SING A NEW SONG
Opening Prayer
What are your hopes and fears for this new year? Bring them before the Lord.
Read Psalm 33
Psalm 33
1 Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
2 Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.
3 Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
4 For the word of the Lord is right and true;
he is faithful in all he does.
5 The Lord loves righteousness and justice;
the earth is full of his unfailing love.
6 By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathers the waters of the sea into jars[a];
he puts the deep into storehouses.
8 Let all the earth fear the Lord;
let all the people of the world revere him.
9 For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
10 The Lord foils the plans of the nations;
he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.
11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of his heart through all generations.
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord,
the people he chose for his inheritance.
13 From heaven the Lord looks down
and sees all mankind;
14 from his dwelling place he watches
all who live on earth—
15 he who forms the hearts of all,
who considers everything they do.
16 No king is saved by the size of his army;
no warrior escapes by his great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for deliverance;
despite all its great strength it cannot save.
18 But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him,
on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,
19 to deliver them from death
and keep them alive in famine.
20 We wait in hope for the Lord;
he is our help and our shield.
21 In him our hearts rejoice,
for we trust in his holy name.
22 May your unfailing love be with us, Lord,
even as we put our hope in you.
Footnotes:
a Psalm 33:7 Or sea as into a heap
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
What has God done for you this year?It seems fitting to begin a new year with a new song (3). Whatever happened last year, and whatever is ongoing as you enter this new year, now is a good time to pause and consider who God is and why he is worthy of praise. The psalmist begins with a call to praise (1–3). We are to join in the song of praise in any way we can, whether by singing, by playing the lyre or harp, or even by shouting!
From verse 4, the psalmist moves on to the song itself. In verses 4 and 5 the Lord is praised because of his character. Look at the different attributes mentioned and consider when you have experienced God in these ways.
Verses 6 to 9 remind us that God is worthy of praise because of his power as Creator. The Lord’s power is also demonstrated in his ability to overrule human plans and to bring his own will to pass (10–12). He watches over and knows all people (13–15). What encourages you here as you face the uncertainties of this year?
Does verse 18 strike you as a little odd? Those who fear him place their hope in his love. Clearly “fear” here doesn’t mean being scared. It’s more a respectful awe: because we know who God is and are conscious of his power as well as his love, we can be confident that hope in him is well-placed.
Apply
As you consider the year ahead, place your hope in God.
Closing prayer
Choose several verses from the psalm to make into your prayer today.
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