Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 33

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous – This is the sentiment with which the preceding psalm closes. See the notes at (Psalms 32:11).

For praise is comely for the upright – It is befitting, suitable, and proper. That is, the upright—the righteous—have abundant cause for praise, and it is for them a suitable employment, or one that becomes them. A man who is upright, or who is a righteous man, has in this very fact much that lays a foundation for praise, because the fact that he has such a character is to be traced to the grace of God, and this in itself is a more valuable possession than gold or kingly crowns would be.

That he is not an open violator of the law of God; that he is not intemperate; that he is not the victim of raging lusts and passions; that he is not a dishonest man; that he is not profane; that he is not an unbeliever or a scoffer; that he is a pious man, a redeemed man, a man of good character, and an heir of heaven, is the highest blessing that could be conferred on him.

And he who has been saved from flagrant transgression and crime in a world like this, and has been enabled to live an upright life, has compelling reason to praise and bless God. Assuredly, for such a man, praise is an appropriate employment; for such a man it is “comely.”

Praise the Lord with harp – For a description of the “harp,” see the notes at (Isaiah 5:12).

Sing to him with the psaltery – For the meaning of this word, also, see the notes at (Isaiah 5:12), where the word is rendered “viol.”

And an instrument of ten strings – The word “and” is supplied here by the translators as if, in this place, a third instrument was referred to, distinct from the harp and the psaltery. The more correct rendering, however, would be, “a psaltery (or lyre) of ten strings.” The same construction occurs in (Psalms 144:9). In (Psalms 92:3), however, the two words are separately used as denoting different instruments.

The “lyre” or psaltery was probably not always made with the same number of strings, and it would seem that the one that was made of “ten” strings had something special about it as an instrument of uncommon sweetness or power. Therefore, it is particularly designated here; and the idea is that instruments of special power and sweetness should be used on this occasion in the service of God.

Sing to him a new song — A song specially composed for this occasion; expressive of the special feelings suggested by this occasion, or appropriate to this new manifestation of the divine goodness and mercy. Such occasions, exhibiting some new phase of the divine goodness, demanded new language appropriate to them. So now, new hymns of praise, and new tunes in music, are demanded to meet the ever-varying manifestations of the mercy of God; and as the church is extended in the world, its modes of praise must be adapted to the new state of things which will arise. Nothing could be more absurd than to attempt to restrict the church in its praises to the exact words which were used in the time of David, or to the music which was employed then. Compare the notes at Revelation 5:9.

The expression “new song” occurs several times in the Psalms, showing that new hymns of praise were composed as adapted to some new manifestation of the goodness of God: Psalms 40:3; Psalms 96:1; Psalms 98:1; Psalms 144:9; Psalms 149:1. Compare also Isaiah 42:10.

Play skillfully with a loud noise — literally, “Do well to play;” or, “do well in playing.” That is, do the work well, or with all the skill of music. The word rendered “loud noise,” means properly “a shout of joy” or “rejoicing:”Job 8:21; 1 Samuel 4:5. It is especially applied to the sound or clangor of trumpets: Leviticus 25:9; Leviticus 23:24; Numbers 29:1. There is rather the idea of “rejoicing” than of “noise” in the word. The meaning is that the music should be such as would be expressive of the highest joy.

For the word of the Lord is right – The command, the law, the promise of God. Whatever he “says” is right, or true. It is worthy of universal belief and should, therefore, be a reason for praise. The fact that God says a thing is the highest proof that it is true.

And all his works are done in truth – Or rather, “in faithfulness.” That is, All that he does is executed faithfully. He does all that he promises, and all that he does is such as to claim universal confidence. Whatever he does is, from the very fact that He does it, worthy of the confidence of all his creatures. None, however they may be affected by what he does, have any reason to doubt that it is perfectly right. God is the only Being of whom we have any knowledge, concerning whom we can feel this certain assurance.

He loveth righteousness — See Psalms 11:7.

And judgment — justice.

The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord — Margin, "mercy." So the Hebrew. That is, his mercy or goodness is manifest everywhere. Every part of the earth bears witness that he is good.