December 23, 2024

Forever (His Love Endures Forever)

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Give thanks to the Lord our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise

With a mighty hand and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that’s been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise

Forever God is faithful
Forever God is with us
Forever

From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God we will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise

Written by Chris Tomlin  ~  Performed by Robin Mark

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Don’t you just love to sing this praise anthem?!!?  The words just give our hearts such an awesome way to acknowledge God’s goodness and praise Him for His enduring love!

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 (in 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 gave the vision for the building of the Temple, which was never accomplished in David’s 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, perhaps our own conversation and communication about our great God—as well as our prayers— 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 this year during your celebration of Thanksgiving with your friends and loved ones, you could share 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:

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good…

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)

Now Thank We All Our God

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Now thank we all our God
With heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done,
In Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms
Has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love,
And still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God
Through all our life be near us,
With ever-joyful hearts
And blessed peace to cheer us,
To keep us in His grace,
And guide us when perplexed,
And free us from all ills
Of this world and the next.

All praise and thanks to God
The Father now be given,
The Son and Spirit blest,
Who reign in highest heaven
The one eternal God,
Whom heaven and earth adore;
For thus it was, is now,
And shall be evermore.

Written by Martin Rinckart and Johann Cruger
Sung by The Cambridge Singers and the City of London Sinfonia

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What a beautiful old hymn!  Verse 3 gives us a wonderful opportunity to praise our Lord,  All praise and thanks to God, the Father now be given. Can you just hear the angels gathering to sing in three-part harmony to give their utmost praise to Him?  I can feel the peace that would surround me. Come Lord Jesus, Come!  The Son and Spirit blest, who reign in highest heaven Such majesty, such glory, surrounds our Lord and King. We pray blessings upon us from Your holy throne as we lift our voices in song to praise Your holy name, the one eternal God, whom heaven and earth adore.  

When the seasons change, do you imagine that God wants to show off His Creation of nature? How much more so that He wants to show us off. For us, He wants us to grow, to pursue Him and let Him become the one to supply all of our needs. We are to tell Him ‘thank You!’ with grateful hearts, not just this month or the next, but forever are we to thank Him. Through the easy times and through the times where it would seem we are just climbing and climbing that mountain of issues and pain. For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

Our God is Ruler of all the earth and the heavens. That we cannot dispute. For those that try, they will come up short and will not know happiness. That is until they embrace the Lord our God. Then He will receive with open arms the new person in Christ and will welcome back those that will repent and turn to God.

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;
and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38

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Father, we thank You for loving us just the way we are. We ask Your Holy Spirit to walk with us and guide us through our lives. All we have to do is ask for the Helper and He will be there to guide us. You have been most gracious with us and we have acted like spoiled children, forgetting to be grateful for Your many gifts and blessings. Help us to cultivate a thankful heart toward You. In Jesus’ name, we ask and pray, Amen.