The Steadfast Love of the Lord


Psalm 118
1Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
2Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
3Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
4Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
5Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free.
6The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
7The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me.
8It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.
9It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.
10All nations surrounded me; in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
11They surrounded me, surrounded me on every side; in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
12They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off!
13I was pushed hard, so that I was falling, but the Lord helped me.
14The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly,
16the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!”
17I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord.
18The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death.
19Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
20This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it.
21I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
22The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
23This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
24This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!
26Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27The Lord is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords,
up to the horns of the altar!
28You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.
29Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

This psalm / prayer is a love-fest. And it’s long enough that as you read along, I hope you had the same experience I have whenever I read these words. When I read many of these verses I instantly think, “oh yes, that is really true!” Or they express my regard for the Lord in such a great way that I find myself reading through them over and over because they touch my faith.

The phrase that is repeated numerous times, and the one that demanded my attention today is “Your steadfast love.” That bears some serious thought. I think that we know what it means to love another person. But add the word “steadfast” and now you have a love that is unique to God alone. Yes, we all know how to love - but to be steadfast means that we never fail those we love. We never disappoint, ignore, or wound them. Our sin-filled-self is incapable of that love. And we most certainly do not succeed in loving God that way. But - God still shows that steadfast to us, even though we are not able to return that gift.

It is that steadfast love that sent Jesus to the Cross. It is that steadfast love that remains by our side no matter what. There is no place in our lives where He is not there with us - holding that steadfast love out to us. This love is what makes us want to read this well-worn Psalm over and over again.

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