Psalm 33:11 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.

NIV: But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

NASB: The plan of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation.

CSB: The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart from generation to generation.

NLT: But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken.

KJV: The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

NKJV: The counsel of the Lord stands forever, The plans of His heart to all generations.

What God purposes to do, He will do, without any possibility of failure. He chose Israel as His special people (Deuteronomy 7:6) and promised to make them a great nation (Genesis 12:1–2; 22:15–19). Antagonistic people and nations throughout the centuries have tried to annihilate the Jewish people. Yet, the Jews are still alive and living in part of the Promised Land as a nation. Even the captivity of Judah by Babylon did not overturn God's plan for Israel. He promised in Jeremiah 29:10 that after seventy years He would bring His people out of Babylon and restore them in their own land. He said His plans for them were for welfare and not for evil, to give them a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11).

God's long-term plan for Israel is to restore her fortunes and gather her from all the nations and all the places into which they have been scattered (Jeremiah 29:14; Amos 9:11–15; Zechariah 13:1; 14:1–16; Romans 11:25–27). This was at least partially fulfilled in 1948, when the long-exiled Jewish people established the modern nation of Israel. Complete fulfillment of these prophecies awaits the end times.

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.