This praise-filled phrase—He is good; His love endures forever—is recorded in many places throughout the Old Testament. One of the most outstanding records, in my opinion, is found in the 2nd Book of Chronicles, specifically chapters 5-7.
We see (2 Chronicles 5) King Solomon calling the elders of Israel, the leaders, the heads of the tribes (along with all the people of Israel) to accompany the Ark of the Covenant to its long-awaited proper home in the Temple. (It had been his father, David, to whom God has given the vision and provision for the building of the Temple, which was never accomplished in his lifetime.) The priests brought the Ark to its proper, anointed place in the Holy of Holies. Surrounding the altar were the Levites and the priests ready to praise in unison with all their instruments and their voices.
The trumpeters and singers joined together to praise and thank the LORD with one voice.
They raised their voices, accompanied by trumpets, cymbals, and musical instruments,
in praise to the LORD: For He is good; His faithful love endures forever.
The temple, the LORD’s temple, was filled with a cloud.
And because of the cloud, the priests were not able to continue ministering,
for the glory of the LORD filled God’s temple.
(Verses 13 and 14)
The record of the dedication of the Temple continues (chapters 6 and 7) as Solomon prays and blesses the people.
As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven
and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices,
and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.
2 Chronicles 7:1
The peoples response?
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down
and the glory of the LORD above the temple,
they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground,
and they worshiped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying,
“He is good; His love endures forever.”
Verse 3
And throughout the continued sacrifices and the ceremony of dedicating the Temple, continual praise “His love endures forever” was offered to God by the priests and the people along with the sacrifices of animals.
And, as such, this <without the animal sacrifice!> should be our continual praise. We are oh-so-very blessed! The provision and supply that our great God brings to our lives deserves our continual exclamation, “He is good! His love endures forever!” Just as the psalmist communicates in every single verse of Psalm 136, our conversation and our communication should always include this praise.
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His (steadfast) love endures forever.
Verse 1
As we thank God for His goodness our hearts should overflow with words of gratitude and praise confessing that truly, “His love endures forever!” … Perhaps in your celebration of Thanksgiving with your friends and loved ones, you could have a time of praise and worship and use these same words that David, and Solomon, and the Israelites used to declare God’s goodness. Because no matter what the age, the situation, the circumstance, the season, the time, the day or the hour… ‘He is good! His love endures forever!’
Here are a few different ways this glorious praise is written in different translations:
- His love endures forever (NIV)
- His faithful love endures forever (NLT)
- His lovingkindness is everlasting (NASB)
- His mercy endureth for ever (KJV)
- His steadfast love endures forever (ESV)
- His love is eternal (HCSB)
- His loyal love endures (NET)
- His mercy and lovingkindness are everlasting (AMP)
