Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!
(Psalm 118:1)

by Kevin Tse

These days the word “good” can be taken many different ways. It can be used to describe a state of being, ability, or a character quality. Usage of the word “good” has also become rather relativistic, being used to denote that something is better than something else. The main issue with this usage of the word “good” is that it is completely divorced from the true definition of “good”, which can only be described as “that which is inherently God”.

God is good, and He defines what “good”-ness means. First, God is good because He is perfect (Matt 5:48). Second, God is good because He is a God of blessing, to believers and unbelievers alike (Matt 5:45). We all experience the common grace of God that sustains our lives on a daily basis. God particularly promises to bless the nation of Israel (Genesis 17:7-8), and the church (Eph 3:20-21). Third, God is good because He is righteous and holy (Is 6:3).

God defines goodness on His terms, and we all fall short of His goodness (Rom 3:10,23). This is called sin, and it is what separates us from God. Our salvation, therefore, cannot come from ourselves because we have no inherent goodness or righteousness of our own. We can only be saved because God, being rich in mercy, bestowed upon us the blessing of the righteousness of Christ. It is Christ’s imputed righteousness that is the ultimate manifestation of the goodness of God to us, and God’s imputed righteousness is what saves us from the punishment of sin (Phil 3:8-9).

Sometimes, even the strongest believer forgets the goodness of God (Ps 13, 73). This is what happens when we take our eyes off the eternal and instead focus on the present. Sometimes it appears that the wicked are getting away with anything they want (right before our very eyes!), while the believer is left to suffer. In those times, we must recall that we were never promised an easy life (John 15:18-20), but instead what we are promised is that our ultimate reward is an inheritance that is stored up in heaven with Christ, imperishable and eternal (1 Peter 3:7).

We have a choice when we are faced with doubting the goodness of God. We can choose to doubt the veracity of His promise that he causes all things to “work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom 8:28). We can choose to ignore the answered prayers and faithfulness He has demonstrated to us in the past, and focus only on the present trial. We can choose to forget His eternal promise of blessings to those who have run the race faithfully (Rom 5:3-5, 1 Peter 1:3-9). But the Bible is clear that though we may choose to doubt, God is truly good from everlasting to everlasting.

In Psalm 73 we see that it is only when we can regain our eternal perspective by entering “the sanctuary of God” (Ps 73:16-17) that we are reminded of the goodness of God. Only then will we see that the wicked does not truly prosper (for their reward is a just punishment administered on their day of judgment), but also that our heavenly rewards are super-abounding and an overflowing reminder of the goodness of God towards us. Even more, God has not left us to ourselves, but has blessed us with His Holy Spirit who is continually with us. It is as if God’s infinite goodness lives within us (and walks with us) at all times. This is what caused the Psalmist to write some of the most comforting words in all of scripture, when he writes (Ps 73:23-28):

Nevertheless, I am continually with you;
you hold my right hand.
You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but you?
And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
For behold, those who are far from you shall perish;
you put an end to everyone who is unfaithful to you.
But for me it is good to be near God;
I have made the Lord GOD my refuge,
that I may tell of all your works.