Psalm 33:13 - Printer Friendly

ESV: The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;

NIV: From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;

NASB: The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of mankind;

CSB: The Lord looks down from heaven; he observes everyone.

NLT: The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.

KJV: The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men.

NKJV: The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men.

God is omniscient: all-knowing, perceiving and understanding everything in all of creation. He is unlike the disinterested, disconnected deity some unbelievers perceive. He did not create the world and then absent Himself from it, allowing it to run down by itself. He is vitally involved in creation.

Hebrews 4:13 teaches: "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." Near the well called Beer-lahai-roi, after the angel of the Lord appeared to Hagar, she called the name of the Lord, "You are a God of seeing" (Genesis 16:13). In Psalm 139 David testifies that he is unable to go anywhere without the Lord's knowledge. Jesus, the Son of God, also possesses omniscience, which He exercised in compliance with the Father's will. In a notable example, He saw Nathanael under a fig tree before Nathanael approached Him (John 1:48).

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.

Accessed 5/7/2024 2:49:49 PM