Psalm 36:5-10 reveals God’s character through five attributes: His love reaches to the heavens, His faithfulness to the skies, His righteousness stands like mountains, His justice runs deep as the ocean, and His care extends to all creation—offering refuge, satisfaction, and life to those who trust Him.

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Psalm 36:5-10 contains some of the most beautiful descriptions of God’s character in all of Scripture. David writes these verses as a direct contrast to the wickedness he describes in the opening verses of the psalm. Where sin leads to destruction, God’s nature provides refuge and life.

These six verses pack in more truth about who God is than most of us could absorb in a lifetime. David uses creation itself—the heavens, the sky, mountains, and oceans—to help us grasp the magnitude of God’s love, faithfulness, righteousness, and justice.

But he doesn’t stop with descriptions. He shows us what all of this means for us practically: We can find refuge under God’s wings, satisfaction in His presence, and light for our path.

 

Verse 5: Your Love, Lord, Reaches to the Heavens

“Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.”

David starts with God’s love. Not just any love, but love that reaches to the heavens. Think about what that means. Stand outside on a clear night and look up. The stars you see are so far away that their light takes years to reach you. Some of those stars might not even exist anymore—you’re seeing light from the past.

That’s the kind of distance David is talking about. God’s love isn’t limited by space or time. It’s not confined to what you can see or touch or measure.

The Hebrew word here is chesed, which means steadfast love, loyal love, covenant love. This isn’t emotion that comes and goes based on feelings. This is committed, faithful, unchanging love that pursues you regardless of circumstances.

Then David adds faithfulness. If God’s love reaches to the heavens, His faithfulness reaches to the skies. These aren’t two different things—David is using Hebrew poetry to emphasize the same truth twice. God’s love is faithful. His faithfulness is loving. You can’t separate them.

 

Verse 6: Your Righteousness Is Like the Highest Mountains

“Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.”

Now David shifts to two more attributes: righteousness and justice. He uses mountains and oceans to help us understand.

Mountains represent stability. They don’t move. They don’t shift with trends or opinions. God’s righteousness stands firm like Mount Everest. What is right and wrong doesn’t change based on culture or generation. God’s standard remains constant.

But then David mentions justice being like the great deep—the ocean depths. Scientists estimate that about 80% of the ocean remains unexplored. We don’t know what’s down there. We can’t fully comprehend the depths.

That’s God’s justice. We see some of it. We understand parts of it. But the full extent of how God will make all things right goes beyond our ability to grasp. His justice runs deeper than we can measure.

 

Verse 6 (continued): Lord, You Preserve Both People and Animals

“Lord, you preserve both people and animals.”

This verse reveals something essential about God’s care. He doesn’t just care about humanity—His provision extends to all of creation. Jesus said that not even a sparrow falls to the ground without the Father knowing (Matthew 10:29).

The word “preserve” means to save, deliver, or keep safe. God actively maintains His creation. He doesn’t just set things in motion and walk away. He’s involved. He’s present. He’s sustaining all of life moment by moment.

If God cares for animals, how much more does He care for you?

 

Verse 7: How Priceless Is Your Unfailing Love

“How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.”

David calls God’s love priceless. You can’t buy it. You can’t earn it. You can’t trade for it. It’s freely given and infinitely valuable.

Then comes one of the most comforting images in Scripture: taking refuge in the shadow of God’s wings. This isn’t abstract theology—it’s a picture of safety and intimacy.

Picture a mother bird with her chicks. When danger approaches, she spreads her wings and the chicks run underneath. They’re completely covered. Protected. Hidden from threat.

That’s what God offers you. When life feels overwhelming, when enemies surround you, when you don’t know where else to turn—God’s wings are spread wide. Run underneath. Find refuge there.

 

Verse 8: They Feast on the Abundance of Your House

“They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.”

David isn’t talking about physical food here. He’s describing spiritual satisfaction. In God’s presence, there’s abundance. Not scarcity. Not just enough to get by. Abundance.

The word “feast” means to be saturated, to drink deeply, to be fully satisfied. God doesn’t offer you scraps. He offers a banquet.

And notice the phrase “river of delights.” Not a trickle. Not a stream. A river. Constant flow. Endless supply. God’s goodness keeps coming.

But here’s what matters: This feast, this river—they’re only experienced by those who come to His house. By those who seek His presence. You can’t feast from a distance. You have to sit at the table.

 

Verse 9: For With You Is the Fountain of Life

“For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.”

Everything David has described up to this point leads to this conclusion: God is the source of life itself. Not just physical life, but abundant life. Meaningful life. Life that satisfies.

A fountain doesn’t just hold water—it produces it. It keeps flowing. God doesn’t just give life once and then step back. He’s the ongoing source. Every breath you take, every beat of your heart, every moment of existence comes from Him.

Then David adds: “In your light we see light.”

Without God’s light, we stumble in darkness. We can’t see clearly. We don’t understand truth. We miss what matters. But when God shines His light, everything becomes clear. We see ourselves accurately. We see Him rightly. We see life as it truly is.

 

Verse 10: Continue Your Love to Those Who Know You

“Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.”

David ends this section with a prayer. He asks God to continue—to keep doing what He’s always done. Keep loving. Keep being righteous. Keep providing refuge and satisfaction.

But notice who receives this: those who know God and the upright in heart. Not those who just know about God, but those who actually know Him. There’s a difference between knowledge and relationship.

You can know facts about someone without knowing them personally. David is talking about relationship. About people who have tasted God’s goodness and want more of it. About people who have taken refuge under His wings and don’t want to leave.

 

What This Passage Means for You

Psalm 36:5-10 isn’t just beautiful poetry. It’s an invitation.

God’s love reaches to the heavens—it’s big enough for whatever you’re facing. His faithfulness extends to the skies—He won’t abandon you. His righteousness stands firm—you can trust His character. His justice runs deep—He will make all things right.

And because of who He is, you can take refuge in Him. You can feast at His table. You can drink from His river of delights. You can find life and light in His presence.

But you have to come. You have to seek Him. You have to run under His wings instead of trying to protect yourself. You have to sit at His table instead of filling yourself with everything else this world offers.

David learned these truths through experience. He knew what it felt like to need refuge. He understood the difference between seeking satisfaction in the world versus seeking it in God. He discovered that only in God’s presence could he find what his soul truly needed.

The same is true for you. God’s character hasn’t changed since David wrote these words thousands of years ago. His love still reaches to the heavens. His faithfulness still extends to the skies. His wings are still spread wide, offering refuge to anyone who runs to Him.