Psalm 33:10 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.

NIV: The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.

NASB: The Lord nullifies the plan of nations; He frustrates the plans of peoples.

CSB: The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; he thwarts the plans of the peoples.

NLT: The Lord frustrates the plans of the nations and thwarts all their schemes.

KJV: The Lord bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect.

NKJV: The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.

God deserves joyful praise (Psalm 33:1–9) because He is sovereign: in complete and utter control. The plots of humanity's most powerful civilizations are no match for Him. Isaiah 40:15 declares: "Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales." Psalm 2:1–3 depicts countries rebelling against the Lord and His anointed Messiah. However, all the military and economic might of earthly cultures cannot topple God from His throne. He views their rebellion as laughable (Psalm 2:4). He will defeat their attempts and respond with wrath and judgment (Psalm 2:5). Revelation 19 describes this end-times international revolt and the Lord's decisive judgment. Verse 15 indicates that Jesus Christ will return to earth and "tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty" (Revelation 19:15).

God sometimes allows humanity to make choices contrary to His commands (Genesis 3; Deuteronomy 30:19; Matthew 19:8). Yet nothing happens in defiance of His permission. Nothing in creation can overpower Him or defeat His plans (Job 42:2; Isaiah 14:27; Isaiah 46:9–10).

Psalm 33:4–19 records David's reasons to praise the Lord. They include praise for God's Word, His creative power, His sovereignty over the nations, His all-seeing vision, His faithful works, and His deliverance of His people.

David summons the worshipers of Israel to be joyful as they praise God. The psalm celebrates God's creative power, sovereignty, and faithfulness. Rather than relying on earthly strength, the Lord's people can trust in His omnipotent power. This results in a collective praise for God and His unfailing love for those who trust and hope in Him.

The Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, attributes this psalm to David. It is a psalm that encourages worshipers to praise the Lord. It may have been written after Israel experienced a victory over an enemy. Because the verbs in this psalm are plural, it features the worship leader's call to worship and the worshipers' response.

The book of Psalms is composed of individual songs, hymns, or poems, each of which is a ''Psalm'' in and of itself. These works contain a wide variety of themes. Some Psalms focus on praising and worshipping God. Others cry out in anguish over the pain of life. Still other Psalms look forward to the coming of the Messiah. While some Psalms are related, each has its own historical and biblical context.