Psalm 36

“Your mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. our righteousness is like the great mountains; Your judgments are a great deep; O Lord, you preserve man and beast. How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Your wings. They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the river of Your pleasures. or with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light. Oh, continue Your lovingkindness to those who know You, and Your righteousness to the upright in heart." Psalm 36:5-10 (NKJV)

God’s mercy, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgment all work together to give us a glimpse of His holiness. It is not arbitrary that David combines these attributes in his worship of the Lord as he sought refuge under His “wings.”  The grace of God is shown to men, even though all men are sinful, and we can be confident that God will show us mercy whenever we turn from our sin. He literally protects the same people who, before repentance, deserve His rebuke. When we see the word “wings,” we should be reminded of the prophet Malachi as he is speaking of Messiah.

“But to you who fear My Name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings; and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.” Malachi 4:2 (NKJV)

Jesus described His desire to show mercy, particularly concerning those who killed and stoned the prophets, as that of a mother hen extending her wing of protection to her wandering chicks.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!” Matthew 23:37 (NKJV)

Not only do repentant sinners come under the protection of the Lord, but also His direction, His “light” (John 1:4), and provision, quite literally the “fountains of living water.”

“And the Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ And let him who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17 (NKJV) (Revelation 21:6)

“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns—broken cisterns that can hold no water.” Jeremiah 2:13 (NKJV)

“Jesus answered and said to her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, “Give Me a drink,” you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.’” John 4:10 (NKJV) (Proverbs 13:13-14; Proverbs 14:27)