Our Love versus His Love

“I love you, O LORD, my strength” (Psalm 18:1)

Did you know that a phrase like this only occurs twice in all of the Psalms? Does it seem odd to you that a verbal expression of love to God occurs so infrequently in a collection of prayers to God in Scripture? I thought so.

It’s also interesting to note that the phrase “I love …” is directed toward God’s word at least nine times. Really? Almost five times more does the psalmist express love for God’s laws and commandments than he does for God himself.

But do you know what really amazes me? The psalmist praises God’s love for us more than twenty times! For instance: “I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD forever” (Ps 89:1); “I will sing of steadfast love and justice” (Ps 101:1); “Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love” (Ps 143:8).

God’s Love is the Big Idea

What are we to make of this?

If the Psalms are any indication, it appears God’s love is a much bigger deal than ours. That is not to say that our love for God is unimportant. It is surely an essential indication of a regenerated life.

But the Psalmist helps us to realize that we need to make much of his love for us–even ten times more than our own love for him!

The apostle John helps us with this. He writes, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Isn’t that the good news anyway? His love, not our love.

Let’s make this our testimony: “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases” (Lamentations 3:22).

That’s the big idea.