May 10th~Describing the Indescribable

Psalms 35-38

We continued in the Psalms. Although we read the more well-known Psalm 37, with passages like, “Take delight in the Lord and He will give you your heart’s desire” (v.4), “Be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for Him to act” (v.7), and “The Lord saves the godly, for He is their fortress in times of trouble” (v.39), my attention today was drawn to Psalm 36. Da- vid recognized the gravity of our sin, but then he contrasted it with the greatness of our God.

In his attempt to describe the indescribable attributes of the Lord, David used aspects of nature. While Someone who is supernatural cannot be measured by something that is natural, it is all David knew and all that we can fathom. For example, he wrote, “Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens” (v.5). Simply put, God’s love for us is as limitless as outer space. Then, “Your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds” (v.5). God’s constancy and dependability extend beyond what we can see; in short, He can always be trusted.

David continued, “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains” (v.6). God’s purity or holiness is fixed, immovable, and enduring. Then, “Your justice is like the ocean depths” (v.6). His discernment and understanding are deep, profound, and wise. Paul echoed David’s words, when he wrote, “Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out” (Romans 11:33).

Next, David wrote, “All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of Your wings” (v.7). God cares for His own as a gentle mother protects her little ones. Then, “You feed them from the abundance of Your own house, letting them drink from Your rivers of delight” (v.8). The Lord’s provision is both bountiful and never-ending.

Finally, David wrote, “For You are a fountain of life, the light by which we see” (v.9). John described Jesus in a similar way, “In Him was life and the life was the Light of men” (John 1:4). New life in the Lord is fresh and constant, energizing us with the joy of our salvation. Also, “His Word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105). With it, we can see our world and circumstances as God does.

Daily Reflection

If you were David, attempting to describe the indescribable, what terms would you use?

What are some of your favorite attributes of God?

Skeptics often dismiss the God of the Bible because He is too big to comprehend. They want a deity that they can understand, explain, or hold in their hands, someone who is more relatable to us as humans, like the gods of mythology. Personally, I would have a God that is not like me, fallen and finite, but one who is indescribable, larger than life, unable to be comprehended by my little brain, and able to do things that I cannot explain. In that God, I would have hope in His power to save me from myself.

BiAY.org | Day 130 — 235 Days to Go