We Should Praise God for the Many Ways He Loves Us
Love is a recurring theme in Scripture (686 verses). It shows up in most every book of the Bible (60 out of 66). The word is most common in Psalms (157 verses).
Psalm 136 leads the way with 26 mentions of love, all in the repeating refrain “His love endures forever.”
This Psalm is a song of praise to God. It affirms who he is and what he’s done. In response to each phrase of thanks and appreciation, the singers repeatedly chant, “His love endures forever.”
What are these characteristics of God? Read Psalm 136 to find out all the details. Here’s a summary:
- God is good.
- He is God of all gods and Lord of all lords.
- He does amazing feats.
- He created everything.
- He guided his people, protected them, and brought them to his promised land.
- He remembers us when we’re down, frees us from our enemies, and feeds us when we’re hungry.
And for each one of these, our response is to praise him, for “his love endures forever.” Forever is a long time. It’s eternal. Just as God is eternal—living forever with no beginning or end—so too is his love for us.
Paul says that three things will last forever. These are faith, hope, and love. Of this amazing trio, love stands in first place. Love is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13).
John writes that the highest, most excellent, expression of love is to die so another may live (John 15:13). John is quoting Jesus. In this passage, Jesus obliquely references God’s plan to save us.
To do so, Jesus will offer himself as the once-and-for-all, ultimate sacrifice to make payment for the sins (mistakes) of all humanity, for all time. This will reconcile us with Papa.
Jesus died so that we may live. You, me, everyone. That’s true love. His love endures forever.
[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Psalms 135-139, and today’s post is on Psalms 136:2.]
Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.
Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.
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