Psalm 36:7-9–The Lovingkindness of the Lord How excellent is thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. There are few things in this world which can really be described as ‘excellent’. The pleasures of wine, song and dance may delight their devotees for a time but their joy is soon gone and the memory of them quickly fades. “For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity” (Ecc.7:6). The treasures of silver and gold may delight their owners for a lifetime but at death they must all be left behind. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out” (1Tim.6:7). Where can we turn to find something of true and lasting value? David discovered something well worth celebrating! Something which he was prepared to describe as truly excellent, precious and glorious. He extolled the lovingkindness of God. In this psalm David speaks of the wicked and what they do, then of the Lord and what He is and finally of believers and what they have. They in this life know and enjoy the lovingkindness of the Lord. What does it mean to them? The lovingkindness of the Lord firstly means safety. God’s lovingkindness is equivalent to His mercy. The God whose mercy is so great that it is “in the heavens” (v.7) reveals this mercy to poor sinners in the gospel. He has sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in the place of guilty souls and to provide forgiveness for them. By His suffering for sin Christ has propitiated God and turned aside the divine wrath. For those who have spent their lives fleeing from God, ever in peril of divine punishment, there is now in the preaching of Christ crucified every encouragement to turn to God in repentance and faith. This is just what the Lord’s people do. When they see how wondrous God’s lovingkindness is they run to Him as chickens to a mother hen, seeking protection under His mighty wings. When Ruth gleaned in Boaz’s field he said to her, “The Lord recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust” (Ruth 2:12). In Jesus Christ there is shelter for the sinner from “the wrath to come” and also a loving embrace by the Father, taking us to His own bosom. Here we have a picture of the justification of a sinner. By His obedience in life as well as death Christ has purchased both divine acquittal and divine acceptance for sinners. He has ensured that they are not only pardoned of their sins but also brought near to God, that He might share His secrets with them (Psa.25:14). Then the lovingkindness of the Lord means satisfaction. God’s lovingkindness refers also to His grace by which He gives nourishment to our souls. Is your heart content? It cannot be until you enter into the house of God. There are places of worship on earth but there is also a sanctuary in heaven. When by saving grace we enter “the true tabernacle” (Heb.8:2) through Jesus Christ the door of salvation we begin to enjoy the good things which the Lord has prepared for His people. Through union with Christ by faith we have communion with God in the ordinances of His house on earth – in the preaching of the Word, in the sacraments and in prayer. Do you taste of God’s grace and enjoy His love in and through those spiritual means which He has instituted? Our souls are satisfied as we drink from the streams of grace. This river flows at God’s command – not ours – but when faith is in exercise and their is an appetite for God then we may expect a blessing. In the house of God there is always a table furnished for hungry, thirsty souls. As the Lord supplies His Spirit, little by little believers “grow in grace” (2Pet.3:18) and are “conformed to the image of his Son” (Rom.8:29) in their sanctification. Finally the lovingkindness of the Lord means salvation. By this we mean salvation as it becomes complete in the glorification of the believer. The psalmist speaks of “the fountain of life” which is with God. This life is of course eternal life. By His atoning death Christ opened a fountain “for sin and for uncleanness” (Zech.13:1) to deal with both our guilt and our pollution: His precious blood sprinkled upon our hearts washes away every stain of sin; His Spirit in our hearts causes us to live a new, imperishable life which overcomes indwelling sin. The fountain of life is notable for its fulness. Springs on earth may dry up but this fountain shall never run out as its source is in Christ who is “the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead” (Acts 3:15). The fountain of life is remarkable too for its freeness. The mercy and grace of the Lord are not induced by any worthiness found in the recipients. The sovereignty of the blessing is therefore the guarantee of its security. Can you say that you know this lovingkindness of the Lord? You must try yourself by the proper test. You must go to Scripture for “in thy light shall we see light.” Have you ever been drawn to the Lord? Do you know His peace in your soul? Are you in possession of a heavenly hope? If you enjoy God’s lovingkindness now you may be sure that you will enjoy it forever. You have become a citizen of the city of God and nothing shall deprive of your citizenship, for “there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore” (Psa.133:3).