“Thou crownest the year with Thy goodness; and Thy paths drop fatness.” (Psalms 65:11)
David writes this song of praise to God of His goodness and the riches of His salvation. We read this phrase and agree that God is good and therefore showers His goodness each year. But David specifically used the word crown. To crown means to encircle and encompass roundabout with His goodness. God’s goodness isn’t just one attribute of favor but it is His whole character that is His righteousness. It’s His Love, His favor and His Mercy, and holiness and justice. Because of His Love He surrounds the year with mercy. But because of His holiness and justice He punishes sin.
The Lord surrounds our lifetime, our season or age with His goodness. His righteousness is there present with His love, favor and mercy. And His holiness and justice are also present. Some don’t understand that God did punish sin through Jesus. Jesus suffered all the pain, aguish and terror of our sin. And He took death upon Himself so we wouldn’t have to suffer the death of sin. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Sin had to be put to death in our lives. We could never come before a holy God with sin. But because Jesus took our sin and suffered death for our sin, we are free from the hold of sin. The old man died. “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” (Romans 6:6) The sinful man died with Jesus. We are now “born-again” new creations, spirit beings made in the image of God, pure and holy. But there is a struggle within us between the spirit and the flesh which has not been reborn. It’s of this world, belongs to the world and will remain on the earth when we die. God’s holiness cannot tolerate sin. And His justice punishes sin.
We are in a dispensation of grace. That means that in this age, after the death and resurrection of Jesus, mercy and patience has been showered on the earth. God demonstrates His love and goodness and is patient for us to come to Him. This can only happen when the eyes of our understanding are opened. There is a darkness that no light except the light of God can penetrate clouding the understanding of the unregenerated man. Three years before receiving the Lord as my Savior, I was seeking how to get near God. I knew the answer was in the Bible, but I couldn’t understand it. When I opened the Bible I read this Scripture, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of Me.” (John 5:39) The darkness had so blinded me, I had no idea, that “Me” was Jesus. And I asked myself, “Who is this Me? Who is this person?” Before a person can receive Jesus, the eyes of their understanding must be opened. And only the light of the Word of God can do that.
The Word is light. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalms 119:105) Although a sinner will not understand Scripture, it’s shining a light in the darkness. Understanding of God’s mercy and grace will come. First comes the realization that we are apart from God because of our sin. Then comes faith and the belief that Jesus is our Savior who took our sin and suffered and died because of it. Then comes gratitude and love for Jesus our Savior so much so that we make Him Lord over our lives. And that is the beginning of a life in the Lord. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2Corinthians 5:17)
When we become part of God’s family, the Lord’s goodness will overwhelm us. His riches are dropped down on our way as we walk in His way. “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13) God the Father is a better father than the best of fathers on earth. His presence and blessing are with us at every turn. “For Thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield.” (Psalms 5:12)
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