Word of Encouragement (01/30/2025)
“And now arise, O Lord God, and go to your resting place, you and the ark of your might. Let your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let your saints rejoice in your goodness. 42 O Lord God, do not turn away the face of your anointed one! Remember your steadfast love for David your servant.” (2 Chron. 6:41-42)
Solomon goes on to pray, “...let your saints rejoice in your goodness.” What comes to your mind when you hear the words, “your goodness”? The blessings God has bestowed upon you over the years? Some of the answers to your prayers that were far beyond your expectations? I hope we can enumerate many such blessings, and God will bless us with many more in the years to come.
What did Solomon mean by “your goodness”? The immediate context suggests that he was thinking of God’s goodness in providing the temple and the priests—the temple where God would dwell and the priests who would be clothed with salvation. We must appreciate the temple focus of this petition. This might have been only natural since the occasion for this prayer was the dedication of the temple. But we must not forget that the dedication of the temple came as the climax of God’s covenant faithfulness to Israel: the promised land was in full possession of Israel, the Canaanites were subdued, Israel enjoyed the abundant riches of the land and beyond, and the temple was being dedicated to the LORD as a place to rest from His work of fulfilling His promises to the sons of Israel. The temple focus of Solomon’s prayer highlighted worship as Israel’s chief calling and proper response to God’s goodness. What is more important than having God in the midst of His people and worshipping Him for His goodness?
We must see that “your goodness” encompasses more than God’s gracious gifts we readily appreciate and enjoy. Solomon spoke of God’s character of goodness, not just the gifts He bestows on us out of His goodness. Solomon was wise to anchor his prayer on God’s character rather than just His gifts. God’s (material) gifts come and go. If our rejoicing is grounded in them, our joy will also come and go. But God’s goodness is constant and everlasting. We can be assured that everything He does for His people flows out of His goodness. What we experience in life is either God giving us what is good (the green pastures and quiet waters) or God working out His good plan to give us what is good (the valley of the shadow of death leading us to green pastures and quiet waters).
What is your rejoicing anchored in? Is it anchored in God’s presence in your life and the privilege of worshipping Him in His holy (heavenly) temple? Is it anchored in the constancy and eternity of God’s goodness toward you in Jesus Christ? Solomon’s temple is long gone. The Levitical priesthood is no more along with the temple. But God has made His eternal dwelling in you and in the church of Jesus Christ. By pouring out the Spirit of truth, He has made you a true worshipper, who worships God in spirit and truth. God is good and He is good to you constantly and eternally because you belong to Jesus Christ through faith. Rejoice in God’s goodness always.