“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals. How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”
- Psalm 36:5-7 -

Perhaps the psalmist had been disappointed by some trusted friend or shocked by the extent of wickedness in unbelievers. If you know how he must have felt because of your own circumstances, notice how he deals with this insight. He turns to God in praise of the Lord’s amazing attributes and actions. He contrasts what has depressed him about human nature with what thrills him about the divine character. His eyes are on God.

Instead of staying focused on the cesspit around him, David chooses to bathe in the fountain of life and walk in God’s light (v 9). He extols the attributes of God – his love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice – celebrating all that is good in the God he adores; he looks away from the devastation that he sees in the human condition and declares by faith, ‘great is your faithfulness’. High and low can find refuge under the shadow of his wings (v 7). The same is true for us today, finding shelter in that place that symbolizes intimacy and care. Feasting in God’s house and drinking from his river of delights is how David pictures fellowship with the Lord. Then he prays for protection against the attacks of his enemies (v 11). At the end, the contrast with the fate of the wicked is stark (v 12). They have no one to help them up when fallen. I know which side I would prefer to be on!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, the world is such a sinful place. I pray for myself and Christians everywhere, that we may be lights in the darkness, pointing to Jesus, the True Light.

(a summary from Encounter with God)