his love

There’s a theme all through Psalm 136. In fact, the words are repeated 26 times, ending each verse: “His love endures forever.” It’s easy to imagine it sung as a sort of descant, or antiphonally as a response to the start of the verse.

The Psalm reflects on three major ways that God shows his love. He does so in the creation he has made. He does so by punishing our enemies. And he does so by blessing us. All those same kinds of love – his creative goodness, his unfailing justice and his bountiful blessing – are present in my life too.

So every time I think it’s a beautiful day, or that I’m grateful for the rain, or I wonder what big planet is that’s so bright in the night sky, I should think, “His love endures forever.” And each instance where a bad person is stopped or evil is thwarted and justice is done, I should give thanks that “His love endures forever.” And whenever my life overflows with goodness, in my relationships and my physical needs and the joy I find in life, I should praise, “His love endures forever.”

It’s a core truth, a source of hope, one of my greatest blessings. I wonder why I don’t say it more.