“His love endures forever…His love endures forever…His love endures forever…His love endures forever.” (Psalm 118: 1-4)

David, the likely author of Psalm 118, finds himself again in a dangerous, potentially fatal military engagement (118:5-13); yet, he begins this psalm not pleading for rescue, but asserting God’s essential goodness and underscoring His enduring love. 

Let’s not miss this: David’s four-fold repetition spotlights God’s love. With David and all of Israel, those of us “who fear the Lord” (118:4) can readily recount instances of God’s love evidenced in scripture and in our own lives. But as we approach Holy Week, let’s focus on Jesus. What does God’s steadfast love look like in Jesus?

We see Jesus’ love evidenced in His continual interactions with the outcast, the lower class, the marginalized. He cares, He heals, He sees them. 

This love crosses class distinctions, and even as Jesus challenges, even accuses, religious leaders and the wealthy class, it’s evident He loves them, too.

Jesus’ love doesn’t vacillate depending on how well we’re living the Christian life. Even if we reject Him or betray Him, He steadfastly loves; He still moves toward us. Witness Peter’s threefold rejection, coming fast on the heels of Jesus’ specific warning. Did the resurrected Jesus reject Peter? Of course not; as He gave Peter specific tasks, He encouraged Peter to proclaim his love three times (John 21). Jesus forgave Peter’s “waywardness and loved [him] freely” (Hosea 14:4); He does the same for us.

Religious leaders repeatedly rejected Jesus, seeing Him as a threat, but Jesus was undeterred. The joyous crowd welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem, loudly praising Him (Luke 19), would soon reject Him when He wouldn’t act as their political messiah. Did this rejection deter Jesus? Make Him angry? No. He wept for them in the midst of celebration (Luke 19:41) and continued toward Golgotha.

What does steadfast love look like? Watch Jesus as He walks, unwaveringly, to a torturous death on a cross. Hands outstretched, now willing to give the crowd exactly what they want. That’s enduring love. The angry mob, His grieving mother, His mostly-scattered disciples could not see this as love, but, oh, how we recognize it this side of the cross. 

“I have loved you with an everlasting love…I will never leave you or forsake you…Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet My unfailing love for you will not be shaken” (Jer. 31:3, Deut. 31:8, Isa. 54:10). Meditate on what amazing, steadfast, enduring love God has for us. As David urges, let’s raise our praise: