TODAY IN THE WORD
An American poet once claimed: “If my poetry aims to achieve anything, it’s to deliver people from the limited ways in which they see and feel.” This same sense of the power of poetry reverberates through the Psalms as the Hebrew poets awaken our slumbering eyes and restless hearts to God’s indescribable love. This month we will explore the vast expanse of the love of God; today we begin our study with praise and adoration through the words of one of the Bible’s most prolific poets, King David.

The Psalms were originally written in Hebrew, and because words and word order are extremely significant in poetry, let us consider these details in our study. In Hebrew, verse 5 of today’s passage begins with “LORD,” and verse 6 ends with “LORD.” This is the same name that God declared to Moses in Exodus 34, which we’ll look at tomorrow. This name carries great meaning, and its placement in Psalm 36:5-6 reflects God’s immeasurable and inexpressible character like the arrows at the ends of a number line, indicating infinity. In between the name of God, the poet paints four images that characterize God’s love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice as never-ending, vast, immovable, and mysterious. Verses 5 and 6 certainly deliver us from the limited ways we see and feel God.

Notice that the word love is repeated three times in only 6 verses. The Hebrew word is hesed or loyal lovingkindness. More specifically, hesed refers to lovingkindness that is unelicited and often undeserved. The end of verse 7 reminds us that God’s love is a haven of protection to all people.

Tucked inside Psalm 36 are verses 8 and 9. Even more subtle are four words within these two verses: “your house” and “with you.” God’s house is His temple, the place where His glory dwells (Ps. 26:8), His presence among His people. Throughout the Bible, God promises to be with us, to go with His people. David recalls that in God’s presence, there is the fullness of His love; when we are with God, we find His life and His light.

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TODAY ALONG THE WAY
God’s love is not something we merely study with our minds, holding the topic at arm’s length. As you sing this psalm with King David today, purposefully place yourself into God’s presence. James 4:8 encourages us that if we come near to God, He will come near to us. Try using your imagination as you rest in God’s love and presence today. Picture yourself sitting peacefully at Jesus’ feet as Mary did (Luke 10:39) or entering God’s temple as Isaiah and the psalmists did (Isa. 6:1-8; Psalm 84).

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