Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 33:20

"Our soul hath waited for Jehovah: He is our help and our shield." — Psalms 33:20 (ASV)

Our soul waits for the Lord - This and the following verses to the end of the psalm refer to the people of God, expressing their faith in Him considering what was suggested in the earlier part of the psalm. The language expresses the general character of piety.

True piety leads people to wait on the Lord: to depend on Him; to look for His intervention in danger, sickness, poverty, and need; and to rely on Him for all that is hoped for in this life and for salvation in the life to come. Compare Psalm 62:1; Psalms 25:3.

He is our help - Our aid; our helper. Compare Psalm 10:14; Psalms 22:11; Psalms 30:10.

And our shield - See the notes on Psalm 5:12. That is, He will defend us from our enemies, as if He threw His shield between us and them.