S ) "5 Your lovingkindness, O Lord, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
Your judgments are like a great deep.
O Lord, You preserve man and beast"
Psalm 36:5-6 (NASB)
O) This psalm begins with a description of ungodly men. David described how they give way to their temptations, and begin planning evil. They do not fear God, and consequently do not hate evil. Many of David's psalms describe wicked people, and it seems that most of the time David is asking for them to be judged and cut off. This psalm is different, though. After describing these ungodly people, but not asking for their end, the psalm takes a turn with these two verses. David began telling of the goodness of God, His provision, and the way God keeps His own. When read all together, there is a sense that David might have been including himself in vv.1-4; he certainly knew of his own transgressions. But, just as he noted that the LORD preserves man and beast (generally), he also knew that God preserved him (specifically). Later in the Psalm, David asked God to continue in His lovingkindness to those that know God. He didn't ask for the preservation of those that fear God or despise evil. He didn't ask for the continued lovingkindness toward the upright. He said, "to those who know You." David understood what it meant to wrestle with sin. He knew the consequences of sin. He also knew mercy. Through all of that, he knew the LORD. That knowledge of God's character is what kept bringing him in repentance (see Romans 2:4).
A) When I first started reading this psalm, I was identifying very much with the first few verses. It is heavy to recognize where I have continued to fall short of God's perfect standard, even after years of serving Him. However, I will not be perfect until perfection comes. In the meantime, I must continually put my mind of God, on His character, on who He is. My knowledge of Him, and especially my acknowledgment of Him, will keep me walking in the holiness to which I have been called. This passage was adapted into a worship song called, "Your Love Oh Lord" by Third Day. There was a time in my life when I was clearly not following Jesus. When that song was out for just a little while, my brother bought me that album. I didn't listen to it much, but I did listen to that song a lot, as a matter of fact. The period of time when I was ignoring God was one of the hardest seasons in my life. I thank God quite often, now, that He chose to preserve me through that time. In reflection, I can only marvel and humbly thank Him, that I knew who He was throughout that time. He continued to show me lovingkindness, and eventually His character is what brought me back to repentance. When I have sinned, acting like the ungodly man in the first four verses of this psalm, it is easy to be discouraged and scared. It is easy to want to run away and hide from God. The enemy will try to plant seeds of doubt within my mind, trying to get me to look only at God's judgment and righteousness, to get me to think that God is preserving me only to have me face wrath. But, if I read the above verses in order, I see who God really is. David put these characteristics of God in order, using illustrations to place them highest to lowest. God's lovingkindness is the highest, then a little lower is His faithfulness, then His righteousness, then His judgment. This is not to say that God's judgment is less than His lovingkindness, but it is telling me about priorities and perspective. If I am viewing things from my own position (as the lowest being), trying to reach up to God, I will have to deal with His judgment, trying to reach His righteousness. This is terribly discouraging, and I imagine a lot of people would give up. However, if I am viewing things from God's perspective (as the highest Being), of Him reaching down to me, I see a different picture. Then I see that God is full of lovingkindness first, then faithfulness, before His righteousness, and all of that before His judgment comes. When this imagery is joined with the gospel, it paints a beautiful picture.
A) When I first started reading this psalm, I was identifying very much with the first few verses. It is heavy to recognize where I have continued to fall short of God's perfect standard, even after years of serving Him. However, I will not be perfect until perfection comes. In the meantime, I must continually put my mind of God, on His character, on who He is. My knowledge of Him, and especially my acknowledgment of Him, will keep me walking in the holiness to which I have been called. This passage was adapted into a worship song called, "Your Love Oh Lord" by Third Day. There was a time in my life when I was clearly not following Jesus. When that song was out for just a little while, my brother bought me that album. I didn't listen to it much, but I did listen to that song a lot, as a matter of fact. The period of time when I was ignoring God was one of the hardest seasons in my life. I thank God quite often, now, that He chose to preserve me through that time. In reflection, I can only marvel and humbly thank Him, that I knew who He was throughout that time. He continued to show me lovingkindness, and eventually His character is what brought me back to repentance. When I have sinned, acting like the ungodly man in the first four verses of this psalm, it is easy to be discouraged and scared. It is easy to want to run away and hide from God. The enemy will try to plant seeds of doubt within my mind, trying to get me to look only at God's judgment and righteousness, to get me to think that God is preserving me only to have me face wrath. But, if I read the above verses in order, I see who God really is. David put these characteristics of God in order, using illustrations to place them highest to lowest. God's lovingkindness is the highest, then a little lower is His faithfulness, then His righteousness, then His judgment. This is not to say that God's judgment is less than His lovingkindness, but it is telling me about priorities and perspective. If I am viewing things from my own position (as the lowest being), trying to reach up to God, I will have to deal with His judgment, trying to reach His righteousness. This is terribly discouraging, and I imagine a lot of people would give up. However, if I am viewing things from God's perspective (as the highest Being), of Him reaching down to me, I see a different picture. Then I see that God is full of lovingkindness first, then faithfulness, before His righteousness, and all of that before His judgment comes. When this imagery is joined with the gospel, it paints a beautiful picture.
P) Father, thank You so much for preserving me. Your grace is humbling, and I can barely comprehend Your goodness sometimes. Thank You for Your lovingkindness, then Your faithfulness, then Your righteousness, then Your judgment. Thank You for preserving me. Please let me know You all the days of my life, and never forget Your true character. When I have played the part of the ungodly, remind me of Your order for things. Help me remember Your perspective of the gospel, and not my perspective of man's religion. Please forgive me for my sins, and let me walk in the Holy Spirit, that I will not gratify the desires of my flesh. Be glorified in my life. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.
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