What does Psalms Chapter 33 say, and which statements belong to its speaker?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The inscription records changed countenance, dismissal and departure; the speaker calls for praise. Reported deliverance accompanies future angel protection and instruction in speech, goodness and peace. Many afflictions remain alongside the psalm’s promises of preservation and redemption.

Chapter breakdown

The Latin incipit is Benedicam Dominum. The separate heading exhorts praise and service. The inscription identifies David changing his countenance before Achimelech, being dismissed and going his way, with a reference to 1 Kings 21. It does not itself narrate companions gathering in a cave. The speaker will bless the Lord always, with praise in his mouth, says his soul shall be praised in Him, calls the meek to hear and rejoice and invites joint magnification of His name. He sought and was heard, delivered from troubles, and invites people to come and be enlightened without confounded faces.

The poor man cried and was saved from troubles. The angel shall encamp around those fearing God and deliver them; the future becomes no witnessed present encampment. The poem invites tasting God's sweetness and blesses hope, calling saints to fear, saying they have no want. The rich suffered hunger, but seekers shall not lack good. It calls children to learn fear, asking who desires life and good days: keep tongue from evil and lips from guile, turn from evil, do good and seek and pursue peace.

God's eyes and ears attend the just, while His face opposes evildoers to cut their remembrance from earth. The just cried, were heard and delivered. God is near contrite hearts and will save the humble, deliver the just from many afflictions and keep their bones unbroken. Wicked death is very evil and haters of the just guilty. God will redeem servants' souls and none trusting Him shall offend. The source says offend, not be condemned, and does not record an outlaw school, guerrilla clashes or an anatomical medical guarantee.

The story inside

Opening: The inscription records changed countenance, dismissal and departure; the speaker calls for praise. Development: Reported deliverance accompanies future angel protection and instruction in speech, goodness and peace. Conclusion: Many afflictions remain alongside the psalm’s promises of preservation and redemption.

Lessons worth keeping

1
The inscription records changed countenance, dismissal and departure; the speaker calls for praise.
2
Reported deliverance accompanies future angel protection and instruction in speech, goodness and peace.
3
Many afflictions remain alongside the psalm’s promises of preservation and redemption.

Test your recall

Which images and requests does the speaker use, and what does the chapter leave unresolved?

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 59564–59573
33:1. For David, when he changed his countenance before Achimelech, who dismissed him, and he went his way. [1 Kings 21.] 33:2. I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise shall be always in my mouth. 33:3. In the Lord shall my soul be praised: let the meek hear and rejoice. 33:4. O magnify the Lord with me; and let us extol his name together.
Lines 59581–59594
33:7. This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him: and saved him out of all his troubles. 33:8. The angel of the Lord shall encamp round about them that fear him: and shall deliver them. 33:9. O taste, and see that the Lord is sweet: blessed is the man that hopeth in him. 33:10. Fear the Lord, all ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him. 33:11. The rich have wanted, and have suffered hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not be deprived of any good.
Lines 59596–59603
33:12. Come, children, hearken to me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord. 33:13. Who is the man that desireth life: who loveth to see good days? 33:14. Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. 33:15. Turn away from evil and do good: seek after peace and pursue it.
Lines 59614–59627
33:19. The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a contrite heart: and he will save the humble of spirit. 33:20. Many are the afflictions of the just; but out of them all will the Lord deliver them. 33:21. The Lord keepeth all their bones, not one of them shall be broken. 33:22. The death of the wicked is very evil: and they that hate the just shall be guilty. 33:23. The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall offend.