Psalm 36:5-10 (NRSV)
Read Psalm 36:5-10 on biblegateway.com
Verse 5Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.
Verse 6Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your judgments are like the great deep; you save humans and animals alike, O Lord.
Verse 7How precious is your steadfast love, O God! All people may take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Verse 8They feast on the abundance of your house, and you give them drink from the river of your delights.
Verse 9For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
Verse 10O continue your steadfast love to those who know you, and your salvation to the upright of heart!
Devotion
Maybe you’re like me. The first thing I do at each day’s rising is to flick on the news. Whether consciously or not, I know I am longing to hear just one good word to mark this new day. What’s the good word for today?
The psalmist has an answer for us—good enough for every day, if we can only remember it. Wait for it! It’s “steadfast love.” Three times in these short verses it comes. God’s steadfast love! Wow! Big enough to extend to the heavens or to the depths of the sea, so precious all can find refuge under its wings. Like a potluck feast or a river of delights! The very fountain of life and light! These are the images of the salvation that God has in store for you and me—and even more; as the psalmist says, God’s steadfast love is “for humans and animals alike.” Now that’s surely a good word to mark this day.
Prayer
God of steadfast love, your love is so great it verily blows us away with the wonder of it all, so much we can scarcely take it in. So expand our minds and our hearts this day to comprehend the breadth of your love for all your creation. Amen.