Psalm 33:21

For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

33:12-22 All the motions and operations of the souls of men, which no mortals know but themselves, God knows better than they do. Their hearts, as well as their times, are all in his hand; he formed the spirit of each man within him. All the powers of the creature depend upon him, and are of no account, of no avail at all, without him. If we make God's favour sure towards us, then we need not fear whatever is against us. We are to give to him the glory of his special grace. All human devices for the salvation of our souls are vain; but the Lord's watchful eye is over those whose conscientious fear of his name proceeds from a believing hope in his mercy. In difficulties they shall be helped; in dangers they shall not receive any real damage. Those that fear God and his wrath, must hope in God and his mercy; for there is no flying from him, but by flying to him. Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us; let us always have the comfort and benefit, not according to our merits, but according to the promise which thou hast in thy word given to us, and according to the faith thou hast by thy Spirit and grace wrought in us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For our heart shall rejoice in him - See the notes at Psalm 13:5.

Because we have trusted in his holy name - In "him," the "name" often being put for the person himself. See the notes at Psalm 20:1. The idea is:

(a) that the fact of our having put our trust in God is in itself an occasion of joy or rejoicing;

(b) that the result will be joy, for we shall never be disappointed.

It will always, and in all circumstances, be a source of joy to anyone that he HAS put his trust in the name of God.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

21. his holy name—(Compare Ps 5:12; 22:22; 30:4). Our faith measures mercy (Mt 9:29); and if of grace, it is no more of debt (Ro 11:6).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

For; or, therefore; for this seems to be an inference either from the foregoing or from the following sentence.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For our heart shall rejoice in him,.... Not in sin, nor in themselves and in their boastings, all such rejoicing is evil; but in the Lord, "in his Word"; as the Targum is, in the essential Word of God, Christ Jesus; in his person, righteousness, and salvation; and this joy is heart joy, inward joy, real joy, joy in the Holy Ghost; and is unspeakable and full of glory. This is what the psalmist calls upon the saints to do, in the beginning of the psalm; and so his end in composing it is answered;

because we have trusted in his holy name; that is, in himself, who is holy, just, and good; and so faithful to every word of promise, to every engagement of his, and therefore to be trusted in: and hence it appears that the joy before spoken of is the joy of faith.

Geneva Study Bible

For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

21. his holy name] See note on Psalm 30:4.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 21. - For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy Name (comp. Psalm 13:5, where the sentiment is the same). Trust in God secures his help, and this brings the deliverance at which the heart rejoices. Psalm 33:21

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Accordingly, in this closing hexastich, the church acknowledges Him as its help, its shield, and its source of joy. Besides the passage before us, חכּה occurs in only one other instance in the Psalter, viz., Psalm 106:13. This word, which belongs to the group of words signifying hoping and waiting, is perhaps from the root חך (Arab. ḥk', ḥkâ, firmiter constringere sc. nodum), to be firm, compact, like קוּה from קוה, to pull tight or fast, cf. the German harren (to wait) and hart (hard, compact). In Psalm 33:20 we still hear the echo of the primary passage Deuteronomy 33:29 (cf. Deuteronomy 33:26). The emphasis, as in Psalm 115:9-11, rests upon הוּא, into which בּו, in Psalm 33:21, puts this thought, viz., He is the unlimited sphere, the inexhaustible matter, the perennial spring of our joy. The second כּי confirms this subjectively. His holy Name is His church's ground of faith, of love, and of hope; for from thence comes its salvation. It can boldly pray that the mercy of the Lord may be upon it, for it waits upon Him, and man's waiting or hoping and God's giving are reciprocally conditioned. This is the meaning of the כּאשׁר. God is true to His word. The Te Deum laudamus of Ambrose closes in the same way.