Advent Meditation: His Love Endures Forever

Psalm 136:1-3

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

2 Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.

3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

136:1 - 3   תהלים

w{D.s;x ~'lw{[.l yiK bw{j-yiK h'why;l .Wdw{h

w{D.s;x ~'lw{[.l yiK ~yih{l/a'h yeh{lael .Wdw{h

w{D.s;x ~'l{[.l yiK ~yin{d]a'h yen{d]a;l .Wdw{h

Psalm 136 is unique. Its refrain is repeated 26 times:  “His love endures forever.”  The closest thing to this one is Psalm 118:1-4, where the phrase, “His love endures forever,” is also repeated.

Why does the psalmist proclaim 26 times the theme that God’s love endures forever? It’s because we are forgetful people, and because the Enemy wants us to doubt it, especially when trials hit.

Especially in times like now:

- when many in our church and our communities are facing challenges with financial hardships, job insecurity, marital and family conflicts, relationship challenges, loneliness, uncertainty about the future, all compounded with physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual ups and downs;

- when many of the Hurricane Sandy victims are wondering how they will rebuild their home in this harsh winter;

- when the situations in many regions of the world, especially the Middle East, grow more unsettling –

This is the time when we, the people of God, need to proclaim once again this vital truth:

His love endures forever!

That’s why King David chose a special group of people whose job was to sing at the Tabernacle:  “Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever” (1 Chron. 16:41). Then God promised David, a former shepherd boy, that his throne would be established forever (1 Chron. 17).

That’s why, when the ark of God was brought into the newly completed temple, Solomon designated singers to sing: “He is good, for His love endures forever” (2 Chron. 5:13).  God’s response was to fill the temple with the cloud of His glory (2 Chron. 5:13b-14).

A few generations later, facing the threat of foreign invasion, Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah designed a military strategy that seemed so naïve and even hopeless – they got a team of singers to lead the army of Judah into battle, singing, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures forever” (2 Chron. 20:21). The Lord defeated the enemy of Judah!

This special season of Advent is once again a reminder of God’s ultimate goodness to all God’s people, as the apostle Paul reminds us:

“But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8)

This ultimate act of goodness brings us the assurance that God will provide for all our needs, because,

“He who did not spare His own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” (Rom 8:32)

Therefore, no trials, however severe, can ever separate us from the love of God, that is in Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:28-29)!

As we wait eagerly for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, may we be filled with gratitude as we praise the One who gives us hope this season:

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His love endures forever” (Ps 136:1).