Psalm 33:12 declares blessed the nation whose God is the Lord, the people He has chosen for His own inheritance. The lesson traces that blessing back to God’s call of Abraham, whom He promised to bless and through whom all the families of the earth would be blessed. At Sinai God called Israel to obey His voice and keep His covenant, so that they would be His own possession, a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
From Deuteronomy the lesson draws what marks such a people. They are a people of wisdom and understanding because they keep God’s statutes, and a people who are near to God, for He is near whenever they call on Him. As they walk in His ways He establishes them as a holy people, called by His name, and the blessings of the covenant follow their faithfulness to His commandments.