What God Loves
Psalm 33 is a beautiful chapter of the Bible. The writer's motivation is clear: praise. Praise God for how powerful He is, how good He is, how righteous He is. Praise Him for His steady plans, His all-knowing faithfulness, His love for His people. Praise God.
Early on in this outpouring of praise, the psalmist says of God, “He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.” (Psalm 33:5) He doesn’t just appreciate, tolerate, or approve of justice and righteousness. He loves them.
If we, like God, love righteousness and justice, that means we cannot also love anything that is unrighteous or unjust. The world is full of dark things that call for our attention and affection. But God, in His steadiness, never stops loving the exact same things: righteousness and justice.
Is the earth full of darkness, evil, and sin? Yes. But don’t forget, this verse reminds us of something else the earth is full of: His unfailing love.
Today, take a moment to read all of Psalm 33. Look for how you can add your praise of God to this psalm of praise. Has God brought justice for you? Has He helped you turn from sin and toward righteousness? How has God been good to you?Let the last three verses put your heart at ease, washing over you and encouraging you today:
“We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord, for our hope is in you alone.”
Psalm 33:20-22 NLT
The Greatest Servant
If we’re honest, most of us would rather be served than serve others. We’d rather feel special than ordinary. We’d rather feel important than insignificant.
And though God has made us special, important, and created in His image—His children cannot be above serving, because Jesus was never above serving.
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28 NLT
If the King of kings and Lord of lords didn’t come to be served, but to sacrifice His life for the sake and salvation of others, we should pay attention.
Jesus warned against doing impressive things just to be seen, praying extravagant prayers merely to be heard, and taking the highest-ranking positions simply to be known.
Instead, Jesus engaged the outcast, fed the hungry, healed the sick, helped the hurting, stopped for the broken, washed dirty feet, and laid down His life—even though He was ...