The Infinite Canopy: God’s Love and Righteousness
Psalm 36:5-6
“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep. You, Lord, preserve both people and animals.”
The imagery of Psalm 36:5-6 invites us into a sanctuary not made with hands, but constructed from the very attributes of the Creator. To read these verses is to stand at the edge of the known world and gaze into the infinite.
When the Psalmist declares that the Lord’s love reaches to the heavens, we are being told that God’s affection is not a finite resource; it is an atmospheric reality. Just as the sky blankets every inch of the earth, providing oxygen and protection, God’s grace is the environment in which our souls breathe.
This passage presents a vertical and horizontal architecture of the divine character. The faithfulness reaching to the skies suggests a reliability that transcends human shifting shadows.
We live in a world of broken promises, but the Psalmist anchors us in a reality where God’s word is as fixed as the stars. Then, we move to the highest mountains and the great deep. This contrast is intentional; it encompasses the highest heights of our triumphs and the lowest depths of our suffering.
The great deep reminds us that even in the darkest, most hidden parts of our journey—the places where we feel overwhelmed or underwater—God’s justice is present. It is not a cold, legalistic justice, but a restorative one.
His righteousness is like the mountains: visible, unmoving, and providing a foundation for all of life. It provides a landmark for the lost and a high ground for the weary.
The final note of this passage, that the Lord preserves both people and animals, reveals the tenderness of this cosmic power. The same hand that carved the mountains and measured the depths of the sea is the hand that gently sustains the sparrow and the servant alike.
This is a spiritual statement of total dependence. It is a call to rest in a Sovereignty that is as vast as the universe yet as intimate as a breath. We are not merely surviving by chance; we are being preserved by a Love that refused to stay within human boundaries, stretching instead to the very limits of creation to ensure that nothing is lost.
By looking at the mountains and the sea, we see more than just nature; we see the character of God written in the landscape. His righteousness is not a hidden secret but a towering reality that guards our lives.
His love is not a distant concept but an all-encompassing sky that covers us even when we forget to look up. To live within these verses is to find a peace that is as deep as the ocean and a security that is as high as the heavens.
The Spiritual Meaning of God's Love: Hesed and Agape
In the Hebrew of Psalm 36, love is Hesed. This signifies covenant loyalty or steadfast mercy. It is a love that binds itself to another by an unbreakable oath. In the Greek of the New Testament, the spiritual pinnacle of love is Agape. It differs from the "love" described and understood by people and world cultures. This is a selfless, sacrificial love rooted in the divine will rather than mere emotion.
Matthew 5:45: "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." This verse illustrates the impartial and universal nature of God’s love.
Psalm 136:1: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." This highlights the eternal and unwavering endurance of Hesed.
1 John 4:10: "This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." This defines Agape as a proactive and redeeming force.
John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever is believing in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” This serves as the ultimate manifestation of Agape in action.
The spiritual implications of God's justice: Tzedakah and Dikaiosyne
In the Hebrew Scriptures, Tzedakah primarily refers to God’s righteousness and just actions. It encompasses alignment with God’s Word, His laws, His will, and the divine order and principles, rather than the human concept of “charity.” While human charity is often considered voluntary acts of compassion, Tzedakah carries a divine significance: it emphasizes the restoration of God’s justice. For example, spiritual poverty is viewed as a form of injustice, and helping the spiritually impoverished attain spiritual salvation fulfills God’s righteous mandate rather than being merely an act of goodwill.
The spiritual essence of Tzedakah lies in its reflection of God’s justice and mercy. Those who practice Tzedakah emulate God’s attributes. In Jewish tradition, it is seen as a path to spiritual growth, purifying the soul, bringing forgiveness, and maintaining the balance of God’s created order. The highest form of Tzedakah is helping others receive spiritual salvation, rather than merely offering material assistance, alms, or treating the needy with dignity. Its ultimate goal is the restoration of spiritual justice in alignment with God’s will.
In the Greek Scriptures, Dikaiosyne refers to being “righteous” or “just” before God. It reflects a believer’s pursuit of holiness, sanctification, and moral integrity, which are granted and sustained by faith in God. Dikaiosyne emphasizes the spiritual state of living in accordance with God’s standards, maintaining a holy and upright position, and embodying the ethical and moral righteousness that arises from communion with God.
Mark 12:30-31: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself." This is the practical fulfillment of living in Tzedakah and Dikaiosyne.
Psalm 11:7: "For the Lord is righteous, he loves justice; the upright will see his face." This connects Tzedakah to the intimacy of seeing God.
Matthew 6:33: "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." This emphasizes the priority of aligning our lives with Dikaiosyne.
Psalm 33:5: "The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love." This shows that God’s righteousness is the foundation of earthly order.
Conclusion: God’s love (Hesed and Agape) is steadfast, selfless, and sacrificial, rooted in His law and divine will rather than human emotion. God’s righteousness (Tzedakah and Dikaiosyne) reflects integrity and justice in alignment with His will, emphasizing the restoration of spiritual justice and manifesting His divine order and mercy. When we emulate God’s love and righteousness, our hearts are purified, our spirits grow, and we are set apart as holy. In doing so, we become vessels through which God’s supreme mercy and justice are revealed in the world, living out His glory and divine purpose.
