In Psalm 118, the Psalmist makes a simple yet profound statement.

Psalm 118:1 (ESV)
¹Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

These words are repeated in ver. 29 of the same Psalm, and then again in Psalms 106:1.  Similar words are found in Psalm 100.

Psalm 100:5 (ESV)
⁵For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Psalm 119 has this to say about the goodness of God.

Psalm 119:68 (ESV)
⁶⁸You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

The Psalmist is not the only one who lauds the goodness of the Lord.  In fact, declaring God’s goodness and love was a common refrain for the Hebrews.

2 Chronicles 5:13 (ESV)
¹³and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud.

Ezra 3:11 (ESV)
¹¹And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Jeremiah 33:11 (ESV)
¹¹The voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord: “ ‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’ For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

Nahum 1:7 (ESV)
⁷The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

Yes, the Lord is good.  It is indeed a profound truth.  We do not know why God is what He is; we only see the reality, and the fact is that He possesses certain attributes for which we should be eternally grateful, and His goodness is one of them.

Can you imagine, especially in view of His omnipotence, what it would be like if God were evil instead of good?  Instead of steadfast love and faithfulness, there would be only bad in the world, if there were a world at all.  Even if God were only partially good, we would be in deep trouble.  No wonder the Bible tells us to be thankful for His goodness; our very existence depends upon it.

Let us never take the goodness of God for granted.  We should celebrate it and praise God for it, and we should always be thankful.  For the rest of this week, I want us to think about some of the blessings we enjoy simply because God is good.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.