Enjoy The Rivers Of Delight

Psalm 36:7-12

7All humanity finds shelter

in the shadow of your wings.

8You feed them from the abundance of your own house,

letting them drink from your rivers of delight.

9For you are the fountain of life,

the light by which we see.

10Pour out your unfailing love on those who love you;

give justice to those with honest hearts.

11Don’t let the proud trample me;

don’t let the wicked push me around.

12Look! They have fallen!

They have been thrown down, never to rise again.

We often take water for granted, but in the arid Middle East it is associated with delight and pleasure, and in the book of Revelation it is one of the blessings of heaven.

As Saint Augustine was writing a commentary on Psalm 36:8, he began thinking of heaven. Augustine imagined asking the noted bible scholar Jerome, some questions about heaven.

Jerome responded that he would be happy to answer Augustine’s questions. “But first let me ask you this question: Can you put all the waters of the sea in a little pot? Can you measure the waters in your fist? Can you weigh the mountains on a scale? If not, then it would be impossible for your understanding to comprehend the least of the joys of heaven.”

We can’t measure the joys of heaven, but we can enjoy some of God’s rivers of delight even now. In verse 9 David said, “You are the fountain of life,” and in the New Testament Jesus shouted to the crowds in Jerusalem, “If you are thirsty, come to me!” (John 7:37). To the Samaritan woman, Jesus said, “The water I give them takes away thirst altogether. It becomes a perpetual spring within them, giving them eternal life” (John 4:14).

Don’t wait for heaven to enjoy God’s delights; delight in him now.

I heard the voice of Jesus say, “Behold I freely give

The living water; thirsty one, stoop down, and drink, and live.”

I came to Jesus and I drank of that life-giving stream;

My thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in him.

HORATIUS BONAR

A Word on Words

The word for “delight” in verse 8 is translated from the plural form of the Hebrew word for “Eden.”

Bible Networking

Compare Psalm 36:9 with John 1:3-5. What are the similarities? What are the differences?