psalm36

The literary form that may be observed in this Psalm is that of a chiastic structure, also referred to as introverted parallelism. Notice how the thoughts spoken of in (A) and (A¹) complement each other. The subject is the same but what is said about it in the second place adds another dimension to our understanding of what is being said. Likewise for (B) and (B¹). There may also be a further chiastic structure within sections of the overall structure such as here in this Psalm: (a) and (a¹), (b) and (b¹), (c) and (c¹), and so on .

Let's follow this outline as we look for what the Psalm may have to say to us today. David's opening words remind us that wherever we are in life, we need to be on guard, for ...

Sin in its many guises crouches, ready to enter as soon as the door opens, albeit ever so slightly. Sin needs only the tiniest crack to wriggle its way in. Sin knocks, ever so quietly, with …

David describes it this way. “Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts.” (vs. 1). It parks beside the inner person, deep within. James sees it as the source of the wars raging within as he asks, “What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Isn’t it the whole army of evil desires at war within you?” (James 4:1).

Sin does not shout at us. Its voice is that of a whisper. It is suggestive, seductive. It sits quietly there, crouching, ready to pounce, as it was alongside Cain. The Lord warned him of the danger he was in. “You will be accepted if you respond in the right way. But if you refuse to respond correctly, then watch out! Sin is waiting to attack and destroy you, and you must subdue it.” (Genesis 4:7). What the Lord is saying to Cain comes in response to his refusal to follow God’s way for the forgiveness of sin. Instead of the sacrificial offering of a lamb he substituted some other way. As a result he was left to his own resources to handle the threat crouching beside him.

The way of Cain quickly established itself in the cultural world view and value systems of all peoples. It remains evident today as people search for some way other than the sacrificial death of Christ for the forgiveness of their sins. The words of Jesus remain true. “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6). There is no other way to find acceptance with God other than in an acceptance of the way of salvation he has provided for us in Jesus Christ. As John acknowledged,

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God. (John 1:12-13).

Notice that the suggestive whispering is ‘to the wicked’. It sits alongside a predisposition to doing the wrong thing. Paul acknowledges this when he says …

I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, ion my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. (Romans 7:18-20).

Sin taps into the existing mindset, always steering us towards making the wrong choice. What is the source of this seductive whispering? Its origin is Satan himself. In one of his letters John refers to him as “the evil one.” But note that his reference is within an affirmation of the victory that comes from inviting Christ, who is “the Word,”[1] into our lives. “I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one.” (1 John 1:14). And Paul concludes his discussion on the same note. “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24-25).

The description David gives is that which Paul refers to as the ‘natural man’. We find this expression in one of his letters.

But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness to him and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually appraised. (1 Corinthians 2:14 NASB).

In speaking of the natural man Paul is thinking of people who see everything through the lens of their own wisdom and understanding. The word he uses is ψυχικος (psuchikos) ‘natural, of the mind, worldly minded’. It is derived from ψυχη (psuchē) ‘breath, soul, heart, mind, person’.

As Jude reminds us, they are those who “live by natural instinct because they do not have God’s Spirit living within them.” (Jude vs. 19). Peter goes so far as to use the word in describing false teachers.

These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, who are born to be caught and killed. They laugh at the terrifying powers they know so little about, and they will be destroyed along with them.” (2 Peter 2:12).

Satan has a field day as he goes to work in an environment where there is no fear of God. He soon has people casting off their inhibitions. There is no longer any restraint on their activities. Self control soon gives way to self indulgence. “They have no fear of God to restrain them.” (vs. 1b). This suggests several questions that we might pause to ask ourselves just now.

We discover several characteristics as we search the Scriptures for an answer. To fear the Lord is …

- to acknowledge his power and authority over all —over all people, body and soul. Jesus reminded his disciples of this as he instructed them prior to sending them out on their first mission. “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28) —and over nature. The disciples were crossing the Galilee lake by boat one day with Jesus on board when they were caught in a fierce storm “that threatened to swamp them, and they were in real danger.” After they called out to Jesus for help he “rebuked the wind and the raging seas. The storm stopped and all was calm.” Luke tells us how dumbfounded they were as a result of what they had experienced. “And they were filled with awe and amazement. They said to one another, ‘Who is this man, that even the winds and waves obey him.’ ” (Luke 8:23, 24, 25).

- to be afraid at the prospect of judgement. Joel warns of the coming judgement. “Blow the trumpet in Jerusalem! Sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let everyone tremble in fear because the day of the LORD is upon us … The day of the LORD is an awesome, terrible thing. Who can endure it?” (Joel 2:1, 11). Jesus too leaves us in no doubt as to the inevitability of the judgement to come. “…I have come to save the world and not to judge it. But all who reject me and my message will be judged at the day of judgement by the truth I have spoken.” (John 12:47-48).

- to be in awe of the Lord —because of who he is. He is awesome in his person, as Moses discovered, “Who else among the Gods is like you, O LORD? Who is glorious in holiness like you, so awesome in splendour, performing such wonders?” (Exodus 15:11). —and because of what he does. The song writer issues an invitation to all people, “Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he does for his people!” (Psalm 66:5).

To fear the Lord is not to take the attitude one would have to a tyrant, but to a just, yet loving and merciful heavenly father. Stuart Briscoe[2] explains.

If God were mean and vindictive and unforgiving, then we would be right to fear him in the way we would fear an abusive parent or an oppressive government. The fact is, Scripture emphasizes through both testaments the loving-kindness and mercy of God … The ‘fear of the Lord’ then, is an attitude toward God that relates rightly to who he is … I suggest that it is an attitude toward God that shrinks back in fear before experiencing forgiveness and draws close in awe when forgiven.

While giving the ten commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai the Lord revealed to him who he was in these words. “The LORD came down in a pillar of cloud and called out his own name the ‘LORD’ as Moses stood there in his presence. He passed in front of Moses and said,

“I am the LORD, I am the LORD, the merciful and gracious God. I am slow to anger and rich in unfailing love and faithfulness. I show this unfailing love to many thousands by forgiving every kind of sin and rebellion. Even so I do not leave sin unpunished …” (Exodus 34:5-7a).

In his account of life in the early church Luke writes of the period following the conversion of Saul as a period of growth and stability.

The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it grew in strength and numbers. The believers were walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 9:31).

But what does it mean, to walk in the fear of the Lord? Let’s go exploring for some answers. We soon discover that those who walk in the fear of the Lord are …

- walking on the right path. “Those who follow the right path fear the LORD; those who take the wrong path despise him.” (Proverbs 14:2). This was the path Paul spoke about to Felix when he said, “But I admit that I follow the Way …” (Acts 24:140. But which many opposed as he travelled widely to make it known. Like some in Ephesus did. “The Paul went to the synagogue and preached boldly for the next three months, arguing persuasively about the Kingdom of God. But some rejected his message and spoke against the Way.” (Acts 19:8-9).

- listening humbly to what the Lord says. “Fear of the LORD teaches a person to be wise; humility precedes honour.” (Proverbs 15:33). True wisdom comes only from the Lord. “Fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. Only fools despise wisdom and discipline.” (Proverbs 1:7).

- greatly blessed along the way. “Blessed is the man who always fears the LORD, but he who hardens his heart falls into trouble.” (Proverbs 28:14, NIV).

- kept from evil. “…evil is avoided by fear of the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:6). As Job tells us, “The fear of the LORD is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.” (Job 28:28).

- happy with their lot in life. “It is better to have little with fear for the LORD than to have great treasure with turmoil. A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate.” (Proverbs 15:16-17). Paul was one who found his contentment in the Lord. “... for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.” (Philippians 4:11-12).

- secure in the Lord. “Fear of the LORD gives life, security, and protection from harm.” (Proverbs 19:23). “The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to him and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10). By way of contrast we are advised that “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but to trust the LORD means safety.” (Proverbs 29:25). And there is a special promise regarding their children for those who walk in the fear the Lord. “Those who fear the LORD are secure; he will be a place of refuge for their children.” (Proverbs 14:26).

- assured of a longer life. “Fear of the LORD lengthens one’s life, but the years of the wicked are cut short.” (Proverbs 10:27). “Fear of the LORD is a life giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.” (Proverbs 14:27).

- not drawn to evil. “All who fear the LORD will hate evil.” (Proverbs 8:13).

- willing to be taught. Always ready to listen to those further along the way, like David who said, “Come my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD.” (Psalm 34:4).

- richly blessed. “Then those who feared the LORD spoke with each other and the LORD listened to what they said. In his presence a scroll of remembrance was written to record the names of those who feared him and loved to think about him. ‘They will be my people,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘On the day when I act, they will be my own special treasure.’ ” (Malachi 3:16-17).

Returning now to the Psalm we are exploring, we discover that not only do the worldly minded “have no fear of God to restrain them”, but …

Most of us are slow to admit to our own shortcomings. We seldom see ourselves as others see us. David goes as far as to say that we are blind to the truth about ourselves. He puts it this way. “In their blind conceit, they cannot see how wicked they really are.” (vs. 2). And Jesus himself adds this challenge.

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Friend, let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye!” (Luke 6:41-42).

The talk of the worldly wise is riddled with deceit. “Everything they say is crooked and deceitful.” (vs. 3a). To deceive someone is to misrepresent the situation as it actually is, to present a false picture, to distort the truth, to trick the person into doing something they don’t really want to do. For example, when Laban gave his approval for Jacob to marry his daughter Rachel, Jacob agreed to pay the requested bride price of seven years work on the family property. But he deceived Jacob. His real intention became apparent when he sent his oldest daughter Leah to the bridal chamber instead of Rachel.

So Jacob spent the next seven years working to pay for Rachel. But his love for her was so strong that it seemed to him but a few days. Finally the time came for him to marry her. “I have fulfilled my contract,” Jacob said to Laban. “Now give me my wife so we can be married.”

So Laban invited everyone in the neighbourhood to celebrate with Jacob at the wedding feast. That night, when it was dark, Laban took Leah to Jacob, and he slept with her. And Laban gave Leah a servant, Zilpah, to be her maid. But when Jacob woke up in the morning—it was Leah! “What sort of trick is this?” Jacob raged at Laban. “I worked seven years for Rachel. What do you mean by this trickery?”

Deceit is widespread even in the religious world, where people’s actions can be far removed from what they say. What the Lord said of the people of Israel many years ago is so often true today of people of other religious faiths …

“These people say they are mine. They honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far away. And their worship of me amounts to nothing more than human laws learned by rote.” (Isaiah 29:13).

The seeds of deceit were sown in the Garden of Eden when Satan deceived Eve[3] into thinking that sin had no consequences. He has been in the business of deceiving people ever since. His time as a deceiver however is limited. “And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of burning sulphur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (Revelation 20:10).

Paul spoke of the deceit of those who claimed to be teaching the truth but were actually presenting another gospel. He was so concerned that the church in Corinth might be influenced by such teachers that he wrote to them about it.

But I fear that somehow you will be led away from your pure and simple devotion to Christ, just as Eve was deceived by the serpent. You seem to believe what anyone tells you, even if they preach about a different Jesus than the one we preach, or a different Spirit than the one you received, or a different kind of gospel than the one you believed. (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).

Paul also warned those in Rome to be wary of such teachers when he wrote to them.

Watch out for people who cause divisions and upset people’s faith by teaching things that are contrary to what you have been taught. Stay away from them. Such people are not serving Christ our Lord; they are serving their own personal interests. By smooth talk and glowing words they deceive innocent people. (Romans 16: 17-18).

Many deceivers are gone out into the world. They do not believe that Jesus Christ came to earth in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. (2 John vs. 7).

Deceit is often to be found in the world of commerce, something that prompted David to write …

It is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and possess much. For the strength of the wicked will be shattered, but the LORD takes care of the godly. (Psalm 37:16-17).

David draws attention to yet another characteristic of the ‘natural man.’ “They refuse to act wisely or do what is right.” (vs. 3b). Micah challenged the leaders of his people to think about this.

Listen, you leaders of Israel! You are supposed to know right from wrong, but you are the very ones who hate good and love evil. You skin my people alive and tear the flesh off their bones. (Micah 3:1-2).

Refusing the good is to refuse the Lord, “For the LORD is good.” (Psalm 100:5).

How grieved is the Lord over those who refuse to heed his call to repentance. Jeremiah was called to make the Lord’s feelings known to the people.

“Jeremiah, say to the people, ‘This is what the LORD says: When people fall down, don’t they get up again? When they start down the wrong road and discover their mistake, don’t they turn back? Then why do these people keep going along their self destructive path, refusing to turn back, even though I have warned them. I listen to their conversations and what do I hear? Is anyone sorry for sin? Does anyone say, ‘What a terrible thing I have done!’ No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse rushing into battle.’ ” (Jeremiah 8:4-6).

What sorrow the Lord Jesus felt as he expressed his feelings about the people he came to save.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. And now look, your house is left to you, empty and desolate.” (Matthew 23:37-38).

Choosing evil rather than good can result in a person’s value system being turned upside down, with disastrous results.

Destruction is certain for those who say that evil is good and good is evil; that dark is light and light is dark; that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter. (Isaiah 5:20).

Follow only what is good. Remember that those who do good prove that they are God’s children, and those who do evil prove that they do not know God. (3 John vs. 11).

Do what is good and run from evil—that you may live! Then the LORD God Almighty will truly be your helper, just as you have claimed he is. Hate evil and love what is good; remodel your courts into true halls of justice. (Amos 5:14-15).

David sketches a striking word picture of their intent. “They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots.” (vs. 4a). They are like the spider spinning its web to catch its prey as they spin their webs of deceit. Isaiah does not hold back in his description of such people. “They spend their time plotting evil deeds and then doing them. They spend their time and energy spinning evil plans that end up in deadly actions …They continually do wrong, and those who follow them cannot experience a moment’s peace.” (Isaiah 59: 4-5, 8b).

They are like the hunter setting a snare to trap the bird, or hanging a noose to catch the deer. This reminds us of the woman Solomon warned his sons about. The woman …

… dressed seductively and sly of heart …often seen in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner ... So she seduced him with her pretty speech. With her flattery she enticed him. He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter or like a trapped stag, awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life.” (Proverbs 7:10, 12, 21-23).

One of the seven things detested by the Lord is “a heart that plots evil.” (Proverbs 6:18).

The course they have chosen is a wrong one but they have no thoughts of turning back. “Their course of action is never good. They make no attempt to turn from evil” (vs. 4b). The way is a broad way with many twists and turns. It is littered with debris left by others who have gone that way. There are numerous side paths leading to all kinds of evil. It is one of only two ways that can be taken. Jesus describes these two ways,

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and the road is narrow , and only a few can ever find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Those who choose to walk through life on the broad highway have little regard for how it will end, taking no notice of the instruction of a godly parent such as Solomon.

My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen carefully to my wise counsel. Then you will learn to be discreet and will store up knowledge. The lips of an immoral woman are as sweet as honey and her mouth is smoother than oil. But the result is as bitter as poison, sharp as a double-edged sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave. For she does not care about the path to life. She staggers down a crooked trail and doesn’t even realize where it leads. (Proverbs 5:1-6).

At the end of the broad way is disaster in this life and eternal death in the next.

There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Even in laughter the heart may ache, and joy may end in grief. (Proverbs 14:12-13, NIV).

An enemy[4] crouches ready to leap through the open doorway to sow his seeds of evil. But the Lord is also there, patiently knocking.

Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door I will come in and we will share a meal as friends. (Revelation 3:20).

God’s love cannot be measured. It is big enough to encompass all people everywhere. The psalmist looks to the heavens as he tries to describe it. “Your unfailing love, O LORD is as vast as the heavens …” (vs. 5a). It is impossible to define the extent of the heavens for they are continually expanding. As another psalmist writes,

Praise the LORD, I tell myself; O LORD my God, how great you are! You are robed with honour and with majesty; you are dressed in a robe of light. You stretch out the starry curtain of the heavens. You lay the rafters of your home in the rain clouds. You make the clouds your chariots. You ride upon the wings of he wind.(Psalm 104:1-3).

God’s creative processes are ongoing. The psalmist is using the present tense to describe this activity. Other Biblical writers do the same.

It is God who sits above the circle of the earth. The people below must seem to him like grasshoppers! He is the one who spreads out the heavens like a curtain and makes his tent from them. (Isaiah 40:22).

Like the heavens, God’s love is continually spreading, reaching out to previously unreached people. People who had not previously heard of him are coming to know him, while others who have had ample opportunity are not responding to his love.

The LORD says, “People who never before enquired about me are now asking about me. I am being found by people who were not looking for me. To them I have said, I am here! I have opened my arms to my own people all day long, but they have rebelled. They follow their own evil paths and thoughts.” (Isaiah 65:1-2).

And I pray that Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of God’s marvellous love. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Ephesians 3:17-19).

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16).

No one who responds to God’s love will ever be turned away. Jesus offers us this assurance,

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.” (John 6:37-40 NIV).

Wallowing in the depths of despair? God’s love reaches down to rescue us there. He hears and answers the cry for help from those depths. As the psalmist found when he prayed,

From the depths of despair O LORD, I call for your help. Hear my cry O LORD. Pay attention to my prayer. (Psalm 130:1-2).

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing and a hymn of praise to our God. (Psalm 40:1-3a).

Now the LORD had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the LORD his God inside the fish. He said, “I cried out to the LORD in my great trouble and he answered me. I called to you from the world of the dead, and LORD, you heard me! You threw me into the ocean depths and I sank down to the heart of the sea. I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves. Then I said, ‘O LORD, you have driven me from your presence. How will I ever again see your holy Temple?’

I sank beneath the waves, and death was very near. The waters closed in around me, and seaweed wrapped itself around my head. I sank down to the very roots of the mountains. I was locked out of life and imprisoned in the land of the dead. But you, O LORD my God, have snatched me from the yawning jaws of death!

When I had lost all hope, I turned my thoughts once more to the LORD. And my earnest prayer went out to you in your holy Temple.” (Jonah 1:17-2:7).

Riding high on the heights of ecstasy? God’s love rises to steady us on those perilous heights. David writes …

For who is God except the LORD? Who but God is a solid rock? God is my fortress; he has made my way safe. He makes me as surefooted as a deer, leading me safely along the mountain heights … For this O LORD, I will praise you among the nations. I will sing joyfully to your name. You give great victories to your king. You show unfailing love to your anointed, to David and all his descendants forever. (2 Samuel 22:32-34, 50-51).

Like the ethereal blue, it encompasses the whole earth, smiling upon universal nature, acting as a canopy for all the creatures of earth, surmounting the loftiest peaks of human provocations, and rising high above the mists of mortal transgression. Clear sky is evermore above, and mercy calmly smiles above the din and smoke of this poor world. Darkness and clouds are but of earth’s lower atmosphere : the heavens are ever more serene, and bright with innumerable stars. Divine mercy abides in its vastness of expanse, and matchless patience, all unaltered by the rebellions of man. When we can measure the heavens, then we shall bound the mercy of the Lord. Towards his own servants especially, in the salvation of the Lord Jesus, he has displayed grace higher than the heaven of heavens, and wider than the universe.

The extent of God’s love cannot be measured. It extends to all people everywhere—in the depths and on the heights, the down times as well as the happy times. As David wrote of the Lord …

If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the place of the dead, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength support me. (Psalm 139:8-10).

Whatever our situation, God’s love surrounds us continually. Paul writes rhetorically when he asks …

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? ... No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:35, 37-39).

David continues to search for words to describe the greatness of his God. He turns now to ponder his faithfulness, “…your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.” (vs. 5b). In this word picture God’s faithfulness is seen to be going on and on, stretching out way beyond the clouds. Never ending because the Lord himself is always there. Another psalmist writes of the Lord,

In ages past you laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. Even they will perish but you remain forever; they will wear out like old clothing. You will change them like a garment and they will fade away. But you are always the same; your years never end. (Psalm 102:25-27).

It is faithfulness that extends to us in the person of Jesus Christ. He is faithful …

- to forgive our sins. John reminds us of our need for forgiveness. “If we say we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” (1 John 1:8-9).

- to help us fulfil our calling and keep us from stumbling along the way. As Paul assured the church in Thessalonica. “Now may the God of peace make you holy in everyway, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God who calls you is faithful; he will do this.” (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24). He expressed the same confidence to God’s people in Philippi. “And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Jesus Christ comes back again.” (Philippians 1:6).

- in guarding us from evil. Paul is aware of Satan’s strategies as he invites us to pray with him. “Pray too, that we will be saved from wicked and evil people, for not everyone believes in the Lord. But the Lord is faithful; he will make you strong and guard you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:2-3). He assures us that the Lord is there to guard us in times of temptation. “But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can’t stand up against it. When you are tempted he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13).

- when he allows affliction to come our way. “I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.” (Psalm 119:75, NIV). Faithful, because the affliction is for our good. “My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when he corrects you. For the Lord corrects those he loves just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights. (Proverbs 3:11-12).

- in his priestly ministry. We are not forgotten as he mediates before God on our behalf. We need no other priest but him. “For there is only one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and people. He is the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5). He understands where we are coming from because he himself has been there. “Therefore, it was necessary for Jesus to be in every respect like us, his brothers and sisters, so that he could be our merciful and faithful High Priest before God. He could then offer a sacrifice that would take away the sins of the people. Since he himself has gone through suffering and temptation, he is able to help us when we are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:17-18).

- in carrying out the coming judgement of the world’s people. John writes of this. “Then I saw heaven opened and a white horse was standing there. And the one sitting on the horse was named Faithful and True. For he judges fairly and then goes to war.” (Revelation 19:11).

God’s faithfulness is ongoing. It is unending. Just like the kingdom he is establishing through Christ. Isaiah wrote several hundred years before his coming to planet earth.

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. These will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the LORD Almighty will guarantee this! (Isaiah 9:6-7).

This news about him was also revealed to Mary just months before his arrival when the angel said to her …

“… you are to name him Jesus. He will be very great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end.” (Luke 1:31b-33).

David draws on the mountains for his word picture of God’s righteousness. He writes, “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” (vs. 6a). Perhaps he was thinking of mountains like Mount Hermon, close to Israel’s northernmost border. Encarta Encyclopaedia[6] gives this information about the mountain.

Hermon, Mount (Arabic Jamal ash Sheikh, "mountain of the chief"), mountain in the Anti-Lebanon Range, on the Syrian-Lebanese border. The highest of its three summits is 2814 m (9232 ft) above sea level, and is the highest point on the east coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Mount Hermon is the source of the Jordan River. Noted for its majestic beauty, the mountain has been the inspiration for much Hebrew poetry. Remains of ancient temples, one probably dedicated to the Semitic deity Baal and several bearing Greek inscriptions, are on its slopes. Mount Hermon is believed by some to have been the site of the transfiguration of Jesus Christ, though this has traditionally been attributed to Mount Tabor. Since the 1967 Six-Day War between Israel and several Arab nations, about 100 sq km (about 40 sq mi) of Mount Harmon’s southern and western regions have been part of the Israeli-administered Golan Heights. Both Syria and Israel maintain significant military posts on Mount Harmon’s slopes.

In what way, we may wonder, did mountains like this picture for David the righteousness of God? Perhaps they reminded him of how difficult it is to rise to such heights. To him the standards are too high to reach. The further he climbs the harder it becomes to reach the top. He keeps falling back. Like the religious leader[7] who debated the matter with Jesus. He thought that he could climb to perfection by keeping the law, which he claimed to have done. But when confronted with God’s standards for neighborliness he realized how far short of the top of the mountain he had progressed.

David also knows that he is unable to reach anywhere near to the standard of God’s righteousness. On another occasion he wrote,

The LORD looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if there is even one with real understanding, one who seeks for God. But no, all have turned away from God; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not even one.” (Psalm 14:2-3).

Paul refers to this psalm when he explains that “…no one can ever be made right in God’s sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God’s law, the clearer it becomes that we are not obeying it.” (Romans 3:20).[8]

The truth is that no matter how good our climbing gear, no matter how fit we may be, how firm our resolve, we just cannot reach the mountain top. Spurgeon thinks of mountains like the Andes as he acknowledges human inability to climb the mountain of God’s righteousness. The highest mountain in the western hemisphere is found in the Andes Mountains in South America. Aconcagua stands at 6,920m. Spurgeon writes[9], “Right across the path of every unholy man who dreams of heaven stand the towering Andes of divine righteousness, which no unregenerate sinner can ever climb.”

David continues, “…your justice, like the ocean depths.” (vs. 6b) The Oxford dictionary defines justice as, “just conduct; fairness; exercise of authority in maintenance of right.”[10] The Lord deals with each of us just like that, fairly and with authority, in order to correct us and bring us back when we stray. In doing so he reaches down into the deepest areas of life.

Who shall discover the springs of the sea? He who shall do this may hope to comprehend the providence of the Eternal … Yet as the deep mirrors the sky, so the mercy of the Lord is to be seen reflected in all the arrangements of his government on earth, and over the profound depth the covenant rainbow casts its arch of comfort, for the Lord is faithful in all that he doeth.

The Lord knows our deepest thoughts. He knows everything about us. This was a comforting thought to David. He knows that God is doing a good work in his life.

O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my every thought from far away. You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest. Every moment you know where I am. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD … Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:1-4, 23-24).

The Lord works in the depths of our being with the delicate skill of a neurosurgeon. His instrument is the Scriptures.

For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done. (Hebrews 4:12-13).

The righteousness of the Lord and his justice join hands at the center of this chiastic structure. The two are inseparable. “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths.” (vs. 6). The link continues through the Scriptures. Another psalmist writes, “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.” (Psalm 33:4-5, NIV). And Ethan the Ezrahite writes of the Lord, “Your throne is founded on two strong pillars—righteousness and justice. Unfailing love and truth walk before you as attendants.” (Psalm 89:14).

The two cannot be separated because while on the one hand we are unable to rise to the heights of God’s righteousness, we are nevertheless able to access God’s justice and receive it as a gift because of our acceptance of the sacrificial death of Christ. Paul explains.

But now God has shown us a different way to heaven—not by ‘being good enough’ and trying to keep his laws, but by a new way (though not new, really, for the Scriptures told us about it long ago). Now God says he will accept and acquit us—declare us ‘not guilty’—if we trust Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we can all be saved in this same way, by coming to Christ, no matter who we are or what we have been like. Yes, all have sinned; all fall short of God’s glorious ideal; yet now God declares us ‘not guilty’ of offending him if we trust in Jesus Christ, who in his kindness freely takes away our sins. For God sent Christ Jesus to take the punishment for our sins and to end all God’s anger against us. He used Christ’s blood and our faith as the means of saving us from his wrath. In this way he was being entirely fair, even though he did not punish those who sinned in former times. For he was looking forward to the time when Christ would come and take away those sins. And now in these days also he can receive sinners in this same way, because Jesus took away their sins. But isn’t this unfair for God to let criminals go free, and say that they are innocent? No, for he does it on the basis of their trust in Jesus who took away their sins.” (Romans 3:21-26 Living Bible).

For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. (1 Peter 3:18, NIV).

God’s righteousness is unattainable by our own efforts but he offers it to us in the person of Christ as a gift. His righteousness becomes like a new set of clothing for us. We find acceptance with God because we are presenting before him, not in our old soiled garments but in the righteousness of Christ. We accept the gift of this clothing by faith. Paul explains the word picture for us.

I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. (Philippians 3:8-9, NIV)

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptised into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27, NIV)

…you are in Christ Jesus who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. (1 Corinthians 1:29b, NIV).

Whereas Psalm 1 contrasts the way of the wicked with that of the righteous person, Psalm 36 contrasts the way of the wicked with the loving kindness of God. And the folly of the wicked person emerges not only from the error of his way, but from the fact that God’s loving kindness and deliverance are extended to human beings and beasts alike; nothing precluded them from the goodness of God, except their own folly and self induced blindness (vs. 2). It is no doubt the human blindness to sin which makes the Psalm ultimately appropriate in a broader setting. When St. Paul quotes vs. 1 ‘there is no fear of God before their eyes’ (Romans 3:18), he is demonstrating in his catalog description of human unrighteousness, that, apart from the loving kindness of God, all human beings would fall within the category described in Psalm 32:3-4. But in describing the righteousness which may come by faith (Romans 3:21-31), he is developing the new meaning which the gospel imparts to the loving kindness of God in the hymnic portion of this ancient psalm (36:5-9).

And so clothed in Christ’s righteousness, we skip joyfully across the mountain trails with our God. “I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. The Sovereign LORD is my strength! He will make me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely over the mountains.” (Habakkuk 3:16b-19). The once unassailable mountains now become places of sheer delight as we ramble there with our God. We share the assurance of a pilgrim of long ago,

Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever. Just as the mountains surround and protect Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds and protects his people, both now and forever. (Psalm 125:1-2).

Job draws this word picture of the way God’s righteousness and justice became part of his life. “Righteousness covered me like a robe, and I wore justice like a turban.” (Job 29:14b). But as it was with Job, there remains for us the responsibility to reflect God’s righteousness and justice in living lives of integrity, for “The LORD is more pleased when we do what is just and right than when we give him sacrifices.” (Proverbs 21:3).

David writes, “You care for people and animals alike O LORD.” (vs. 6c). The Lord has not left what he has created to fend for itself, as Deists would infer. Louis Berkhof[13] explains the nature of Deism for us.

According to Deism God’s concern with the world is not universal, special and perpetual, but only of a general nature. At the time of creation He imparted to all his creatures certain inalienable properties, placed them under invariable laws, and left them to work out their destiny by their own inherent powers. Meanwhile He merely exercises a general oversight, not of the specific agents that appear on the scene, but of the general laws he has established. The world is simply a machine which God has put in motion, and not at all a vessel which He pilots from day to day.

No! The Lord is not like that. He continues to care for all of his creation. He has established a food chain to sustain the life of all living creatures. Following the early judgment that came upon the world,

God blessed Noah and his sons and told them, ‘Multiply and fill the earth. All the wild animals, large and small, and all the birds and fish will be afraid of you. I have placed them in your power. I have given them to you for food, just as I have given you grain and vegetables.’ (Genesis 9:1-3).

The Lord has provided the means for a plentiful food supply. The problem of food shortages in some parts of the world today results not from a lack of provision on God’s part but from human failure to set up an adequate distribution system to enable the harmonious sharing of the plentiful resources he has provided.

You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The rivers of God will not run dry; they provide a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so. You drench the ploughed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops. You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance. The wilderness becomes a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy. The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy? (Psalm 65:9-13).

The loving care God takes of his creation in general is also there for people individually. To realize this care in our lives requires us to entrust ourselves to him. Jesus assures us …

“So I tell you, ‘don’t worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes. Doesn’t life consist of more than food and clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t need to plant or harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? Of course not.

And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you? You have so little faith.

So don’t worry about having enough food or drink or clothing. Why be like the pagans who are so deeply concerned about these things? Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs and he will give you all you need from day to day if you live for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.’ ” (Matthew 6:25-33).

Peter listened carefully to these words of Jesus as he taught the disciples and the people who had gathered there on the mountainside. Some years later he offered this counsel in one of his letters, “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you.” (1 Peter 5:7). David gave the same advice several centuries earlier. “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall.” (Psalm 55:22).

David returns to the topic he began with in this part of the psalm. In the former word picture we saw God’s unfailing love to be ‘as vast as the heavens.’ David now draws another word picture to portray a further aspect, “How precious is your unfailing love, O God!” (vs. 7a).

The Hebrew word translated precious is ‘yakar’. The word refers to something that is highly valued, something rare and costly. How true this is of God’s love. Another translation puts it, “How priceless is your unfailing love! (vs. 7a, NIV). God’s love is highly valued because there is nothing else that can be compared with it. Those who discover the love of God value it above all other treasures. Like “a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it.” (Matthew 13:45-46). God’s love is beyond valuation. No price can be set on it. It is priceless. David values it more than life itself.

O God, you are my God … Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself. How I praise you! I will honor you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer. (Psalm 63:1a, 3).

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The LORD is good to all. He has compassion on all he has made. (Psalm 145:8-9, NIV)

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16).

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, no one is likely to die for a good person, though someone might be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s judgment. (Romans 5:6-9).

Peter identifies the costliness of God’s love when he writes of God’s provision for our redemption.

For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God. (1 Peter 1:18-19).

David points to its availability for all people. “All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.” (vs. 7b). Some however decline the offer. Jesus expressed his grief over such refusal.

Others look elsewhere to find shelter. Some to the protection of an apparently prosperous and powerful nation, just as the people of Israel did on a number of occasions.

“Destruction is certain for my rebellious children,” says the LORD. “You make plans that are contrary to my will. You weave a web of plans that are not from my Spirit, thus piling up your sins. For without consulting me, you have gone down to Egypt for help. You have put your trust in Pharaoh for his protection. But in trusting in Pharaoh, you will be humiliated and disgraced. For though his power extends to Zoan and Hanes, it will all turn out to your shame. He will not help you even one little bit.” (Isaiah 30:1-5).

One psalmist reminds us that “It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.” (Psalm 118:8-9. Others decide to build their own shelter only to find it inadequate in the time of need. For example those who think that money will insure them against trouble. But “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness.” (Psalm 52:7).

David however decided to avail himself of the shelter the Lord provides. In his time of trouble he prays,

“Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy! I look to you for protection. I will hide beneath the shadow of your wings until this violent storm is past.” (Psalm 57:1).

“O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I will cry to you for help, for my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings.” (Psalm 61:1-4).

The temple choir begins one of its songs with this assurance, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty,” followed by the response of the soloist, “This I declare of the LORD: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him.” (Psalm 91:1-2).

The Lord is the only shelter that remains secure. All other shelters collapse around us. In another of his songs for the temple choir David contrasts his shelter with that of those who look elsewhere. He writes,

But as for me, I will sing about your power. I will shout with joy each morning because of your unfailing love. For you have been my refuge, a place of safety in the day of distress.” (Psalm 59:16).

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.” (Psalm 46:1).

As the Lord stands there gently knocking we also hear him saying, “If you hear me calling and open the door I will come in and we will share a meal as friends.” (Revelation 3:20). Opening the door to him brings the offer of food in abundance. It comes because of who he is. This is why he was able to reply to those asking for ‘the true bread from heaven,’ “I am the bread of life. No one who comes to me will ever be hungry again.” (John 6:35).

Christ is the source of the spiritual nourishment needed to sustain life. As the gateway to an abundant food supply, he tells his sheep, “Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. Wherever they go, they will find green pastures. The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.” (John 10:9-10). The food he gives satisfies the hunger as no other will do. David writes, “You satisfy me more than the richest of foods. I will praise you with songs of joy.” (Psalm 63:5).

“Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does no good? Listen, and I will tell you where to get food that is good for the soul. Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, for the life of your soul is at stake.” (Isaiah 55:2-3b).

“Listen to me, O my people, while I give you stern warnings. O Israel if you would only listen! You must never have a foreign god; you must not how down before a false god. For it was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things.” (Psalm 81:8-10).

A healthy appetite is needed if the food provided is to be appreciated. The parent is concerned if the child is not hungry. Peter draws on this analogy when he says,

You must crave pure spiritual milk so that you can grow into the fullness of your salvation. Cry out for this nourishment as a baby cries for milk, now that you have had a taste for the Lord’s kindness. (1 Peter 2:2-3).

As he talks with the Lord Jeremiah acknowledges that this nourishment comes to him through the Scriptures.

“LORD …Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty.” (Jeremiah 15:15a, 16).

The song continues, “You give them drink from your river of delights.” (vs. 8b NIV). The Hebrew word translated drink is ‘ravah’, meaning ‘to be saturated, drink one’s fill, drenched, satiated, soaked.’ Those who drink from God’s river are fully satisfied. In the inner person they are saturated, drenched with God’s love. In answer to a question about water from a woman he met at a village well,

Jesus replied, “But the water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (John 4:13-14).

The first mention of a river is found in the creation record. It flows from the land of Eden. This place name is the same word as David used of the river in his word picture—‘eden’ meaning ‘a luxury, a delight, a delicacy.’ The garden then is aptly named. It is the garden of delights.

Then the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he placed the man he had created. And the LORD God planted all sorts of trees in the garden—beautiful trees that produced delicious fruit. At the center of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches. One of these is the Pishon, which flows around the entire land of Havilah, where gold is found. The gold of that land is exceptionally pure; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there. The second branch is the Gihon which flows around the entire land of Cush. The third branch is the Tigris which flows to the east of Asshur. The fourth branch is the Euphrates. (Genesis 2:8-14).

Whereas the names of third and fourth branches are familiar and their location known, that of the first two branches of the river is not. Is it not reasonable to think that the river flowed from the presence of the Lord as the river of John’s vision did? And that the first two branches in some way merged what we would refer to now as the unseen world with the seen. In actual fact there was no real division between the two because God walked in the garden just as Adam and Eve did. There was contact between them and God before it was broken by their sinfulness. Immediately following their fall, they could still sense the movement of the Lord but they had lost touch with him, for we read, “Toward evening they heard the LORD God walking about in the garden, so they hid themselves among the trees. The LORD God called to Adam, ‘Where are you?’ ” (Genesis 3:8-9). Heaven and earth are no longer one. A deep chasm now exists between the two. The river that flowed between them has receded. The tree of life—eternal life, is no longer accessible, for “… the LORD God stationed mighty angelic beings to the east of Eden. And a flaming sword flashed back and forth, guarding the way to the tree of life.” (Genesis 3:24b). Will heaven and earth ever come together again? Will the river flow earthwards again?

A river is also spoken of in the revelation concerning the final days of world history that the Lord gave to John. He describes what he saw.

Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1-2).

The source of ‘the river of the water of life’ is Christ. This river appears as history as we know it is drawing to a close. A time when events taking place on earth merge with those unfolding from the unseen world. John writes,

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a beautiful bride prepared for her husband.” (Revelation 21:1-2)

The old heaven and earth are being replaced by the new. The redeemed, spoken of as the city of God—the new Jerusalem the bride of Christ, takes the place of the earthly Jerusalem. Time is taken over by eternity. The rulers of the old world system are gone as the “King of Kings and lord of lords” (Revelation 19:16b) begins his everlasting rule.

The river that faded back into the unseen world away from the view of the people of earth at the dawn of creation because of their rebellion against God is now central in the lives of God’s redeemed people as eternity dawns. That river is Christ. And the tree of life, eternal life, is accessible once more.

With what we have seen in those word pictures in the creation and revelation records still in our minds let’s take another look at the picture David has drawn for us. “You give them drink from your river of delights.” (vs. 8b NIV). The Hebrew word translated here as ‘delights’ is none other than the place name ‘Eden’. Its meaning is ‘a luxury, a delight, a delicacy.’ The river David is talking about is as delightful as that first river flowing from the Garden of Eden—the garden of delights. It is in fact, the same river—God’s ‘river of delights.’ Because of the grace of God flowing freely from the sacrificial death of God’s lamb, foreshadowed in the Jewish sacrificial system and realized in the death of Christ, that river is now accessible once more albeit only to a degree. We have now a foretaste of what is to come. Paul speaks of it this way.

Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete but then I will know everything completely, just as God knows me now.” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

The full realization of the delights of the river of the water of life and the tree of life that grows on its banks is yet to be. But in the meantime we drink of the life giving water that Christ gives to us through his indwelling in the person of the Holy Spirit. Paul explains …

The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us everything he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. This is just one more reason for us to praise our glorious God. (Ephesians 1:14).

The ‘rivers of living water’ (John 7:38b) that he delights us with in our inner person now are the guarantee of the delights yet to be experienced when we are in his presence for ever. As David writes in another of his songs of praise, “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalm 16:11). But both then and now it is the Lord himself in whom we delight. “Honor the LORD in everything you do and don’t follow your own desires or talk idly. If you do this the LORD will be your delight.” (Isaiah 58:13b-14a).

Henry Morris[14] hangs the word pictures we have been looking at, alongside others in the Biblical gallery. He writes …

Finally we can begin to comprehend in some small measure the Lord’s ‘unspeakable gift’ of eternal life (2 Corinthians 9:15) to sinners who had earned the wage of eternal death (Romans 6:23). Having heard and believed the ‘word of life’ (Philippians 2:16), we have feasted on the ‘bread of life’ (John 6:35) and drunk deeply of the ‘water of life’ (Revelation 21:6), assured that our names are indelibly inscribed in the Lamb’s ‘book of life’ (Revelation 3:5). We no longer walk in darkness but have the ‘light of life’ (John 8:12), knowing that soon we shall receive the ‘crown of life’ (Revelation 2:10), and have access forever to the ‘tree of life’ (Revelation 22:14).

In drawing this picture of God’s people drinking from a flowing river, David has added to the Biblical gallery of word pictures in which Christ is portrayed as the water of life.

One of these pictures is found in the story of Israel’s journey from Egypt to the new land that God was giving to them. Some distance into their journey “they came to Rephidim, but there was no water there. So once more the people grumbled and complained to Moses. ‘Give us water to drink!’ they demanded.” (Exodus 17:1b-2). In response to his call for help the Lord told him to lead the people on to Mt Sinai.

The LORD said to Moses, “Take your shepherd’s staff, the one you used when you struck the water of the Nile. Then call some of the leaders of Israel and walk on ahead of the people. I will meet you by the rock at Mount Sinai. Strike the rock, and water will come pouring out. Then the people will be able to drink.” Moses did just as he was told; and as the leaders looked on, water gushed out. (Exodus 17:5-6).

Leaders of the people of Israel recalled this event many years later as they prayed for the nation.

You are the LORD God ... You gave them bread from heaven when they were hungry and water from the rock when they were thirsty. You commanded them to go and take possession of the land you had sworn to give them. (Nehemiah 9:7a, 15).

And all of them ate the same miraculous food, and all of them drank the same miraculous water. For they all drank from the miraculous rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:3-4).

In commenting on Moses’ striking of the rock with his shepherd’s staff, Basil Atkinson[15] writes …

This is the sacred picture of the smiting of Christ with the rod of God’s wrath on the cross of Calvary, in order that the water of life might be available for his believing people. ‘But it was the LORD’s good plan to crush him and fill him with grief.’ (Isaiah 53:10a). ‘But he was wounded and crushed for our sins. He was beaten that we might have peace. He was whipped and we were healed!’ (Isaiah 53:5). ‘He personally carried away our sins in his own body on the cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds.’ (1 Peter 2:24).

Another instructive picture of Christ as the water of life is to found in the Jewish celebration known as the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths. The festival celebrated the harvest just gathered in and looked forward to the coming of the new season rains to prepare the ground for the next planting. The festival was the third of the three most important feasts of the Jewish year. Alfred Edersheim[16] explains the significance of this celebration ...

The most joyous of all festive seasons in Israel was that of the ‘Feast of Tabernacles.’ It fell on a time of year when the hearts of the people would naturally be full of thankfulness, gladness, and expectancy. All the crops had been long stored; and now all the fruits were also gathered, the vintage past, and the land only awaited the softening and refreshment of the ‘latter rain’ to prepare it for a new crop …

The first of the three great annual feasts spoke, in the presentation of the first sheaf, of the founding of the church; the second of its harvesting, when the church in its present state should be presented as two leavened wave loaves; while the third pointed forward to the full harvest in the end, when ‘In Jerusalem the LORD Almighty will spread a wonderful feast for everyone around the world. It will be a delicious feast of good food, with clear, well aged wine and choice beef. In that day he will remove the cloud of gloom, the shadow of death that hangs over the earth. He will swallow up death forever! The Sovereign LORD will wipe away all tears, He will remove forever all insults and mockery against his land and people. The LORD has spoken.’ (Isaiah 25:6-8).

An important part of week long festivities was the ceremony of ‘the pouring out of water.’ Edersheim[17] explains …

While the morning sacrifice was being prepared, a priest, accompanied by a joyous procession with music, went down to the Pool of Siloam, whence he drew water into a golden pitcher, capable of holding three log.[18] But on the Sabbaths they fetched the water from a golden vessel in the Temple itself, into which it had been carried from Siloam on the previous day. At the same time that the procession started for Siloam, another went to a place in the Kedron Valley, close by, called Motza, whence they brought willow branches, which, amidst the blasts of the priests’ trumpets, they stuck on either side of the altar of burnt offering, bending them over towards it so as to form a kind of leafy canopy.

Then the ordinary sacrifice proceeded, the priest who had gone to Siloam so timing it, that he returned just as his brethren carried up the pieces of the sacrifice to lay them on the altar. As he entered by the ‘Water-gate,’ which obtained its name from this ceremony, he was received by a threefold blast from the priests’ trumpets. The priest then went up the rise of the altar and turned to the left, where there were twp silver basins with narrow holes—the eastern a little wider for the wine and the western somewhat narrower for the water. Into these the wine of the drink-offering was poured and at the same time the water from Siloam, the people shouting to the priest, ‘Raise thy hand,’ to show that he really poured the water into the basin which led to the base of the altar …

As soon as the wine and the water were being poured out the Temple music began and the Hallel[19] was sung … When the choir came to these words, ‘O give thanks to the Lord,’[20] and again when they sang ‘O work then now salvation, Jehovah;’[21] and once more at the close ‘O give thanks to the Lord,’[22] all the worshippers shook their lulavs towards the altar. When, therefore, the multitudes from Jerusalem, on meeting Jesus, “took palm branches and went down the road to meet him [and] shouted ‘Praise God! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel!’ ”[23] they applied, in reference to Christ, what was regarded as one of the chief ceremonies of the Feast of tabernacles, praying that God would now from ‘the highest’ heavens manifest and send that salvation in connection with the Son of David, which was symbolized by the pouring out of water. For though the ceremony was considered by the Rabbis as bearing a subordinate reference to the dispensation of the rain, the annual fall of which they imagined was determined by God at that feast, its main and real application was to the future outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus attended the festival on one occasion. For the first few days he kept out of view but half way through the festivities he “went up to the Temple and began to teach.” (John 7:14b). He would have taught how the sacrifices being made foreshadowed the coming of the sacrificial lamb of God—the Messiah, to such an extent that discussion arose as to the possibility of Jesus himself being the long awaited Messiah.

Some of the people there in Jerusalem said among themselves, “Isn’t this the man they are trying to kill? But here he is, speaking in public and they say nothing to him. Can it be that our leaders know that he really is the Messiah?” (John 7:25).

As the festival was drawing to a close a startling announcement comes from somewhere in the crowd. The sacrifices are being presented, ‘the pouring out of water’ ceremony is taking place, the temple lights are shining out over all Jerusalem. Edersheim[24] describes how that just then, when the celebration was reaching its climax, with the mass of people waving a mass of leafy branches towards the altar, and as the last words of Psalm 118 are being sung, (“The LORD is God, shining upon us. Bring forward the sacrifice and put it on the altar”[25]) a voice like the sound of a trumpet is heard all around the temple.

On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, ‘If you are thirsty, come to me! If you believe in me, come and drink! For the Scriptures declare that rivers of living water will flow out from within.’ (When he said ‘living water’ he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.” (John 7:37).

It is now clear that ‘the pouring out of water’ ceremony presents us with a picture of Christ as the ‘water of life’ made real to us in the person of the Holy Spirit. This is the ultimate fulfillment of David’s assurance, “You give them drink from your river of delight.” (vs. 8b NIV). Isaiah puts it this way.

In that day you will sing, “Praise the LORD! He was angry with me, but now he comforts me. See, God has come to save me. I will trust him and not be afraid. The LORD God is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” With joy you will drink deeply from the fountain of salvation! (Isaiah 12:1-3).

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. (Ephesians 5:18-19).

Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (Ephesians 5:25b-27).

As hunger is for an appreciation of food, so for water, thirst is a pre-requisite to its enjoyment. Another psalmist writes, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God.” (Psalm 42:1-2). David likewise describes his thirst for the water of life. “O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1).

The water of life flows to us from Christ in the person of the Holy Spirit as we thoughtfully read his word, which is both food and water to the hungry and thirsty. In two very similar letters, Paul writes of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures as being one in their work in us. In one letter he writes, “… let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts.” (Ephesians 5:18b-19). In the other he substitutes ‘word’ for Holy Spirit. To him the two are synonymous. “Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.” (Colossians 3:16). The psalmist writes, “Your decrees are my treasure; they are truly my heart’s delight.” ( Psalm 119:111).

Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink—even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk—it’s all free! (Isaiah 55:1).

And why is there no cost to us? Because Christ has paid the price for us. In the prophetic words of the Psalmist, Christ is saying about his sacrificial death on the cross, “My life is poured out like water and all my bones are out of joint.” (Psalm 22:14). The Lord explained this to Isaiah.

“After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light of life and be satisfied. By his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Isaiah 53: 11b-12 NIV).

The Lord has provided us with a well equipped shelter. All that is needed to sustain life is found within. It is a place of warmth and light. The Lord himself is that shelter. David writes, “For you are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.” (vs. 9). It is shelter made real and personal to us in Christ. Isaiah wrote of his coming.

Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. He will shelter Israel from the storm and the wind. He will refresh her as a river in the desert and as the cool shadow of a large rock in a hot and weary land.” (Isaiah 32:1-2).

In Christ we lack nothing. Paul writes, “For in Christ the fullness of God lives in a human body and you are complete through your union with Christ. He is the Lord over every ruler and authority in the universe.” (Colossians 2:9-10). Within the shelter he provides we are well cared for.

Is the door to the inner self closed so tightly that no one can enter. Have you shut yourself away from the Lord? Are the ears blocked so as to muffle the sound of his knocking? Like the Lord said of the people of Israel?

“For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes—so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.” (Matthew 13:15).

David prayed to the Lord, “Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you; give justice to those with honest hearts.” (vs. 10). Let his prayer be answered in your life. Spurgeon[26] writes, “This prayer is the heart of the believer asking precisely that which the heart of his God is prepared to grant.” Be honest with yourself. You really do need the Lord in your life. Tell him that you want to believe in him, that you want to love him. Open up to him. Let the warmth of his love flood your life and the gift of his righteousness cover you.

Finding it difficult to open the door? Ask the Lord to help you. As he did for Lydia. Lydia was a Gentile. She wanted God to part of her life. This is why she turned to Judaism and became known as a ‘worshipper of God’. When Paul and his missionary band visited Philippi she was ready to ask the Lord into her life. Luke tells us that “As she listened to us, the Lord opened her heart and she accepted what Paul was saying.” (Acts 16:14b).

Finding it difficult to believe that the promises of the one standing there knocking are for you? Ask the Lord for help to believe. Just as the father who was worried about his son did. Jesus said to him, “ ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’ Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief.’ ” (Mark 9:23b-24 NIV).

This is why we must pray with David, “Don’t let the proud trample me; don’t let the wicked push me around.” (vs. 11). But remember! We also have a part to play in seeing that Satan does not get a foothold in our lives. Our responsibility is to not open the door.

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Or don’t you know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18-20).

The door once opened to admit the Lord must remain shut to all others who come knocking. Just as it is in the temple Ezekiel describes.

Then the man brought me back to the east gateway in the outer wall, but it was closed. This gate must remain closed; it will never again be opened. No man will ever pass through it, for the LORD, the God of Israel, entered here. Thus it must always remain shut. (Ezekiel 44:1-2).

David points to their fall. “Look! They have fallen! They have been thrown down, never to rise again.” (vs. 12). Satan’s power has been broken at the cross of Christ, as the author of Hebrews explains …

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—Jesus also became flesh and blood by being born in human form. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the Devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he deliver those who have lived all their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.” (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Although Satan is still active and fighting on to the end, his ultimate fall is assured. John writes of this time …

Then I saw an angel come down from heaven with the key to the bottomless pit and a heavy chain in his hand. He seized the dragon—that old serpent, the Devil, Satan—and bound him in chains for a thousand years …

When the thousand years end, Satan will be let out of his prison. He will go out to deceive the nations from every corner of the earth, which are called Gog and Magog. He will gather them together for a battle—a mighty host, as numberless as sand along the shore. And I saw them as they went up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded God’s people and the beloved city. But fire from heaven came down on the attacking armies and consumed them.

Then the Devil, who betrayed them, was thrown into the lake of fire that burns with sulphur, joining the beast and the false prophet. There they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Revelation 20:1-2, 7-10).

“For there is no other God but me—a just God and Savior—no, not one! Let all the world look to me for salvation! For I am God; there is no other. I have sworn by my own name, and I will never go back on my word. Every knee will bow to me, and every tongue confess allegiance to my name.” (Isaiah 46:21b-23).

Peter Craigie’s[27] outline of the psalm provides us with a neat summary of its content.

[1] John 1:1-18.
[2] Briscoe, Stuart. CHOICES FOR A LIFETIME. Illinois: Tyndale. 1995. pp. 41-42, 44.
[3] Genesis 3:1-13.
[4] Matthew 13:25.
[5] Spurgeon, C. H. THE TREASURY OF DAVID. Volume 2. London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott. 1950. pp. 158-159.
[6] Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 99. © 1993-1998 Microsoft Corporation.
[7] Luke 10:25-37.
[8] From Romans 3:10-20.
[9] Spurgeon. ibid: p. 159.
[10] Concise Oxford Dictionary, p. 659.
[11] Spurgeon. ibid: p. 159.
[12] Craigie, Peter. WORLD BIBLICAL COMMENTARY. Psalms 1-50. Texas: Word Books. 1983. p. 293.
[13] Berkhof, Louis. SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY. London: Banner of Truth Trust. 1976. p. 167.
[14] THE REVELATION RECORD, p. 463.
[15] Atkinson, Basil. THE BOOK OF EXODUS. London: Henry E. Walter, Ltd. p. 189. (The Biblical references he mentions
are quoted here from the New Living Translation.)
[16] Edersheim, Alfred. BIBLE HISTORY. Old Testament. Massachusetts: Hendrickson. pp. 268, 269. His reference from
Isaiah is quoted in full from the New Living Translation.
[17] ibid: pp. 277-280.
[18] About 1 liter.
[19] Psalms 113-118.
[20] Psalm 118:1.
[21] Psalm 118:25.
[22] Psalm 118:29.
[23] John 12:13, New Living Translation.
[24] Edersheim. ibid: p. 281.
[25] Psalm 118:27.
[26] Spurgeon. ibid: p.160.
[27] Craigie. ibid: p. 29.