Read
His Love is Forever
The writer of Psalm 136 presents a beautiful picture of God’s permanent and continuous love for his people. Each statement he wrote ends with the phrase, “for His steadfast love endures forever.” The entire psalm gives homage to God for his enduring love.
In verses 1-3 the psalm declares how God’s love is shown in His goodness and in His authority. God is referred to as “Lord”, “God of gods” and “Lord of lords.” In each of the three verses we are encouraged to give thanks to God because of his love for us. In reflecting on these three verses, I realized that I don’t often thank god for loving me. I thank Him for sending Jesus, I thank Him for His mercy, I thank Him for undeserved blessings, but I haven’t been thanking him for continuously loving me through thick and thin.
In verses 4-9 the psalm paints a picture of God creating great wonders (the heavens, the earth, the stars, the sun and the moon), because of His love for us.
…to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever;
to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever;
the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever;
the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever (v4-9)
When I reflect on the creation recorded in Genesis, how God saw that it was good (Gen 1:10), and then layer on what the psalmist presents here in Psalm 136, I get the picture of God creating a place for man, a good place, the perfect setting to show His love. He populated the earth with animals, birds, flowers and trees, a place of beauty for man to live.
He created the heavens in its vast glory with the sun to rule by day and the moon and stars to rule by night; a representation of His rulership over us, presented in a loving light.
In verses 11-22 the psalm tells how God rescued his people (Israel) from bondage, led them through the wilderness, struck down mighty kings, slew great enemies and brought them into a rich and bountiful land that he gave to them. And why? Because his love was so great for them that despite their constant complaining and unfaithfulness, he still delivered them and gave them the inheritance he promised.
In the same way, he rescued us from bondage and he gives us the inheritance he promised, a heavenly kingdom.
The psalmist reminds us that because of his love for us, God does not forget about us in our sinful condition. He redeems us, and he provides for us. We truly must give thanks every day to our great God for his immeasurable and unfathomable love for us.
Give thanks unto the God of heaven, for His mercy endures forever (v26).
