The goodness of God

    Ps 33: 1 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.
2 Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings.
3 Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.
5 He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.

   In a previous lesson – we determined that it was appropriate for “the righteous man” to have a thankful attitude toward God . . . and that the song of the righteous man’s
heart “for which God desires to hear from His people” is a song of praise . .  . 

   the type of song which God desires to hear from our heart is a “song of humility” – a song of thanksgiving . . . 

    and to play such a song “skilfully with a loud noise” refers to the fact that “as God’s people” we have become accustomed to a life of humility – and that we

    have NOT forsaken obedience to the commandment of God that we live in humility and forsake pride . . . so that as we become friends with humility and the enemy of pride . . . we

    also become strangers to rebellion against “God’s will for our lives” . . .  

   To be skillful and to play loudly – indicates that we have learned to allow our lives to be guided by a

    thankful attitude toward God . . . and that this attitude “speaks” from our lives so loudly – that “pride” and “haughtiness of spirit” are no longer part of our lives . . .

    Having learned to put God upon the throne of our lives . . . we now understand (and practice) the scripture in Pr 3: 6 which tells us . . . In ALL THY WAYS acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

    For the Word of The Lord is right . . . and all of the works of God are “according” to (or follow along the path of) His Truth . . . 

   The Bible teaches us that . . . God loves “to forgive” . . . and every man’s life (from Adam to the present) has been filled with “God given opportunities” to seek God’s eternal forgiveness of the sin of unbelief . . .

    John 3: 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
18 He that believeth on him is NOT condemned: but he that believeth not IS CONDEMNED ALREADY, “because” he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

    The Psalmist continues . . . For “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord” which means that the world is full of the mercy and the kindness of God . . . 

   we see this in how God extends His hand of forgiveness to ALL men . . . we see the impartial goodness of the Lord as He allows it to rain upon the just as well as upon the unjust – we see this in God’s patience toward each of us 

   every time we are overtaken by rebellion . . . we see the goodness of God in how God upholds the governments of the world to maintain order among mankind (the countries of the world that are God fearing as well as those who have forsaken God – we share equally in this blessing) . . . 

    we see the goodness of God in the spring time which gives ALL men hope for the future . . . 

   We see the goodness of God in the Summer time which gives ALL men the strength/opportunity to work toward their dreams . . .

   

   We see the goodness of God in “the fall” which reminds each of us (or it should) that the strength of our youth is something that will one day end . . .

   We see the goodness of God in the winter of our lives which reminds us of God’s love – God’s patience – of our mortality – and of the reality of the eternal hope that we have in Christ.

   As we continue now with Ps 33: 6 we learn that . . .
6 By the word of the LORD were the heavens made; and all the host of them (were created/made) by the breath of his mouth.
7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.

   It was not by the “chance of evolution” . . . but it was “By the word of the LORD” (that) the heavens (were) made; and all the host of them (also being
made) by the breath of his mouth (His spoken Word when He said in Genesis . . . Let there be ____ and there was _____ . . .

   this knowledge of our creation is simply an expansion of how the goodness of God is in all the earth . . .

This refers to how the heavens above us were literally created (not by changing or reforming what was already in existence) but that all of these
things were literally brought into being by the spoken Word of God . . .

    Gen 1: 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
5 And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
6 And God said . . . and it was so . . .

   This is the goodness of God as shown to us in the creation . . . As His creation . . . we are not an accident of nature but we belong to God . . . 

   and God has A PURPOSE for each of our lives . . . and part of that purpose – is to be REMINDED that we have a creator who loves us and who wants to forgive us

PS 33: 7 He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: he layeth up the depth in storehouses.

When we speak of the creation – and specifically of God as the creator - I am reminded of what we read in II Peter 3: 5 For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water:
6 Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:
7 But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.

You see – the point to denying God as creator – is simply a convenient way to avoid the realization of judgment . . . 

   

   if there is no intelligent design then there can be no intelligent “designer” . . . or no-one – or no power to which we can be held accountable – which infers that there is NO JUDGMENT . . . 

   we will end this lesson here – with the idea that if Satan is successful (by any means at all) in convincing any man that there is no Judgment . . . 

   then Satan has gained possession of that man’s soul . . . Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

   If this one verse in The Bible is not true . . . then none of the remaining verses should matter to us at all . . . Are you prepared for the day of judgment that awaits you after this life is over?