Psalm 136: His Steadfast Love Endures Forever

Today’s reading is Psalm 136.

the Lord’s Incredible Chesed

When the Lord revealed His name and character to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7, the central character trait was His steadfast love. Not only does the Lord abound in steadfast love, He keeps it for thousands, demonstrated by forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin. That idea of keeping it for thousands contrasts with the following statement about visiting iniquities of the fathers on the children and even on their children. The grammatical structures are parallel. That is, if the “third” and “fourth” of the iniquity visiting refers to generations, then so too the “thousands” with whom the Lord keeps steadfast love. Imagine that. The Lord’s steadfast love lasts to the thousandth generation. If we average out that a new generation is born every 20 years, God told Moses His steadfast love will last for 20,000 years. It doesn’t take much at all to realize God wasn’t speaking literally. He was using a number so large it is unfathomable to us. He was saying He keeps steadfast love forever.

We must not be surprised then to discover a common refrain of praise: “His steadfast love endures forever.” This statement is recorded 26 times in our psalm and 16 times throughout the rest of the Law, Prophets, and Writings. The word translated “steadfast love” by the ESV is the Hebrew word “chesed.” The “ch” should be pronounced like the “ch” in Bach, not in “church.” It refers to ongoing favor and kindness due to covenant loyalty.

Have you ever participated in a responsive singing or reading of this psalm? Sadly, even the most devout among us can find it tedious by the time we’ve said “for His steadfast love endures forever” the twenty-sixth time. But perhaps we should understand something. The psalmist didn’t write this psalm for our entertainment. He wrote it to drive home one point and one point alone. The Lord’s steadfast love endures forever. In fact, it wouldn’t really be steadfast love if it didn’t, would it? He wants us to say it so often we can’t possibly forget. He wants us to say it so often it becomes an earworm that plays on our mind even when we aren’t thinking about the psalm. He wants us to say it so often we even begin to recognize it as the absolute truth.

And don’t miss this incredible point. Recall the Songs of Ascents ended in Psalm 134 with the call to bless the Lord, praising Him. Psalms 135 and 136 answer the call. Again and again, those who worship using Psalm 136 bless the Lord, praising Him. This psalm tells us to profess thanks to the LORD, the God of gods, the Lord of lords, the only one who does great wonders, who by understanding made the heaven, spread the earth above the waters and on the list goes of the deeds of the Lord. But again and again, the statement is made not that the worshipers should profess thanks to the Lord because He did great wonders of creation, redemption, and sovereignty, but because His steadfast love endures forever.

When we look up to the heavens, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. When we walk on the solid ground of earth, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. When the sun rises and sets, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. When we pick out the constellations, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. When we recall His great acts of deliverance and rule in the world, especially in the history of ancient Israel, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever. And, as the psalm ends, when we eat or even feed our pets, we are reminded His steadfast love endures forever.

Because of a handful of stories demonstrating God’s wrath against sin, folks have the notion His wrath endures forever. They have the notion God is up in heaven looking to zap people. Not so. Every day we wake up and see the sun, we have another piece of evidence our God isn’t looking to zap people. If He were, you and I wouldn’t have survived the night. No. Our God is looking to forgive, save, deliver. His steadfast love endures forever. The question is will we surrender to it?

Will you? If we can help you, let us know in the comments below.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 136.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 136 prompt or improve your praise of God?

Psalm 131: Confident In God’s Promise

Today’s reading is Psalm 131.

Hope in the Lord

O Israel, hope in the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore.
Psalm 131:3 (ESV)

The psalmist had found his quiet place in the presence of God, satisfied being with God just for the sake of being with God. He was content with God’s Word, occupying his mind with what God had revealed. He was sufficed by God’s grace, accepting whatever situations God had him face. His final statement demonstrates he was confident in God’s promise.

As one Ascent Song led to another, the pilgrim ended the previous psalm with the same call to all his brothers and sisters: “O Israel, hope in the LORD!” In the previous psalm, which had begun in despair and angst, the psalmist encouraged hope in the Lord because of the Lord’s covenant loyal love. He trusted the Lord would redeem Israel. The present psalm follows the previous like a cozy cup of hot tea. His hope in the Lord had started the calm and now the peace and stillness is poured out warming his entire being from the inside.

The phrase “this time forth and forevermore” is used two other times in the Ascent Songs. In Psalm 121:8, the psalmist wrote:

The LORD will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and forevermore (ESV).

Then in Psalm 125:2:

As the mountains surround Jerusalem
so the LORD surrounds his people,
from this time forth and forevermore (ESV).

Israel and the pilgrim could hope in the Lord because the Lord had promised to be with them and to keep them forevermore. What the Lord has promised is good enough for the pilgrim psalmist. He doesn’t beg for more. He doesn’t abandon the Lord because the promise hasn’t come to complete fruition yet. He is satisfied that the Lord has promised and, whatever is going on right now, the Lord will keep His promise.

Sadly, too often people enter discipleship and expect what God hasn’t promised. When God doesn’t give what He hasn’t promised, they abandon the Lord. Our pilgrim has none of this. The Lord is his hope. He will hang on because he knows what God has promised is all he needs and all he wants. He won’t abandon the promises of God in an attempt to manipulate out of God something God doesn’t want to give.

This confidence is not resignation. The psalmist is not settling for God’s promise. The psalmist is not saying, “Well, I wish God were giving me so many other good things, but I guess I’ll learn to live with what He’s promised.” Rather, the pilgrim knows the same point David made in Psalm 23. When the Lord is my shepherd, I won’t lack anything I need, anything good for me. He knows the same point Jesus will make centuries after this pilgrim: our Father knows what we need before we ask it; and being a good Father, He longs to give us good gifts.

Our souls can be quieted and calmed because we are confident in God’s promise.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 131.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 131 prompt or improve your hope in God?

Psalm 119:81-96: Forever

Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 81-96).

To Eternity

The keyword in KAPH was “long,” or as we discovered more accurately, “languish.” The first two verses of that section began with that word. Not to be outdone, the two halves of LAMEDH set a keyword, beginning with “forever.” Or, “to eternity.” Well…in the ESV, the second half translates it “never” (see vs. 93).

We might be a little concerned off the bat. Yesterday, in the KAPH section, we heard the the psalmist ask “How long?” How long would the psalmist suffer affliction? Then the LAMEDH section comes in with “Forever/To eternity.” However, the psalmist is not recording the answer to his earlier question. Rather, he is renewing his commitment to the Lord and His Word.

As we move from KAPH to LAMEDH, we cross over the halfway point in our psalm. There will, no doubt, be ups and downs as we continue through the psalm, but these two sections almost seem to hinge. KAPH is one of the darkest stanzas in the Psalm. The psalmist expresses in extreme words how hard the situation he faces is. His entire walk with the Lord precariously moves along a knife’s edge. The only way he will stay true is if the Lord gives him life. However, LAMEDH is, by contrast, one of the brightest declarations of tenacity in the entire song.

See how the two halves of the LAMEDH stanza begin:

Forever, O LORD, your word
is firmly fixed in the heavens.
Psalm 119:89 (ESV)

I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have given me life.
Psalm 119:93 (ESV)

KAPH repeated the “When?” and “How long?” questions, wondering when God’s Word would come true. LAMEDH begins with a declaration that God’s Word is always true even if the promise has not been fulfilled yet. KAPH ended with a plea to be given life lest the psalmist stray from the Lord’s testimonies. LAMEDH continues with a declaration God indeed gave the psalmist life by those very precepts.

Even though the psalmist faces trouble and affliction, even though the promises have not yet occurred, the psalmist knows the truth. God’s Word is established in the heavens. God’s Word is more solid than the very earth on which we stand. Therefore, the psalmist will surrender to it.

Can a greater commitment be uttered than vs. 94?

I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts (ESV).

Don’t misunderstand this. The psalmist is not saying he deserves salvation because he kept the precepts. Rather, the proof that I am yours is I do what You say. Certainly, the psalmist knows he has not done God’s will perfectly. But he knows his commitment to God and his Word. He knows his own commitment to God’s covenant and He knows God’s commitment to His covenant.

What a great meeting between God and man. God’s Word will forever stand and never fail and the psalmist will forever follow and never forget God’s precepts. The psalmist is not declaring perfection. He is not declaring he never misses a beat or falters in a step. He is, however, declaring he will never leave the Lord’s path and He believes the Lord will never let go of His hand. Together, they will walk the way of light and life.

May we make the same commitment, have the same faith, and be granted the same life and deliverance.

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 81-96).

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 119:81-96 prompt or improve your trust in God?

Psalm 113: Bless the Name of the Lord

Today’s reading is Psalm 113.

The Egyptian Hallel

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!

Though the previous two psalms also began with “hallel” or “praise,” Psalm 113-118 are an incredible series of psalms focused on praise. They are called the Eyptian Hallel, not because they were written in Egypt or because they are modeled after Egyptian psalms. Rather, these psalms became the songs sung during the memorial feasts of Israel, especially the Passover. Psalm 114 will specifically bring up the Exodus from Egypt. The surrounding psalms praise God for His chesed and faithfulness.

The Jews sing Psalm 113 and 114 before the Passover meal. They sing Psalm 115-118 after. Think about this. Obviously, the Psalms was the psalter of Jesus. Yet, very specifically, when Matthew 26:30 says Jesus and the disciples sung a hymn, Matthew very likely referred to the singing of this set of psalms.

Bless the Lord

Years ago, I kept up another blog. It became my habit to end each post with the tag line, “May God bless you. But more importantly, may you bless God.” I cannot tell you how many times people complained, declaring I was saying something unscriptural. Among the passages I would often send them in response:

Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and forevermore!
From the rising of the sun to its setting,
the name of the LORD is to be praised.
Psalm 113:2-3 (ESV)

Obviously, we do not bless the Lord in the same way He blesses us. The statement was a turn of phrase, a play on words. But we most certainly must bless the Lord. That is, we praise the Lord. We say good words about Him. We declare His worth and His worthiness. We magnify His creative power. We declare His loyal love and faithfulness to His covenant people. We tell the world what He has done for us. We bless the Lord.

In fact, this psalmist declares God is to be universally blessed, to be unanimously praised. Every knee is to bow and every tongue confess, if you will, the name of God as worthy. The psalmist says praise and blessing was not merely for his own generation, but “from this time forth and forevermore.” That includes our time.

The psalmist then says it was not merely for the Israelites to praise the Lord, but the name of the Lord is to be praised “from the rising of the sun to its setting.” That didn’t mean to praise the Lord all day long, but then go to sleep when the sun goes down. Rather, the point was over the whole earth, from the place in the east where the sun rises to the place in the west where the sun sets. If you kept traveling west trying to find the place where the sun sets, you’d make it all the way around the world.

The Lord is to be praised. The Lord is to be blessed. It will be our theme meditation for the day below as well. But why not make a list of reasons you should bless and praise the Lord today?

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 113.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 113 prompt or improve your praise of the Lord?

Psalm 111: Forever and Ever

Today’s reading is Psalm 111.

Praise and thanksgiving

The psalm begins, even before the acrostic poem starts with a declaration: Hallelujah! That is, Praise the Lord! Then as the acrostic starts, “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart” (ESV). The psalm ends with “His praise endures forever!” (ESV).

Between these bookends, which might even be called an inclusio of praise and thanksgiving, the psalmist extols the magnificent works of the Lord. The works by themselves are delightful, majestic, splendid, powerful, faithful and just. However, the psalmist is unsatisfied merely expressing God did works. In addition to that praise, the psalmist wants us to know the Lord’s works are stable and permanent. They are forever and ever.

Forever and Ever

Yesterday, we recognized the integral aspect of the Lord’s works in Psalm 111. Another anchor of this psalm is permanence. Through two repeated synonyms in the Hebrew, we see the psalmist is not only amazed at the works, but at their forever nature.

In vs. 3, the Lord’s righteousness endures forever (BTW: remember this one when we read Psalm 112). In vs. 5, He remembers His covenant forever.” In vs. 9, He commanded His covenant forever. The entire psalm wraps up claiming God’s praise endures forever. And smack in the middle, the psalmist brings the two synonyms together declaring God’s precepts are established forever and ever.

The Lord’s work is not fickle and changing. The Lord is eternal and His plans are eternal. His covenant lasts. His commitment lasts. His promises stand. Certainly, the psalms as a whole do not allow for a Pollyannaish, mental-positivism approach to life. Sometimes it feels like the mountains are collapsing into the sea (Psalm 18:7; Psalm 46:2-3, etc.). Even then, however, the Lord holds us in His hand. Perhaps especially then. He remembers His covenant forever and ever. He will redeem.

No matter what it feels like at times. No matter how the enemy tries to obscure the Lord’s presence and permanence, the Lord isn’t going anywhere. His promises aren’t diminishing. His covenant isn’t fading. Hang on to Him no matter what. He and His works are forever and ever.

Praise the Lord!!!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 111.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

How does Psalm 111 prompt or improve your trust in God?

Psalm 102: The Lord Speaks to His Son

Today’s reading is Psalm 102.

Have you been able to find Jesus in Psalm 102? I admit, I cheated. I found Him in Hebrews 1:10-12 and then found him in Psalm 102.

You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
like a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But you are the same,
and your years will have no end.

Hebrews 1:10-12 (or is it Psalm 102:25-27?) ESV

The author of Hebrews explains God is speaking of the Son in this quote. Admittedly, that doesn’t seem obvious at first glance. How does the author of the epistle determine God is talking to the Son?

Because he connects it to Psalm 45:6-7, which the author of Hebrews quoted in Hebrews 1:8-9.

Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.

Psalm 45 was a royal psalm about the King. From Psalm 2, we know the King is the Son of God. From Psalm 45, we learn the King’s throne is forever. Now look at Psalm 102:12:

But you, O LORD, are enthroned forever;
you are remembered through all generations (ESV).

Psalm 102 is talking about the Lord, the enthroned King, whose reign lasts forever. In the psalms, we know whose throne lasts forever. The Son’s. Therefore, the Hebrew author knows Psalm 102 is about the Son as well.

Who is the Son? He is the Lord. He is the Lord who is enthroned forever. He is the Son who is the same and whose years have no end. We might even say He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

That is our Lord. That is the Son. That is Jesus. He’s our King.

Praise the Lord!

Next week’s reading is Psalm 103.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

What do you want to share with others from Psalm 102?

Psalm 61: Courage to Pray

Today’s reading is Psalm 61.

David makes three requests. 1) Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 2) Let me dwell in your tent forever and take shelter under your wings. 3) Let the king be enthroned forever before God.

How can he have the courage and confidence to pray such prayers? Because these prayers are anchored in God’s promises. In 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17, scripture records God’s covenant with King David. The covenant claimed God would enthrone David’s dynasty forever. His family would be on the throne before God to all generations. In fact, in both of those chapters, David prays. And in both, he claims because of God’s promises he found the courage to pray (2 Samuel 7:27 and 1 Chronicles 17:25).

Are you looking for courage to pray? Find God’s promises. Learn God’s nature. Read God’s will and word. I can tell you from personal experience, the most helpful bit of advice I’ve ever received on prayer is to anchor my prayers to God, His character, His nature, His will, His promises. Sure, we can pray for whatever we want. But if you want real courage to pray, listen to what God actually promises you. Want that. Value that. Pray that.

God has promised you amazing gifts. Have you prayed to Him today?

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 61

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family

What in Psalm 61 provides or improves your hope in God?

Planted in God’s House

Today’s reading is Psalm 52.

It’s been a very long time since the very first week of our reading in Psalms. However, I hope that very first psalm made such an impression on you that you have been thinking about it this week. In fact, this is so profound, I almost hate that this year has an extra week in it. It would be such a nice, neat little package to wrap up this year by thinking all the way back to our first week. Oh, well, we don’t always get what we want.

Have you already figured out what I’m talking about? Yesterday, we talked about the judgment of God coming on the wicked. How was that described? As being uprooted. But do you see the contrast in vs. 8? David is “like a green olive tree in the house of God.” Do you hear the connection back to Psalm 1?

David is that tree, planted by streams of water, bearing fruit, prospering. Saul (or Doeg) on the other hand is uprooted. And that uprooted imagery takes on special meaning when we consider Psalm 1, especially if this psalm is actually about Saul. Saul started off as that tree planted by streams of water. He was God’s chosen. He humbled himself before the Lord. He followed the Lord. But somewhere along the line, he moved from being the Psalm 1 tree to being the Psalm 2 king raging against the Lord and His anointed. His tree was not merely cut down, but uprooted. David was now the planted tree.

But here is what is really fascinating. At the time it was written, this poem was upside down. Saul seemed to be planted. He seemed to be the prospering, flowering tree. At least, from a worldly perspective. He was the king. He lived in a palace. He commanded armies. If he wanted someone dead, they were killed. He had fields and vineyards under his control. David seemed to be more like a wandering tumbleweed than a tree. He was roaming around. He had no home. He had no place to really lay his head. He had just a ragtag bunch of outlaws and rabble rousers following him around. How could he possibly win?

David didn’t write this psalm based on the way things were in the moment. He was able to look past his present circumstances. He wrote the psalm based on God’s promises. David may have been wandering in the wilderness in life, but in God’s promises, he was planted in God’s house. And he planned on staying there forever.

Don’t see yourself based on present circumstances. See yourself based on where God has promised you to be for eternity. That is all that matters.

Praise the Lord!

Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 52.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the psalm and the written devo above?
2. What promises from God do you most trust in?
3. Why is it so easy to get distracted from God’s promises by today’s actual circumstances?
4. What advice would you give others to stay focused on God’s promises instead of discouraged by today’s circumstances?
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this psalm and today’s post?

A Song to be Sung Forever

When we initially finish the psalm, we may miss what is actually happening, what is actually being claimed.

In place of your fathers shall be your sons;
you will make them princes in all the earth.

I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations;
therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.

First, we may think the poet is still talking to and about the bride. However, in the original Hebrew, the pronouns “you” and “your” switch back to masculine in these last verses. These final lines are actually spoken again to the groom, the king.

Second, we may immediately assume the “I” of the final verse is God talking to the king. And it is possible. In the psalms, it is not entirely unheard of for the speaker to change suddenly and without warning. However, it is much more likely that the “I” in the final verse is the same “I” as in the first verse. The psalmist is claiming, “Because I have written this song, your name will be remembered for generations. Your name will be praised in all the nations forever and ever.”

The statement is somewhat ironic because we have no idea which original king this song was about. However, when we discover that ultimately this psalm is about Jesus, we gain a grand picture of praise in these final verses.

The song of Jesus and His bride is a song to be sung forever. It is a song we need to sing today. It is a song we need to teach our children. It is a song we need to teach our grandchildren. This song ends by pointing out that the best days are not behind us. The best generations are not behind us. Our hope is not in our fathers, but in our children. They are not the bride of tomorrow, but the bride of today. We need to sing this song. We need to remember Jesus’s name. We need to praise Him. And we need to pass these praises on to the next generation.

More than that, we need to pass these praises on to our neighbors. We need to pass these praises on to our co-workers, classmates, family members, friends, even our enemies. We need to pass these praises on to the worldly nations that they may see how amazing our King is.

Korah’s son wrote this psalm because God’s King is worthy of praise. Korah’s son wrote this psalm because the King’s bride is worthy of recognition. Korah’s son wrote this psalm not simply so it could be sung at a wedding, but so it could be sung forever. May we sing it today.

Next week’s reading is Psalm 46.

PODCAST!!!

Click here to take about 15 minutes to listen to the Text Talk conversation between Andrew Roberts and Edwin Crozier sparked by this post.

Discuss the Following Questions with Your Family

1. What are your initial reactions to the psalm and the written devo above?
2. Why is Jesus worthy of praise?
3. Why is Jesus’s church worthy of recognition?
4. How can we sing this same song today? (Hint: when I say that, I’m speaking figuratively. I’m not suggesting we need to simply put this song to music and sing it. I mean we need to be praising Jesus and His bride today for all the world to hear and see)
5. What do you think we should pray for and about in light of this psalm and our discussion today?