Testimonia — Early Christian Bible Commentary

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Psalms 33

1Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous! Praise is fitting for the upright.

2Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre. Sing praises to him with the harp of ten strings.

3Sing to him a new song. Play skillfully with a shout of joy!

4For the LORD’s word is right. All his work is done in faithfulness.

5He loves righteousness and justice. The earth is full of the loving kindness of the LORD.

6By the LORD’s word, the heavens were made: all their army by the breath of his mouth.

7He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap. He lays up the deeps in storehouses.

8Let all the earth fear the LORD. Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

9For he spoke, and it was done. He commanded, and it stood firm.

10The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing. He makes the thoughts of the peoples to be of no effect.

11The counsel of the LORD stands fast forever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations.

12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.

13The LORD looks from heaven. He sees all the sons of men.

14From the place of his habitation he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,

15he who fashions all of their hearts; and he considers all of their works.

16There is no king saved by the multitude of an army. A mighty man is not delivered by great strength.

17A horse is a vain thing for safety, neither does he deliver any by his great power.

18Behold, the LORD’s eye is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his loving kindness,

19to deliver their soul from death, to keep them alive in famine.

20Our soul has waited for the LORD. He is our help and our shield.

21For our heart rejoices in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

22Let your loving kindness be on us, LORD, since we have hoped in you.

Early Christian commentary

c. 190 AD | Irenaeus of Lyons

5. Thus then there is shown forth One God, the Father, not made, invisible, creator of all things; above whom there is no other God, and after whom there is no other God. And, since God is rational, therefore by (the) Word He created the things that were made; and God is Spirit, and by (the) Spirit He adorned all things: as also the prophet says: By the word of the Lord were the heavens established, and by his spirit all their power. Since then the Word establishes, that is to say, gives body and grants the reality of being, and the Spirit gives order and form to the diversity of the powers; rightly and fittingly is the Word called the Son, and the Spirit the Wisdom of God. Well also does Paul His apostle say: One God, the Father, who is over all and through all and in us all. For over all is the Father; and through all is the Son, for through Him all things were made by the Father; and in us all is the Spirit, who cries Abba Father, and fashions man into the likeness of God. Now the Spirit shows forth the Word, and therefore the prophets announced the Son of God; and the Word utters the Spirit, and therefore is Himself the announcer of the prophets, and leads and draws man to the Father.

Commentary · The Demonstration of the Apostolic Preaching, Section 5 · Original source