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"The Goodness of God"
Psalm 36.5-10
Good News Translation (GNT)
"Hebrew Title:
By David, the Lord's servant."
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5 Lord, your constant love reaches the heavens;
your faithfulness extends to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is towering like the
mountains;
your justice is like the depths of the sea.
People and animals are in your care.
7 How precious, O God, is your constant love!
We find [b] protection under the shadow of
your wings.
8 We feast on the abundant food you provide;
you let us drink from the river of your
goodness.
9 You are the source of all life,
and because of your light we see the light.
10 Continue to love those who know you
and to do good to those who are righteous.
Footnotes
Psalm 36:7 precious, O God, is ... find;
or
precious is your constant love! Gods and
people find.
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Commentary taken from
Rebecca Poe Hays - working preacher
'The Goodness of God'
In Psalm 36, verses 5-10 offer an image-laden portrait of God's absolute steadfast love (hesed) and faithfulness.
Preaching on these verses allows both preacher and congregation alike to join with the psalmist in lifting up praise to Yahweh - who stretches wider than the heavens, who stands firmer than the mountains, whose understanding reaches to the depths of the earth, and who provides salvation, refuge, and fountains of life for all who turn to God.
In a world plagued with uncertainties and loyalty only to self, the assurance verses 5-10 bring is rich indeed.
Psalm 36 refuses to be easily pigeon-holed into one of the standard psalm categories since it contains elements of wisdom, creation, praise, and petition.
This section moves to 'the particular' in its praise of Yahweh's character.
For the first time, the psalmist names Yahweh, and verses 5-6 are framed, in Hebrew, by joyful calls directly to Yahweh.
The poetic imagery used here to capture a fleeting glimpse of Yahweh's steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice draws from creation itself to show the magnitude, eternality, and even mystery of Yahweh's character.
Far from being a distant abstraction, Yahweh reaches down to save both animals and humans, to shelter them like a mother bird shelters her chicks under her wings (verse 7b), and to provide for them in every possible way (verses 8-9).
The psalmist has implicitly offered worshippers a choice of paths to follow.
We can choose to live in the protective - though sometimes demanding! - shadow of the One who is loving, faithful, righteous, and just.
Other versions are available here
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