Is Something Missing?

Psalm 33:1-9

1Let the godly sing with joy to the LORD,

for it is fitting to praise him.

2Praise the LORD with melodies on the lyre;

make music for him on the ten-stringed harp.

3Sing new songs of praise to him;

play skillfully on the harp and sing with joy.

4For the word of the LORD holds true,

and everything he does is worthy of our trust.

5He loves whatever is just and good,

and his unfailing love fills the earth.

6The LORD merely spoke,

and the heavens were created.

He breathed the word,

and all the stars were born.

7He gave the sea its boundaries

and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.

8Let everyone in the world fear the LORD,

and let everyone stand in awe of him.

9For when he spoke, the world began!

It appeared at his command.

Do you see something missing from this psalm?

Every psalm since Psalm 2 has had a superscription, except for Psalm 10—and that one seems to be an extension of Psalm 9. But why is a superscription missing from Psalm 33?

Perhaps the answer is to be found by comparing the first verse of Psalm 33 with the last verse of Psalm 32. Since these two verses are similar, many scholars feel that Psalm 33 is an addendum to Psalm 32. Psalm 32 is very personal, and this psalm may have been written for the entire congregation to sing. After thinking about forgiveness and restoration in Psalm 32, how can you do anything else but rejoice and praise the Lord, as Psalm 33 calls people to do?

What kind of praise does Psalm 33 call us to give? Praise that is fresh, joyful, and skillfully presented (verse 3). Because God’s mercies are new every morning, our praise to him should be fresh; because the gospel is good news, our praise should be joyful; and because our God is a great God who has done great things for us, he deserves our very best praise.

In the grand scheme of things it matters little why this psalm is missing a superscription. But it is great cause for concern when we are missing fresh, joyful, and skillful praise.

Then let our songs abound,

And every tear be dry;

We’re marching through Emmanuel’s ground

To fairer worlds on high.

ISAAC WATTS

A Word on Words

Many kinds of instruments—brass, percussion, and stringed—were used in worship, but stringed instruments (verse 2) had a special place in the Temple. Because they are frequently referred to in parallel phrases, many scholars believe they were very similar, perhaps differing only in the number of strings.

Notable Quotable

“Put off oldness. . . . A new man, a new testament, a new song. A new song does not belong to the old man; none learn it but new men, renewed through grace from oldness, and belonging now to the new testament.”

SAINT AUGUSTINE