Thursday Devo
Scripture:
Psalm 36
For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord.
1 Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts.[a]
They have no fear of God at all.
2 In their blind conceit,
they cannot see how wicked they really are.
3 Everything they say is crooked and deceitful.
They refuse to act wisely or do good.
4 They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots.
Their actions are never good.
They make no attempt to turn from evil.
5 Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
letting them drink from your river of delights.
9 For you are the fountain of life,
the light by which we see.
10 Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you;
give justice to those with honest hearts.
11 Don’t let the proud trample me
or the wicked push me around.
12 Look! Those who do evil have fallen!
They are thrown down, never to rise again.
For the choir director: A psalm of David, the servant of the Lord.
1 Sin whispers to the wicked, deep within their hearts.[a]
They have no fear of God at all.
2 In their blind conceit,
they cannot see how wicked they really are.
3 Everything they say is crooked and deceitful.
They refuse to act wisely or do good.
4 They lie awake at night, hatching sinful plots.
Their actions are never good.
They make no attempt to turn from evil.
5 Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.
6 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
your justice like the ocean depths.
You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.
7 How precious is your unfailing love, O God!
All humanity finds shelter
in the shadow of your wings.
8 You feed them from the abundance of your own house,
letting them drink from your river of delights.
9 For you are the fountain of life,
the light by which we see.
10 Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you;
give justice to those with honest hearts.
11 Don’t let the proud trample me
or the wicked push me around.
12 Look! Those who do evil have fallen!
They are thrown down, never to rise again.
Commentary:
36:5–9 God’s Precious Steadfast Love. This stanza has two descriptions of God’s steadfast love: it extends to the heavens, so that God can save man and beast; and it is precious to those who know it from the children of mankind. The pairing of steadfast love and faithfulness evokes Ex. 34:6, describing God’s benevolence; this helps readers to see that the other terms, righteousness and judgments, also express God’s enduring commitment to act kindly toward his creatures and to save them. In view of this, people can take refuge under his wings and find themselves welcome guests at his table. Although the psalm is a hymn for Israel, it looks beyond Israel to the rest of mankind (Ps. 36:6, 7); Israel’s calling was to live in their land in a way that displayed the true image of God, with a view toward bringing its blessing to the whole world.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 982.
Crossway Bibles, The ESV Study Bible (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2008), 982.
Questions:
After describing the darkness of sin, David now describes the goodness of God. He pictures God as a place of refuge, a generous host, and the source of everything we truly need. Under God's wings there is safety. In God's house there is abundance. From God's river there is joy. And from God Himself comes life.
Sin promises satisfaction but always leaves us empty. We chase success, comfort, approval, entertainment, or control, believing they'll finally satisfy us. For a moment they seem to deliver, but they can never fill the deepest needs of our hearts. Only God can do that.
David says God is the fountain of life. Every good thing flows from Him. Jesus echoed these words when He invited the thirsty to come to Him and drink. He also declared, "I am the light of the world." In Christ, we find the life, joy, and hope our souls have been searching for all along.
Sin promises satisfaction but always leaves us empty. We chase success, comfort, approval, entertainment, or control, believing they'll finally satisfy us. For a moment they seem to deliver, but they can never fill the deepest needs of our hearts. Only God can do that.
David says God is the fountain of life. Every good thing flows from Him. Jesus echoed these words when He invited the thirsty to come to Him and drink. He also declared, "I am the light of the world." In Christ, we find the life, joy, and hope our souls have been searching for all along.
- What has been capturing your heart's attention more than God lately? How has that pursuit shaped your thoughts, priorities, or emotions?
- Why do you think the Bible describes God as a fountain instead of a container or a reservoir? How do Jesus' invitations to the thirsty (John 4; John 7) reveal that He is the fulfillment of Psalm 36?
- David describes God as the fountain of life and a river of delight. What "dry wells" have you been returning to that cannot truly satisfy? How does repentance in this area involve not only turning away from something, but turning toward the better satisfaction found in Jesus?
Prayer Topics:
- Confess the ways you've looked to other people or temporary things to satisfy needs that only God can meet.
- Ask the Holy Spirit to deepen your desire for Christ and help you find your satisfaction in Him alone.
- Praise God because He is the fountain of life, the source of every good gift, and the light that leads His people.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
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