Psalms 33:5
He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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It's easy to read "He loves righteousness and justice" as simply stating God's preferences. But the verse emphasizes that this love is intrinsic to His very being – He is love for what is right and fair, which is the foundation for His steadfast love filling the earth.
This psalm begins by calling the righteous to praise God with instruments and singing a "new song." The psalmist then moves to contemplate God's creative power and wise, faithful governance of the world, highlighting that God's very word and commands brought the universe into being and continue to sustain it. This contemplation of God's perfect character and majestic works leads directly into the affirmation of His love for justice and His overflowing goodness throughout creation.
We often think of God as powerful or all-knowing, but did you know He loves righteousness and justice? This isn't just a preference; it's woven into His very being.
The Heart of God
Verse 5 tells us, 'He loves righteousness and justice.' This isn't just about God doing what's right; it's about Him having a deep affection for it. Think of it like a deep-seated passion!
This love for what's right means God's actions aren't random or capricious. They flow from a character that is inherently good and fair. As Calvin notes, 'froward affections cannot hurry him, after the manner of men, to evil devices.' His very nature guarantees His commitment to what is right.
Even when life feels unfair or difficult, this verse offers a powerful reminder about the world around us. What does it mean for the earth to be 'full of the steadfast love of the LORD'?
Overflowing Kindness
The second part of verse 5, 'the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD,' points to God's abundant, unwavering kindness (often translated as 'goodness' or 'loving-kindness' from the Hebrew word 'hesed').
Understand the original words
tsedaqah · Hebrew Noun
The quality of moral correctness and conformity to the standard of God's holy character. It is the practical outworking of living in accordance with divine truth.
mishpat · Hebrew Noun
The exercise of divine authority to ensure fairness, uphold truth, and punish wrong. It reflects God’s character as the ultimate Judge who rights all wrongs.
chesed · Hebrew Noun
God's loyal, covenantal love. It encompasses His mercy, kindness, and devotion, representing the unfailing commitment He shows to His people regardless of their unworthiness.
This passage echoes Psalm 33:5 by highlighting God's love for order and justice through His creation, where He spoke and it was so, establishing the world on divine decree.
Matthew 5:45Jesus' teaching that God 'makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust' directly illustrates how the earth is filled with the Lord's goodness and steadfast love, as mentioned in Psalm 33:5.
Romans 1:20Paul's assertion that God's 'invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made' aligns with Psalm 33:5, emphasizing that God's loving-kindness is evident throughout creation.
1 John 4:16The statement 'So we know and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him' reinforces the essence of Psalm 33:5, presenting God's very nature as love that permeates all of existence.
calvinPsalms 33:5-9: "He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD."
- He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of Jehovah. 6. By the word of Jehovah were the heavens established; and all the host of them by the spirit [673] of his mouth. 7. He gathered together the waters of the sea as into a heap; He hath laid up the deeps in treasures. 8. Let all the earth fear Jehovah; let the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him: 9. F…
cambridgePsalms 33:5: "He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD."
5 . Righteousness is the principle of justice; judgement the application of it in act. Cp. Psalm 36:6 ; Psalm 103:6 ; and for loveth cp. Psalm 11:7 . goodness ] Better, as R.V., lovingkindness. This line recurs in Psalm 119:64 .
It's easy to read "He loves righteousness and justice" as simply stating God's preferences. But the verse emphasizes that this love is intrinsic to His very being – He is love for what is right and fair, which is the foundation for His steadfast love filling the earth.
This psalm begins by calling the righteous to praise God with instruments and singing a "new song." The psalmist then moves to contemplate God's creative power and wise, faithful governance of the world, highlighting that God's very word and commands brought the universe into being and continue to sustain it. This contemplation of God's perfect character and majestic works leads directly into the affirmation of His love for justice and His overflowing goodness throughout creation.
This psalm begins by calling the righteous to praise God with instruments and singing a "new song." The psalmist then moves to contemplate God's creative power and wise, faithful governance of the world, highlighting that God's very word and commands brought the universe into being and continue to sustain it. This contemplation of God's perfect character and majestic works leads directly into the affirmation of His love for justice and His overflowing goodness throughout creation.
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"He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD." — It's easy to read "He loves righteousness and justice" as simply stating God's preferences. But the verse emphasizes that this love is intrinsic to His very being – He is love for what is right and…
