Your love, Lord , reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord , preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away. See how the evildoers lie fallen— thrown down, not able to rise! – Psalm 36:5-12

This is one of the many Psalms that have been resurrected in a contemporary worship song. As I read through the words I can hear the music and the new song that I have sung many times with fellow followers of the way of Jesus. I suspect the Israelites may have had similar feelings about this Psalm thousands of years ago. They were praising the same love, faithfulness, and righteousness of God that Christians praise today…God’s justice “like the great deep” spanning great oceans of time and space.

“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!”…I think one could substitute “timeless” for priceless and this statement would remain just as valid. There is no price too high for God to demonstrate His unfailing love for us. I think He showed that through Jesus and the ransom He paid to rescue our souls. Those who accept His love place themselves “in the shadow of God’s wings.” They get to feast on the abundance of God’s house (join God’s kingdom) and drink from the river of delights (the living water offered by Jesus).

Jesus offered food to His followers often, including the time he offered them bread and said “this is my body broken for you” (Matthew 26:26). Then he offered them wine and said “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (the river of delights) (Matthew 26:28-29).

Across the “great deep” of time God offers the same abundance and living water to the people who sang this Psalm that He offers each of us…”the fountain of life” – not to be confused with the “fountain of youth” which our modern culture seems to covet.  In the light of God we see light.  This is an interesting turn of phrase.  The very light of God affects our ability to perceive light.

Prayer: God you are the light of the world and the one who provides a river of delight to feed our thirsty souls.