His Love Endures Forever - Dave Lewis
Tuscarora
As I get older (almost 70) I pay more attention to the “jokes” and jabs rolling through our culture regarding the more mature of us (senior citizens). You know what I’m saying? Particularly prevalent is “repeating yourself”. I don’t think David, the writer of many of the Psalms had an age problem or a memory issue, but there are some of the Psalms where he repeated the same phrase or sentence many times in concurrent verses or at least in the same Psalm. Psalm 118 is one where David used repetition, and I believe the Holy Spirit led him to do that for emphasis and perhaps to help us focus on a truth longer than a fleeting moment.
The sentence he repeats is “his love endures forever”. David calls on the nation of Israel to say it, the priesthood family of Aaron to say it, those who fear the Lord to say it, “His steadfast love endures forever.” Why does he say it?
1. In a time of distress David called on the Lord and was heard and set free.
2. David recognized that God was truly on his side so he (David) refused to fear. He’d fear and revere God but not what others could do to him.
3. David was convinced that God preserved him no matter what his enemies tried to do.
4. He repeats that God is “on my side” and his helper.
5. David knows that God will give him victory in the end over all who hated him.
6. His conclusion is clear and true: “It is better to take refuge in God than to trust in man, even if the man is a prince (royal or powerful).
7. Then David goes repetitious again: “All nations surrounded me (surrounded me) (surrounded me) but God helped him “cut them off” (cut them off).
8. The Lord helped him just as he (David) was about to fall!
9. God is David’s strength, his song, his salvation.
10. David was kept alive to tell of the deeds of the Lord!
11. This is one a bit harder to see how a song would arise, but David was grateful that God disciplined him severely, but David didn’t die.
12. David now has the honor of walking through the gates open to the righteous in order to give thanks to the Lord. That is exactly what he is doing – giving thanks for the Lord God.
The next several verses are quoted in the New Testament so often that Psalm 118 is one of the two most quoted Psalms with Psalm 110.
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
The Lord is God,
and he has made his light shine on us.
With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession
up to the horns of the altar.
You are my God, and I will praise you;
you are my God, and I will exalt you.”
As David closes he repeats for the last time, “His steadfast love endures forever.” (v. 29) He closes his praise with a very personal saying, “You are my God” and vows to thank and extol Him.
Would you take a few minutes or longer to remember some of what God our Father has done for you and make a list, speak the list out loud if you are where you can, and let your heart sing its own song of praise to God for what He has done. You know why, don’t you? Because “His steadfast love endures forever.” This is not just about David and 3,000 years ago. This is about now, yesterday, and about you and me. It is not hard to see why David is referred to as “a man after God’s own heart”. Don’t you think God was blessed to hear this come from David’s heart to us? Don’t you think God’s heart would be blessed to hear a similar song from you and me.
Apparently repetition is not a problem in some instances!