Tehillim 33 | "From His Dwelling Place He Watches Over All Inhabitants of the Earth"

This psalm is divided into several sections. It opens with a call to praise God, whose every deed is imbued with faithfulness and loving kindness (presumably directed especially toward His people): “Sing Him a new song; play your best with joyous shouts, for the Lord's word is right, and all His deeds are faithful. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the Lord’s loving kindness.” (33:3–5) The next section (7–9) depicts God as the Creator of the world: “For He spoke and it came to be at His command; it stood firm.” Yet the primary focus of this psalm (10–19) is not on God as Creator but on God as Ruler of the world: “From His dwelling place He watches over all inhabitants of the earth.” (33:14)

In Jewish thought, Rambam places the theological foundation on the relationship with the God, the Creator of the universe (see Mishneh Torah, Laws of the Foundations of the Torah 1:1 and 2:2). Rabbi Yehuda Halevi, in contrast, emphasizes something else. In his book 'Kuzari', when the king asks the philosopher, Christian, and Muslim to describe God, they all begin by affirming God as Creator. But only the Jewish sage begins with the Exodus from Egypt. The king is taken aback and asks why the Jew did not begin, like the others, with God’s role as Creator of the universe. The Jewish sage responds: That is Judaism. We believe in God which we have a relationship with Him, and a shared history. Not because God created the world, but because He took us out of Egypt, watched over us then, and continues to do so. These are two complementary paths in our service to God, and our prayers to Him – the Creator of the world, and the Master of the world. Our psalm emphasizes God’s governance over the world, His providence and sovereignty. It opens by describing God as the Creator to underscore His power, and then shifts to depict God’s active presence in the ongoing story of the world. God reveals Himself through history towards nations “From His dwelling place He watches over all inhabitants of the earth.” (33:14) as well as watching over each individual: “Yes, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him, on those who place their hopes in His kindness.” (33:18)

And yet, though the psalm has described God’s watchfulness, His all-seeing gaze, and in the first part described the faithful kindness that fills all His works, we discover at the end that the poet himself is in a challenging position. He does not currently feel God's kindness, but longs for it, and waits in hope. And so, the psalm concludes with a prayer: “We await the Lord; He is our help and shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May Your loving-kindness be upon us, Lord, for we place our hope in You.” (33:20–22). This is not a cry of anguish, and unlike other psalms, there is no anger or bitterness toward God, but only steadfast faith that God will indeed come to redeem.