Psalm 33

The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples. 11The counsel of the Lord stands for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations. 12Happy is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage.
13The Lord looks down from heaven; he sees all humankind. 14From where he sits enthroned he watches all the inhabitants of the earth— 15he who fashions the hearts of them all, and observes all their deeds. 16A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. 17The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save.

Lord,
As I follow the poet, you deserve to be praised because you are God. More than that, you are a supremely ethical God, one who is inherently moral. You created the world to embody your justice and righteousness.

Now he comes to the “nations”. Standing next to you, no nation has much to brag about. Those who would create their own “wisdom” and an independent sense of power, apart from your wisdom and ethical structure, will come to nothing – sounds like annihilation to me.

Lord, we must remember the poet’s wisdom, “A king is not saved by his great army.” That which contradicts the Creator and the Creator’s ethical universe, you and your universe, will, some day becomes nothing. But there is another way, your way, that leads to life.

Now Lord, now that we know the rule, what is the strategy? How do we, as a people, attune ourselves to you and your way?

Show us the way. Show me my way.

PERSONAL PRAYERS:
Ask God to lead you to see and follow your personal path to bring the nations into conformity with God’s ethical universe.
Name 5 things for which your are grateful and say “Thank you” to God.”
In Christ’s name,
Amen.