Today's reading from the Psalms includes Psalm 33.
Psalm 33 starts with an expression of praise, urging the listener to praise God with the harp, stringed instruments, a new song, with skill, and a shout of joy. It acknowledges that praise from the upright is beautiful, offering at least a partial answer to those who wonder why God would be concerned with our praise. To that concern I would add that our praise focuses our attention on God's greatness and away from our shortcomings, which God wants us to put aside when we approach His throne in grace.
The Psalmist acknowledges God's power in creation, that it was all done by the power of His word. He continues by noting that all the plans of God are sure and fast, while those of man are transient and fleeting:
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.
One bit of spiritual humor I've heard lately is: How can you make God laugh? Tell Him your plans! God has plans for us which we don't have an inkling of understanding for, and they may be simple or complicated. Look at Joseph (back in Genesis). Imagine what it would have been like to have been thrown in an Egyptian jail in one's youth. I'm sure he had thoughts that he was going to be there for the rest of his life, but God had plans for him, and Joseph was just where God wanted him to be - part of His plan.
The Psalmist continues by noting that God sees all the works of man, a threat to the wicked, but a source of confidence to those who trust and fear Him. Our mighty armies and great strength cannot provide true security, which comes from trusting in God alone.
A note on Hebrew literature:
According to the notes in my study Bible, the verses cited above are an example of two literary techniques called synonymous parallelism and antithetical parallelism. In synonymous parallelism, the Psalmist expresses the same idea in two phrases using different words. In antithetical parallelism, the Psalmist expresses a contrasting idea in different words.
Synonymous:
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect.
Antithetical:
The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing;
...
The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
It's not really complicated, but if the alert reader knows how these literary techniques are used, they can provide additional insight into many passages of Hebrew literature.
(All scripture quotations are from the New King James Version)