“He is good; his love endures forever.”This was the simple hymn of praise that was sung with much pomp and circumstance after the building of the Temple was completed and furnished, and after the Ark was placed inside.
The Ark contained the two tablets that Moses had received from the hand of God upon which the Ten Commandments were said to have been inscribed with God’s own finger.
So revered were these tablets to the children of Israel that the Ark had been built to house them, and now, after many hundreds of years, there was this grand temple that had been designed by David and built by Solomon to house the Ark.
And after all the elaborate planning and execution of this great project had been accomplished, it is a simple song of praise that is sung by the people to celebrate the event. How sweet are these words: He is good; his love endures forever.
May it be that we might also bind them on our lips and in our hearts to utter to ourselves at all times, throughout our lifetimes. How blessed it is to acknowledge God’s goodness, and to reaffirm our belief in the truth that his love endures forever.
Solomon summarizes the completion of this great enterprise by saying this, 10 “The LORD has kept the promise he made. I have succeeded David my father and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised, and I have built the temple for the Name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 11 There I have placed the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with the people of Israel.”
Turning now to our reading in the book of Romans, we find Paul continuing with his dissertation on the concept of the Law. Today, he is putting a fine point on the purpose of the Law: it is to illuminate the matter of sin. Were it not for the Law, we would not be aware of having broken the Law, i.e., to have sinned.
It is not the Law that is sinful, nay, it is so pure and perfect that it is unattainable. Which is why the concept of Grace was even introduced.
Paul says, 7 What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” 8 But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. 9 Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. 10 I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. 11 For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death. 12 So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.
Next, we turn to our psalm for the day, and find one that is an emotionally-charged one, penned most likely by David during his darkest hour. Would that we might also have the same level of confidence in asking of the Lord in our hour of need. David says:
6 I call on you, my God, for you will answer me;
turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. 7 Show me the wonders of your great love,
you who save by your right hand
those who take refuge in you from their foes. 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
And like David, may it be that we might also have the confidence to predict our own outcome in this way:
15 As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.
Finally, two beautiful verses from the book of Proverbs that capture essential truths. The “fear” that Solomon, the wise king of Israel, refers to is a variation of deep love and respect. May it be that we cultivate this kind of fear of the Lord.
22 What a person desires is unfailing love;
better to be poor than a liar.
23 The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one rests content, untouched by trouble.
May God bless the reading and reflection of His Word.
