Psalms 33:1-3 (ESV)
Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre;
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.
Psalm 33 is a praise song about key attributes of God. It instructs us to praise Him for His steadfast love (vs. 5, 18, 22), His uprightness (v. 4), His creation (v. 6), His upholding the universe (vs 8, 9), His sovereignty over the nations (vs. 10-12), His ability to deliver mankind from wicked leadership (vs. 13-17), and His protection of those who love Him (vs. 18-21).
In the above verses it does not speak of the “what” of our worship, but the “why” and the “how” of our worship. The “why” is stated that praising God “befits” the upright. Praising God is not an added value service to God. It is the service to God. Praising God is not a Sunday morning ritual, it is a Sunday-Saturday way-of-life. We are built and redeemed to praise God. It could be said that if those who have been declared righteous do not naturally worship or want to worship, they may have something severely wrong with their relationship with God. Worshiping God should be as natural as a baby wanting to their mother’s milk.
The Psalm also tells us the “how” to worship. And, from the language it does not seem to be in a quiet manner. No, it begins by telling us that worship should be characterized by a “shout.” Worship does not always have to be a “shout” but it should also not be conducted by the rules of a library. It even adds we are to worship with “loud shouts.” Why can we watch a sporting event and jump off the coach in praise and adoration for not-so-important-in-the-eternal-scheme-of-things victory, but not shout praises, loud praises, to the King of the Universe for giving us victory over our sin. Why are we proud to weary are team swag and boast about their victories and not outwardly make a loud boast about the God of our redemption? We are also to use musical instruments. This is not to be a quiet thing. In fact, it appears that the volume is supposed to be equivalent to that power of the One worshiped. Let us know be quite and quaint about our worship. Let us be loud and indignant. It is probably David who wrote this song. Note his attitude toward worship:
2 Samuel 6:20-23 (ESV)
And David returned to bless his household. But Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David and said, “How the king of Israel honored himself today, uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants' female servants, as one of the vulgar fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!” And David said to Michal, “It was before the LORD, who chose me above your father and above all his house, to appoint me as prince over Israel, the people of the LORD—and I will celebrate before the LORD. I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, and I will be abased in your eyes. But by the female servants of whom you have spoken, by them I shall be held in honor.” And Michal the daughter of Saul had no child to the day of her death.
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