Life-Study of Psalms, by Witness Lee

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IX. IN PRAISING AND GIVING THANKS TO GOD

Psalm 33 is the mixed expressions of the psalmist’s sentiment in praising and giving thanks to God.

A. Encouraging the Righteous to Praise God
and Give Thanks to God

The psalmist encouraged the righteous to praise God and give thanks to God (vv. 1-5).

B. Praising God in His Restoring
of the Heavens and the Earth

In verses 6-9 the psalmist praised God in His restoring of the heavens and the earth. Verse 9 says, "For He spoke, and it was;/He commanded, and it stood." When God said, "Let there be light," there was light (Gen. 1:3). When God commanded, something came out and stood. This is good, but we need to see that Paul’s teaching is not concerning the restoration of the chaotic universe, but of the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

We were once dead, but one day the Lord made us alive and raised us from the dead (Eph. 2:1, 5-6). Today we are living in resurrection. We are not restored people but resurrected people! We may be impressed with God’s restoring of the heavens and of the earth, but the New Testament is concerning the new creation in resurrection. Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1 refers to the resurrection (v. 20). Regardless of how much restoration the heavens and the earth undergo, they are still the old creation, but we are the new creation. We are not merely restored; we are resurrected. There is nothing in the New Testament which asks us to praise God for the restoration of the heavens and the earth. Instead, Paul spoke of his desire to know Christ and the power of His resurrection (Phil. 3:10).

I want to point out again that the Psalms show us the inferiority of the law and the superiority of Christ. It is good to praise God for His restoration of the heavens and the earth, but this is not as high as praising Him for the resurrection of Christ. In His resurrection, Christ raised us from the dead (Eph. 2:6). This is much higher than the restoration of the heavens and the earth.

(Life-Study of Psalms, Chapter 15, by Witness Lee)