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Psalm 33:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen for his own inheritance.
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,
Notice
“His own inheritance” puts belonging at the heart of blessing, grounding a people’s good in the God who has chosen them.
Questions to write on. Each one opens a new entry with this verse already attached.
What might blessing mean when the people themselves are called God’s inheritance?
Write on thisHow does YHWH’s lasting counsel in the surrounding verses shape your reading of this nation’s blessing?
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Where else Scripture says this
12 passages readers most often link with this verse, and the thread each one shares with it.
This verse's connections, by chapterThe Bible's strongest chapter linksHover or tap a book to trace it
1 Peter 2:9But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out …Both passages describe a people chosen by God and belonging to him as his own.
Psalm 144:15Happy are the people who are in such a situation. Happy are the people whose God is the LORD.Both psalms locate a people’s happiness or blessing in having the LORD as their God.
Psalm 65:4Blessed is the one whom you choose and cause to come near, that he may live in your courts. We will be filled with the goodness of your house, your holy temple.Both psalms link blessing with God’s choice, with Psalm 65 describing the chosen person drawing near to God.
John 15:16You didn’t choose me, but I chose you and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain; that whatever you will ask of …The psalm speaks of God choosing his people; Jesus tells his disciples that he chose them.
Exodus 34:9He said, “If now I have found favor in your sight, Lord, please let the Lord go among us, even though this is a stiff-necked people; pardon our iniquity and …Moses asks God to take the people as his inheritance; the psalm celebrates a people chosen as that inheritance.
Deuteronomy 7:6–8For you are a holy people to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his own possession, above all peoples who are on the face …Both passages describe the LORD choosing a people to belong to him as his own.
Isaiah 41:8“But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the offspring of Abraham my friend,Both texts speak of God choosing his people; Isaiah names Israel, Jacob, as the one God has chosen.
Deuteronomy 33:29You are happy, Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your help, the sword of your excellency? Your enemies will submit themselves …Both passages pronounce a people happy or blessed because of their relationship with the LORD.
Ephesians 1:4even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and without defect before him in love,Both passages speak of God choosing people; Ephesians specifies that this choice is in Christ before the world’s foundation.
Titus 2:14who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.Both passages describe a people belonging to God, with Titus explaining Christ’s work to purify a people for himself.
Exodus 19:5–6Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession from among all peoples; for all the earth is mine;Both passages speak of a people as God’s own, with Exodus linking that possession to obeying his voice and keeping his covenant.
Psalm 146:5Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD, his God,Both psalms connect happiness or blessing with having the LORD as God; Psalm 146 names him as help and hope.
Where this verse fits
Gratitude. praise and worship. sermon or Bible study notes.
One step
Something small to carry out of this verse
Encouragement
Israel’s blessing rests in belonging to YHWH. His counsel stands when nations’ plans fail, and the people he has chosen are his own inheritance.
Now put it in your words.
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Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY). Scripture from the World English Bible (public domain). Arc diagram after Chris Harrison and Christoph Römhild (2007).