Psalm 36 English Standard Version
How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love
To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the Lord.
36 Transgression speaks to the wicked
deep in his heart;[a]
there is no fear of God
before his eyes.
2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes
that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
3 The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
4 He plots trouble while on his bed;
he sets himself in a way that is not good;
he does not reject evil.
5 Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
your faithfulness to the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
your judgments are like the great deep;
man and beast you save, O Lord.
7 How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
8 They feast on the abundance of your house,
and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
9 For with you is the fountain of life;
in your light do we see light.
10 Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
11 Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12 There the evildoers lie fallen;
they are thrust down, unable to rise.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
If you do a little digging, you’ll find plenty of articles that ask the question,
“Is anyone faithful anymore?”
Usually, they refer to marriage, or friendship or business but the question is completely applicable to almost any sphere of life one can engage themselves.
When I talk to members of my congregation who work in business, for example, they often tell me of workers who appear to be very committed to the team and the mission at the beginning, but then, all of a sudden, nowhere to be found.
It is a sad but true reality in these days that loyalty to the company or the task at hand, for a whole host of diverse issues frequently dissipates very, very quickly.
It’s rare to find people known for steady devotion and consistency, who let their yes be yes and their no be no (Matthew 5:37) =and when one does find someone who makes a promise and keeps it, even when it’s difficult, it is quite striking.
The only perfect standard of faithfulness that we have—of genuine total loyalty and of absolute complete commitment to keeping a promise—is Jehovah God.
Throughout the Psalms, the host of psalmists continually reflect back upon it.
As high as we can see, here in Psalm 36 the Psalmist David tells us, exactly how far he knows, by his own personal experiences, God’s faithfulness stretches.
There are no ends to which Jehovah will not go to remain loyal to His people; there is nothing and there is no one, that will prevent Him keeping His word.
Moses continually reminded the people of Israel of God’s faithfulness:
“Know … that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant” (Deuteronomy 7:9).
James, too, describes God’s faithfulness by saying that in Him “there is no variation or shadow due to change” (James 1:17).
God’s faithfulness is one aspect of the absolute perfection of His character.
Given that every believer has staked their eternal future on Him keeping His word, this is very good news!
Other people, as well as the gods of our own creation, will inevitably let us down—be it through their flaws or faults or their frailties.
The only promise that can utterly be relied upon is that of the eternal, righteous God, who has revealed Himself in creation, who has confirmed His truthfulness in the person of His Son Jesus Christ – who is also 100-percent reliable all of the time, for all of eternity—including for all that you and I are about to face today.
In Psalm 36 David bemoans men’s wickedness before contrasting it with the loving-kindness and great goodness of God.
He laments there is no respect or reverence toward the Lord in the eyes of fallen man, whose heart is ever filled with deceit, who boasts in his own wickedness.
David grieves that sinful man has ceased to be wise and good, rather, he devises wicked plans, sets his face against that which is good, and does not abhor evil.
The sad bitterness, deeply revengeful thoughts, arrogant attitude, and angry unforgiveness of the ungodly, that so often floods the minds of sinful man, stands in stark contrast with the overflowing loving-kindness, compassionate-mercy, and unmerited gracious-pardon that streamed from the veins of the Lord Jesus, when He stretched out His arms of love to embrace whosoever will.
Psalm 36 Our Psalmist, shepherd, warrior, poet, and King David exposes the unbridgeable gulf between man’s wickedness, which is voiced in the first few verses of this psalm, and God’s unsurpassed goodness, recorded in the second section which begins, “Your lovingkindness and great mercy O LORD, extends to the heavens. Your faithfulness and unfailing love, reaches to the skies”.
There are no greater heights that man can imagine than the vast heavens above.
So, David uses the vast expanse of the unreachable skies in the firmament above in his attempt to articulate the glories of the Lord, wonders of His holy name.
The great canopy of the celestial heavens and the vast sweep of the skies above is the greatest element that David can use when comparing and contrasting the unsurpassed righteousness of God, the unsurpassed wickedness of evil men.
What comfort, rest, and reassurance wash the hearts and minds of believers when reflecting on the overwhelming love of God and the depth and height and length and breadth to which His grace extends.
“How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God!” the Psalmist declares, “the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings”.
While David would no doubt be reflecting on the greatness of the God of Israel, who brought His people out of bondage in Egypt, carried them on eagle’s wings, through the desert, brought them out safely into a large, well-watered land,
the sentiments he is expressing in Psalm 36 are all still equally true for all who have trusted in Christ for the forgiveness of sin.
“Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,” is something we can all equally proclaim in Jesus’ Christ name in our own contemporary times today.
God’s steadfast mercy and immovable loving-kindness does indeed extend to the deepest depths of skies, His faithfulness does indeed stretch in the heavens.
His mercy dwarfs the mightiest mountains, for it reaches into the very highest heavens, His love plunges beyond the bottomless depths of the deepest oceans, His loving-faithfulness, righteousness, and justice plummet to the very depths of our understanding and extend into the farthest reaches of our limited grasp.
This knowledge of God is not for the unregenerate, for the wisdom of God is only foolishness to them (Psalm 14).
Indeed, God’s foolishness is wiser than man’s wisdom, and His weakness is stronger than man’s combined strength.
But such understanding to the faith-filled, is sweetness and strength to the sanctified soul, for true knowledge of the Holy-One is spiritually discerned.
The knowledge that comes from the Lord quickens our heart, comforts our soul, informs our thoughts, inspires hands and feet and translates into joy and peace.
Today may we lift our hearts with the psalmist morning by morning and every moment of our transient lives, by raising our voices in joyful thanks and praise, for God’s loyal love reaches to the sky, His faithfulness extends far beyond the clouds, and His forgiveness, His saving grace spans for all eternal ages to come.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
Jehovah God, When I read your Words, When I reflect on Who You are my Lord and God, it gives me a peep into the magnificence of Your person, Your will and Your character. Thank You, for the many reassurances that You give my fainting soul, in these precious promises about Your nature and character. Thank You for expressing Your love, faithfulness, might and justice in the Person of the Lord Jesus. Thank You for sending Him to die on the cross and to rise into newness of life, so that I may be brought into fellowship with Yourself. May I be bold in sharing the truth of Your magnificence with all You put in my path today. In my Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen, amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 