delighting in god - psalm 36 - 16th week thursday

This psalm speaks of God's goodness and mercy as a stream, a fountain, a river whose water flows.  In the hot, dry desert, streams, rivers and fountains are a delight - the greenery in the otherwise harsh landscape, the plants and bushes that give shade and fresh air in the midst of overwhelming heat, the food and drink and the fruits too that refreshes, and the coolness when one bathes and immerses oneself in water.  It is a delight.  In fact the word delight in Hebrew is Eden – and praying this psalm recalls the garden of Eden where three rivers flow – to be in paradise.

The psalm is an invitation to delight in the Lord – to immerse oneself in the Lord just like immersing oneself in a cool swimming pool on a hot summer day.  To delight, to find happiness in the Lord.

Why so?  First because in the Lord is hesed.  Here in our psalm it is translated as mercy.  But hesed is more than just mercy.  It is loyal love, it is also faithfulness.  God will always be true to his promises, he is unchanging in his love, he will provide for all our needs.  In the Lord we can always find forgiveness, he will always have a place for us in his heart and we can rest secure.  So why is God a delight?  Because we find in him hesed – loyal love.

Second. God is a God of abundance – naga-alawas, nagasolobra.  And so the psalmist prays using metaphors in the superlative – mercy reaching to the heavens, faithfulness reaching the clouds, justice like the mountains, judgments like the mighty deep and a fill of prime gifts.  The psalmist is telling us that in the Lord alone can you find fullness, total satisfaction, peace. So why is God a delight?  Because we find in him fullness of peace.

And so during the day, do you take time to just simply delight yourself in God?  In your busy day do you make it a habit of spending seemingly useless time to simply find happiness in God?  Psalm 36 – a reminder for us to take time to delight ourselves in the Lord.