Tonight, we concluded our Bible study on ’12 Steps To Thankfulness’, making booklets with memory verses in them on the themes we have been studying about God’s character. The last 5 attributes were discussed tonight.
God is Faithful
God’s goodness, love and faithfulness are often interlinked in the Psalms (see Ps 25:10; Ps 36:5; Ps 86:15; Ps 145:13). God is loyal to us. He does not leave us in the lurch, but works constantly on our behalf and for our good. God’s faithfulness means no matter how deep the hole in which we find ourselves, He is there with us. (Ps 139:7-12) God does not leave us or forsake us, but remains faithful even when we are faithless. (2 Tim 2:13)
God is Righteous
The Psalms frequently talk of God’s righteousness (see Ps 9:8; Ps 11:7; Ps 36:6; Ps 89:14). God always does what is right and so His laws are also righteous (Ps 119:75a). He can’t be swayed by evil or corruption or tempted to do wrong (see James 1:13). We can be thankful that God is incorruptible and grateful that He clothes us with His righteousness, allowing us access to a holy God.
God is Holy
The purity of God is part of His essential nature. He is holy – set apart from all that is unclean and therefore His name is holy and His dwelling is also holy (see Ps 11:4; Ps 99:3, 5; Ps 68:5; Ps 33:21; Ps 77:13). Far from being put off by God’s holiness, the psalmists see this as a reason for worship (Ps 99:5, 9). We can be thankful that God is not like humans and that He has made a way for us to be holy, even as He is holy (see 1 Pet 1:15-16).
God is Glorious
God’s glory is mentioned in many psalms (see Ps 29:1-3, Ps 63:2, Ps 96:6-8; Ps 97:8; Ps 145:11). ‘Glory’ can be a hard thing to define, but is described in terms of light – dazzling us in its brilliance – and weight – coming down upon the people like a heavy cloud. Ps 57:5, 11 talks of God being exalted and His glory being over all the earth; the psalmists also see creation as being a testimony to God’s glory (see Ps 19:1, Ps 8:1). God’s glory shows us His ultimate sovereignty and authority over evil; Ps 66:2 urges us to ‘sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.’
God is Strong & Powerful
We have a God who is both strong and powerful (Ps 18:2; Ps 61:3; Ps 68:34-35; Ps 89:13; Ps 140:7; Ps 147:5). Many psalms use imagery from creation to emphasise God’s power; His voice, for example, is described as powerful and majestic, thundering over the waters and breaking the cedars of Lebanon (see Ps 29:3-5) and Ps 104:3 talks of the clouds being God’s chariot. We often feel helpless, weak and inadequate, but we can be thankful because God is all-powerful and is our stronghold in times of trouble. (Ps 9:9; Ps 37:39)
