By John BJ Hall
I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. Psalm 16:8–9
§§§§§§§
Bernard of Clairvaux believed that we should love God, for who He is without limitation. The hymn is reminiscent of the Psalms of David in that it uses simple clear language to declare that Jesus is worthy of our praise. He invites the worshiper to surrender every worldly care and celebrate the One who died for us.
He believed that the motive for loving God is God Himself. The hymn shows Jesus to be the efficient cause and the final object of our love.
Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all our hearts, souls, and minds. We have no higher joy or calling than this.
§§§§§§§
Father, I love You. You are the source of life and love. Without Your love, I wouldn’t even know what love is. I treasure You and want my life to be more like You. Thank You for the love You showed on Calvary. Help me to demonstrate love in my relationships with others. You said that the next great commandment was to love others as I love myself. I commit myself to loving others as You loved me. Amen.
______________
This is an excerpt from the soon-to-be-published HYMNS OF PRAISE Vol 4: A Devotional Guide to the Hymns of Our Faith © Copyright 2024 by Passages Ministries Publications.