it's not us (even a nation) who choose God, but God chooses us. There's a difference. Our money reads: In God We Trust. Really? God is in charge. We're here and gone. Our plans and projects and even our achievements come and go, but God's heart-thoughts endure.
Verses 13-15: God sees humankind - not like the teacher who had eyes behind her head but as a loving creator. Notice too that God sees and knows each of us personally in the heart which God has fashioned.
Verses 16-19: These verses say it all. Are we ready? These are the verses that for ages upon ages we have failed to accept. The earth, the world, this planet - it all belongs to God. Bow before that and everything is changed.
We think we're in charge with our science; our life-extending, plague-containing medicine; our satellites; economic systems; generals and admirals; our fire and fury; border patrols; walls and defenses; the next generation of social media, smart bombs and artificial intelligence. We have used our divine gifts wrongly and forgotten that while God has made us co-creators, we remain creatures.
"A king isn't saved by an army; a warrior not delivered by his strength; a war horse is no guarantee of victory, might doesn't save." The psalmist-servant said it; the priest only points to it.
Verses 20-22: The people who call upon and love God as their helper carry within them the life-themes of faith, hope and joy. Only God's world-filling love is sure. Indeed, it is the only real power. The whole world can deny God's sovereignty (or pay polite lip-service) while we live celebrating and congratulating ourselves in political illusion, exploitation, manipulation, self-protection and control.
May we allow God's rule in our lives with joyful, free and happy hearts, full of praise, "as we wait in joyful hope...."
