Daily Bible Reading Sunday 16th January 2022

by William Moody

Psalm 36

How Precious Is Your Steadfast Love

To the choirmaster. Of David, the servant of the LORD.

36:1   Transgression speaks to the wicked
    deep in his heart;1
  there is no fear of God
    before his eyes.
  For he flatters himself in his own eyes
    that his iniquity cannot be found out and hated.
  The words of his mouth are trouble and deceit;
    he has ceased to act wisely and do good.
  He plots trouble while on his bed;
    he sets himself in a way that is not good;
    he does not reject evil.
  Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
    your faithfulness to the clouds.
  Your righteousness is like the mountains of God;
    your judgments are like the great deep;
    man and beast you save, O LORD.
  How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
    The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
  They feast on the abundance of your house,
    and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
  For with you is the fountain of life;
    in your light do we see light.
10   Oh, continue your steadfast love to those who know you,
    and your righteousness to the upright of heart!
11   Let not the foot of arrogance come upon me,
    nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.
12   There the evildoers lie fallen;
    they are thrust down, unable to rise.

Footnotes

[1] 36:1 Some Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac, Jerome (compare Septuagint); most Hebrew manuscripts in my heart

(ESV)

David gives a sad but clear description of the wicked have no fear of God (v1), who thinks his sin will not be exposed (v2), who is full of deceit (v3) and they plot and scheme (v4).

We need to examine our hearts to see if these traits are real in us and then confess them before God.

David then moves to focus on the Lord’s steadfast love (v5a), faithfulness (v5b), righteousness (v6a) and judgments (v5b). As David focuses on these qualities you can see a great exuberance in His praise (v7-9). Do we know, experience and rejoice in what David is discussing here? Pray about this?

David concludes by desiring to experience more and more of God’s steadfast love in this world filled with evil (v10-12).

In the church we’re in a very real spiritual battle and we need to pray that God in His love which is so steadfast, will protect us and supply our every need. The righteous in Christ have hope, not so the unsaved wicked.

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®),
copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Used by permission. All rights reserved.