Our Fountain of Life

Meditations on the Psalms 

August 23, 2022

Our Fountain of Life

For you are the fountain of life,

    the light by which we see.

Psalm 36:9

The parallels between David’s Psalm 36 and modern times are many. In the centuries since the Industrial Revolution, people have grown in their confidence to master their environment. There has developed a growing belief that through the power of human intellect, better government and education, the ills of human society can be cured.

The psalmist declares there are but two alternatives: humanity or divine grace. In the more recent evolution of society, a third alternative has been established. Instead of the “Either / Or” of the psalmist, there is a “Both / And” movement that tries to hold to both a belief in God and confidence in human ability. On the surface, this movement seems to be an appropriate position, but there is a huge problem with the “Both / And” approach.

The “Both / And” approach creates a temptation to dismiss or ignore the parts of Scripture we do not like, or do not understand; and instead, trust our own judgment and intellect. When we do so, we leave the “Both / And” camp and move into the Humanist camp.

Karl Barth is considered by many as the most important theologian of the Twentieth Century. He was in the “Both / And” camp, leaning more to the Humanist approach for solving the world’s problems. Then came WWI and the evidence of human depravity was overwhelming. After a fresh reading of the Book of Romans, Barth aligned himself with the psalmist’s expression of the sovereignty of God.

Living under the sovereignty of God does not ignore human intellect and potential; it affirms that human intellect and potential are fully realized within God’s divine grace and will.

My Takeaway: Thus, we can sing with the psalmist:

Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens;

    your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds.

 Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,

    your justice like the ocean depths.

You care for people and animals alike, O Lord.

     How precious is your unfailing love, O God!

All humanity finds shelter

    in the shadow of your wings.

 You feed them from the abundance of your own house,

    letting them drink from your river of delights.

 For you are the fountain of life,

    the light by which we see.

Psalm 36: 5-9 

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2022 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.