Psalm 33

This article is about Psalm 33 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalm 33 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 34.

Psalm 33
"Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous"
Verse 2 in German at the organ of an Austrian Protestant church
Other name	"Exultate iusti in Domino"
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". Its purpose is to praise "the Sovereignty of the Lord in Creation and History".

Psalm 33 is used in both Jewish and Christian liturgies. It has been set to music.

Text

Hebrew

The following table shows the Hebrew text 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.

Septuagint

The following table shows the Koine Greek text in the Septuagint, along with an English translation from the Septuagint by L. C. L. Brenton. In the Septuagint, this psalm is numbered Psalm 32.

Verse	Septuagint	English translation (Brenton 1844)
1	Τῷ Δαυΐδ. - ΑΓΑΛΛΙΑΣΘΕ, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ· τοῖς εὐθέσι πρέπει αἴνεσις.	[[A Psalm] of David.] Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; praise becomes the upright.
2	ἐξομολογεῖσθε τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐν κιθάρᾳ, ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ δεκαχόρδῳ ψάλατε αὐτῷ.	Praise the Lord on the harp; play to him on a psaltery of ten strings.
3	ᾄσατε αὐτῷ ᾆσμα καινόν, καλῶς ψάλατε αὐτῷ ἐν ἀλαλαγμῷ.	Sing to him a new song; play skillfully with a loud noise.
4	ὅτι εὐθὴς ὁ λόγος τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἐν πίστει·	For the word of the Lord is right; and all his works are faithful.
5	ἀγαπᾷ ἐλεημοσύνην καὶ κρίσιν, τοῦ ἐλέους Κυρίου πλήρης ἡ γῆ.	He loves mercy and judgment; the earth is full of the Lord's mercy.
6	τῷ λόγῳ τοῦ Κυρίου οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν καὶ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν·	By the word of the Lord the heavens were established; and all the host of them by the breath of his [mouth].
7	συνάγων ὡσεὶ ἀσκὸν ὕδατα θαλάσσης, τιθεὶς ἐν θησαυροῖς ἀβύσσους.	Who gathers the waters of the sea as [in] a bottle; who lays up the deeps in treasuries.
8	φοβηθήτω τὸν Κύριον πᾶσα ἡ γῆ, ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ δὲ σαλευθήτωσαν πάντες οἱ κατοικοῦντες τὴν οἰκουμένην·	Let all the earth fear the Lord; and let all that dwell in the world be moved because of him.
9	ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶπε καὶ ἐγενήθησαν, αὐτὸς ἐνετείλατο καὶ ἐκτίσθησαν.	For he spoke, and they were made; he commanded, and they were created.
10	Κύριος διασκεδάζει βουλὰς ἐθνῶν, ἀθετεῖ δὲ λογισμοὺς λαῶν καὶ ἀθετεῖ βουλὰς ἀρχόντων·	The Lord frustrates the counsels of the nations; he brings to nought also the reasonings of the peoples, and brings to nought the counsels of princes.
11	ἡ δὲ βουλὴ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μένει, λογισμοὶ τῆς καρδίας αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν.	But the counsel of the Lord endures for ever, the thoughts of his heart from generation to generation.
12	μακάριον τὸ ἔθνος, οὗ ἐστι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς αὐτοῦ, λαός, ὃν ἐξελέξατο εἰς κληρονομίαν ἑαυτῷ.	Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord; the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.
13	ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν ὁ Κύριος, εἶδε πάντας τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων·	The Lord looks out of heaven; he beholds all the sons of men.
14	ἐξ ἑτοίμου κατοικητηρίου αὐτοῦ ἐπέβλεψεν ἐπὶ πάντας τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν,	He looks from his prepared habitation on all the dwellers on the earth;
15	ὁ πλάσας κατὰ μόνας τὰς καρδίας αὐτῶν, ὁ συνιεὶς πάντα τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν.	who fashioned their hearts alone; who understands all their works.
16	οὐ σῴζεται βασιλεὺς διὰ πολλὴν δύναμιν, καὶ γίγας οὐ σωθήσεται ἐν πλήθει ἰσχύος αὐτοῦ.	A king is not saved by reason of a great host; and a giant shall not be delivered by the greatness of his strength.
17	ψευδὴς ἵππος εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἐν δὲ πλήθει δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ οὐ σωθήσεται.	A horse is vain for safety; neither shall he be delivered by the greatness of his power.
18	ἰδοὺ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτὸν τοὺς ἐλπίζοντας ἐπὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ,	Behold, the eyes of the Lord are on them that fear him, those that hope in his mercy;
19	ῥύσασθαι ἐκ θανάτου τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν καὶ διαθρέψαι αὐτοὺς ἐν λιμῷ.	to deliver their souls from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20	ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν ὑπομενεῖ τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι βοηθὸς καὶ ὑπερασπιστὴς ἡμῶν ἐστιν·	Our soul waits on the Lord; for he is our helper and defender.
21	ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ εὐφρανθήσεται ἡ καρδία ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι τῷ ἁγίῳ αὐτοῦ ἠλπίσαμεν.	For our heart shall rejoice in him, and we have hoped in his holy name.
22	γένοιτο, Κύριε, τὸ ἔλεός σου ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς, καθάπερ ἠλπίσαμεν ἐπὶ σέ.	Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in thee.

King James Version

1. Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
2. Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
3. Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
4. For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
5. He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.
6. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.
7. He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.
8. Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
9. For he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.
10. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.
11. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.
12. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.
13. The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.
14. From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.
15. He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.
16. There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.
17. An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.
18. Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
19. To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
20. Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield.
21. For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.
22. Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.

Verse 7

He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap;

He lays up the deep in storehouses.

Alternatively, "as a heap" may be read as "in a vessel", or "in a wineskin".

Content

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)."

Psalm 33 does not contain an ascription to any particular author in the Hebrew text, although the Septuagint ascribes it to David. Some manuscripts join it with Psalm 32. The Briggses suggest that it dates to the time of the Maccabees.

Uses

Judaism

• Is recited in its entirety during the Pesukei Dezimra on Shabbat, Yom Tov, and - in many communities - on Hoshana Rabbah.
• Is recited by some during Tashlikh.
• Is recited on days of Fast of Behav in some traditions.
• Verse 1 is part of Shochein Ad.
• Verse 10 is the tenth verse of Yehi Kivod in Pesukei Dezimra. Verse 11 is the twelfth verse of Yehi Kivod. Verse 9 is the thirteenth verse of Yehi Kivod.
• Verse 15 is found in Tractate Rosh Hashanah 1:2.
• Verses 20–22 are the second thru fourth verses of Hoshia Et Amecha of Pesukei Dezimra.
• Verse 22 is part of the final paragraph of Tachanun and Baruch Hashem L'Olam during Maariv.

New Testament

Verse 6, "By the word of the Lord the heavens were made", is alluded to in Hebrews 11:3: "By faith we know the universe was made by God's command".

Book of Common Prayer

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.

Musical settings

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.

Bibliography

• Briggs, Charles Augustus; Briggs, Emilie Grace (1960) [1906]. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms. International Critical Commentary. Vol. 1. Edinburgh: T & T Clark.
• Nosson Scherman (1984), The Complete Artscroll Siddur, Mesorah Publications, ISBN 978-0899066509.

External links

• Pieces with text from Psalm 33: Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
• Psalm 33: Free scores at the Choral Public Domain Library (ChoralWiki)
• Psalm 33 in Hebrew and English - Mechon-mamre
• Text of Psalm 33 according to the 1928 Psalter
• Rejoice, you righteous, in the LORD; praise from the upright is fitting. text and footnotes, usccb.org United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
• Psalm 33:1 introduction and text, biblestudytools.com
• Psalm 33 – The Great and Awesome God enduringword.com
• Psalm 33 / Refrain: The earth is full of the loving-kindness of the Lord. Church of England
• Psalm 33 at biblegateway.com
• Hymns for Psalm 33 hymnary.org