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1 year ago
The Source of All Goodness: Finding True Joy in God Alone
The psalmist David declares in Psalm 16:2, "I say to the Lord, 'You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.'" These words are a powerful testament to David's deep trust and reliance on God as his ultimate source of goodness. In this psalm, David takes refuge in God and acknowledges that all goodness comes from Him alone.
God is the source of all goodness. As the creator and sustainer of all things, God is the one who determines what is good. In Genesis 1, we see that after God created everything, He looked at His creation and declared it to be very good. This shows us that God's goodness is not only a subjective opinion, but an objective reality. Every good thing in this world derives its goodness from God.
Anselm of Canterbury, a medieval theologian, recognized the existence of a supreme good that makes all other goods good. He argued that there must be a source of all goodness, and that source is God. This idea aligns with David's declaration in Psalm 16:2. David acknowledges that apart from God, there is no true good. Everything else is derived from and dependent on God's goodness.
God's goodness is unique. While created goods are finite, temporal, and subject to change, God's goodness is infinite, eternal, and unchanging. The apostle James affirms this truth in James 1:17, stating that every good gift comes from above, from the Father of lights, who does not change. This means that God's goodness is not limited or temporary. It is perfect and eternal.
Moreover, God's goodness is not just a quality that He possesses, but it is essential to His being. God is not merely good; He is goodness itself. His attributes are perfect and distinct from the attributes of His creatures. He is the standard of righteousness, wisdom, strength, and goodness. Jesus Himself affirmed this when He said, "No one is good except God alone" (Mark 10:18). God's goodness is absolute and unmatched.
Since God is the source of all goodness and possesses all goodness, He has no need of our goodness. He is self-sufficient and lacks nothing. As Paul writes in Acts 17:24-25, God does not live in temples made by man nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything. He is the giver of life and everything we have comes from Him. Our goodness does not add anything to God's goodness. Instead, it is through His all-sufficiency that He can meet our needs and be our refuge.
In Psalm 16, David expresses his dependence on God's goodness and his recognition that everything he has comes from God. He does not offer God his own goodness as a gift, but rather acknowledges his own poverty and need for God's provision. This is a humbling realization that highlights the greatness and generosity of God.
We can take comfort in the fact that God's goodness is not something that can be exhausted or diminished. It is infinite and inexhaustible. As the psalmist writes in Psalm 16:11, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." In God's presence, we find ultimate joy and fulfillment. He is the source of all pleasure and true happiness.
To illustrate the greatness of God's goodness, Jonathan Edwards uses the analogy of drops and the ocean. Earthly pleasures and relationships are like drops of water compared to the vastness of the ocean that is God's goodness. They are temporary and fleeting, while God's goodness is eternal and satisfying. Edwards highlights that our highest good and true happiness can only be found in God. Everything else is but a shadow compared to the substance of God's goodness.
In conclusion, Psalm 16:2 reminds us that God is the ultimate source of all goodness. He is the Supreme Good that makes all other goods good. His goodness is unique, infinite, and unchanging. We cannot add anything to God's goodness, as He is self-sufficient and lacks nothing. Our ultimate joy and fulfillment are found in Him alone. May we, like David, take refuge in God and acknowledge that apart from Him, there is no true good. Let us find our greatest pleasure and satisfaction in the presence of the One who is the fountain of all goodness.
God is the source of all goodness. As the creator and sustainer of all things, God is the one who determines what is good. In Genesis 1, we see that after God created everything, He looked at His creation and declared it to be very good. This shows us that God's goodness is not only a subjective opinion, but an objective reality. Every good thing in this world derives its goodness from God.
Anselm of Canterbury, a medieval theologian, recognized the existence of a supreme good that makes all other goods good. He argued that there must be a source of all goodness, and that source is God. This idea aligns with David's declaration in Psalm 16:2. David acknowledges that apart from God, there is no true good. Everything else is derived from and dependent on God's goodness.
God's goodness is unique. While created goods are finite, temporal, and subject to change, God's goodness is infinite, eternal, and unchanging. The apostle James affirms this truth in James 1:17, stating that every good gift comes from above, from the Father of lights, who does not change. This means that God's goodness is not limited or temporary. It is perfect and eternal.
Moreover, God's goodness is not just a quality that He possesses, but it is essential to His being. God is not merely good; He is goodness itself. His attributes are perfect and distinct from the attributes of His creatures. He is the standard of righteousness, wisdom, strength, and goodness. Jesus Himself affirmed this when He said, "No one is good except God alone" (Mark 10:18). God's goodness is absolute and unmatched.
Since God is the source of all goodness and possesses all goodness, He has no need of our goodness. He is self-sufficient and lacks nothing. As Paul writes in Acts 17:24-25, God does not live in temples made by man nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything. He is the giver of life and everything we have comes from Him. Our goodness does not add anything to God's goodness. Instead, it is through His all-sufficiency that He can meet our needs and be our refuge.
In Psalm 16, David expresses his dependence on God's goodness and his recognition that everything he has comes from God. He does not offer God his own goodness as a gift, but rather acknowledges his own poverty and need for God's provision. This is a humbling realization that highlights the greatness and generosity of God.
We can take comfort in the fact that God's goodness is not something that can be exhausted or diminished. It is infinite and inexhaustible. As the psalmist writes in Psalm 16:11, "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." In God's presence, we find ultimate joy and fulfillment. He is the source of all pleasure and true happiness.
To illustrate the greatness of God's goodness, Jonathan Edwards uses the analogy of drops and the ocean. Earthly pleasures and relationships are like drops of water compared to the vastness of the ocean that is God's goodness. They are temporary and fleeting, while God's goodness is eternal and satisfying. Edwards highlights that our highest good and true happiness can only be found in God. Everything else is but a shadow compared to the substance of God's goodness.
In conclusion, Psalm 16:2 reminds us that God is the ultimate source of all goodness. He is the Supreme Good that makes all other goods good. His goodness is unique, infinite, and unchanging. We cannot add anything to God's goodness, as He is self-sufficient and lacks nothing. Our ultimate joy and fulfillment are found in Him alone. May we, like David, take refuge in God and acknowledge that apart from Him, there is no true good. Let us find our greatest pleasure and satisfaction in the presence of the One who is the fountain of all goodness.
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