“O
give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and
loving-kindness endure for ever.” -Psalm 136:1 (The Amplified
Bible)
Psalm
136 with its 26 verses has the same refrain ending each verse. I
used the Amplified Bible today in the introductory verse that begins
this devotional because it best expresses the Hebrew word “chesed”
(expressing God’s faithful love for us, His people) which is
translated “His mercy and loving-kindness” which endure forever,
now and for all eternity! Seek to think of the magnitude of God’s
love: He knows us even before we are conceived in our mother’s
womb (see Psalm 139:13); He knows us and woos us to Him while we are
in this earthly life. Read meditatively all of Psalm 139 to see all
the ways God follows each of us whom He loves.. Even the “hairs of
our head are numbered” (see Matthew 10:30). With the Psalmist we
can say assuredly: “Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them
that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy” (Psalm 33:18).
Not only is the Lord with those who fear and follow Him on earth,
but He has prepared an eternal place for believers after this life is
ended. Jesus promised, “In my Father’s house are many
mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare
a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will
come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there you
may be also” (John 14:2-3). This promise is steadfast and
sure, as the Psalmist declared: “The Lord redeems the soul of
his servants, and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate”
(Psalm 34:22). Indeed, the refrain that is repeated in each verse of
Psalm 136, “His mercy and loving-kindness endure for ever” is
intended to give us comfort and assurance in our earthly life and
hope for the life beyond.
The
writer of Psalm 136 gave a summary of what our reaction should be for
God’s faithful love and mercy (undeserved favor) for
us: “O give thanks to the God of heaven, for His mercy
and loving-kindness endure for ever!” (v. 26, Amplified Bible).
I
read about a “Blessing Bowl” in which a faithful follower of God
wrote a major daily blessing on a 3 x 5 card, dated the card, and
placed the card in a special bowl. At the end of each month, she
reviewed what she had written on each card and had a record of events
in her life that showed how God’s “mercy and loving-kindness
endure for ever!” I thought the idea was a good one, and I began
to record major blessings. I had already done this for a long time
in a daily journal. The “blessing card” gave quicker access
when I wanted to review God’s blessings to me at the end of each
month, and have a special time of thanksgiving for His care for me.
Time and obligations often preclude my listing all the blessings, but
I find that there is always an outstanding one each day worthy of
recording. Writing down special blessings gives me a record of God’s
faithful love to me and also provides a springboard for thanks and
gratitude. When we take time to record our outstanding blessings,
we seek to become more aware of how God indeed is with us in our
daily lives and through the triumphs and troubles we experience. We,
as the Psalmist, can declare in all sincerity and truth: “His
mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!”
The
writer of the beloved gospel song, “His Eye is on the Sparrow,”
(words by Civilla D. Martin, music composed by Charles H. Gabriel,
1905), based the thoughts in the hymn on Matthew 10:29-33 and also
expressed the major theme of Psalm 136 in beautiful words: “Why
should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,/Why should my
heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home, When Jesus is my
portion? My constant Friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I
know He watches me; His eyes is on the sparrow, and I know He watches
me. Refrain: I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free;
For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” Amen! -
Ethelene Dyer Jones 07.23.2017.
