My Soul Clings to You, Your Right Hand Upholds Me
(Psalm 63:8)

In Gentle and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers, Dane Ortlund shares a tender moment with his two-year-old son Benjamin at a swimming pool:

When my two-year-old Benjamin begins to wade into the gentle slope of the zero-entry swimming pool near our home, he instinctively grabs hold of my hand. He holds on tight as the water gradually gets deeper. But a two-year-old’s grip is not very strong. Before long it is not him holding to me but me holding on to him. Left to his own strength, he will certainly slip out of my hand. But if I have determined that he will not fall out of my grasp, he is secure. He can’t get away from me if he tried.

This simple story beautifully illustrates the doctrine often referred to as the perseverance of the saints—the biblical truth that those whom God truly saves, He also sustains. It is not ultimately our grip on God that preserves us, but His mighty hold on us.

In Psalm 63:8, David captures this same double reality: “My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” David’s clinging to God is made possible—and sustained—by God’s unwavering grip on him. The reason David can hold fast is because God first holds him fast. This is the deep assurance at the heart of the Christian faith, and it goes deeper than a ‘once saved, forever saved’ statement; it is a truth that permeates the whole of the Christian life.

 What Does it Mean to Cling to God?

What does the Psalmist mean to clinging to God? To cling is to hold fast, to embrace with deep love and trust. In Psalm 63, David speaks from a place of desperation and longing:

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water (v. 1).

He describes his soul’s longing for God like a parched desert traveller thirsting for water. And then he says, “My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food” (v. 5), a metaphor for deep, nourishing delight. For David, clinging to God meant treasuring Him above life itself (v. 3).

This idea is echoed elsewhere in Scripture:

You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him.²
If you will be careful to do all this commandment… loving the LORD your God, walking in all his ways, and holding fast to him.³

The Might of God’s Right Hand

Your arm is endowed with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.⁴

God’s right hand refers to His power, glory, and active intervention in the lives of believers and the world. It signifies God’s authority, strength, and the place of honour from which He works.

The Bible describes God’s redeeming Israel from slavery in Egypt as a demonstration of the power of His arm:

And the LORD brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders.⁵

In Christ, God displays His mighty right hand in vanquishing our greatest foes: sin, the devil and the flesh.

He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.  And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.⁶

This is the power that raised us from spiritual death and breathed new life into us when we were dead in our trespasses and sins⁷. Consider the mighty power of God that opened our hearts to faith⁸, shone the light of the knowledge of His glory in our hearts so we could behold the beauty of Jesus⁹, and replaced our hearts of stone with new hearts of flesh, malleable to his hand of grace¹⁰.

How did we come to love God? We love because He first loved us¹¹. How did we come to faith in Christ? All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out¹². No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day¹³. In the very place where Jesus affirms the Father’s hand brought us to Him in faith, He adds the double assurance that anyone thus brought to Him by the Father will be raised on the last day.

Reflecting on God’s saving acts in the lives of His people, the Psalmist notes:

Shouts of joy and victory
resound in the tents of the righteous:
“The Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!
The Lord’s right hand is lifted high;
the Lord’s right hand has done mighty things!”¹⁴

The same power that raised Christ from the dead works in us daily, conforming us into the image of its creator and making us more like Christ¹⁵. Even the desire to live a holy life springs from God’s work within us: It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure¹⁶. Our sanctification—just like our justification—is rooted in God’s initiative and sustained by His power.

Practical Applications

Christian, are you worried about your love for God? Do you fear your faith is too weak to endure the trials and temptations hurled at you by the world, the flesh, and the devil? Take heart: the God who saved you is the God who upholds you. The longing in your heart to please Him—even in its weakness—is evidence of His Spirit at work in you, renewing your nature after His image^15-16. He not only calls you to live a Christ-like life. He gives you both the desire and the power to live it^16-17.

Perhaps you’re saying, “I feel I’m not living up to God’s expectations.” God says, My right hand upholds you. Trust me, and stop focusing on your performance but instead on what Christ has already done on your behalf. I love you.  “I don’t feel worthy of Your love, considering my many failings.” My right hand upholds you. It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick¹⁸. I did not choose you because you were worthy—but by choosing you, I make you worth¹⁹. “My faith is so fragile, I fear I won’t endure to the end.” Trust in Me; My right hand upholds you. I will never leave you nor forsake you²⁰.

Is there a particular weakness or temptation that seems insurmountable? Ask God for strength to overcome. His right hand has ample power to uphold you. Do you feel at your wits end? ‘When we’ve reached the end of our hoarded resources, our Father’s full giving is only begun.’²¹

And how about you, my non-Christian friend? Is the arm of the Lord too short to save you? Even now, He stands ready to receive you. There is no sin so great that he cannot forgive. He is mighty to save. The vilest offender who truly believes, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives²².

Notes

1. Phil. 1:6.
2. Deut. 10:20.
3. Deut. 11:22.
4. Ps. 89:13.
5. Deut. 26:8.
6. Col. 2:13-15.
7. Eph. 2:2-4.
8. Acts 16:14.
9. 2 Cor. 4:6.
10. Ezek. 36:26; Jer. 31:33; Heb. 8:10.
11. 1 Jn. 4:19.
12. Jn 6:37.
13. Jn 6:44.
14. Ps. 118:15-16.
15. Col. 3:10.
16. Phil. 2:13.
17. Col. 1:29.
18. Mk. 2:17.
19. Thomas Watson.
20. Heb. 13:5 and Deuteronomy 31:6.
21. Annie Johnson Flint (1941).
22. Fanny Crosby (1875).

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“That you … may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”

Ephesians 3:17-19.

As we saw in the first post, the Apostle Paul’s prayer for believers in Ephesians 3:18 prompts us to comprehend the dimensions of God’s love – the breadth, the depth, and the height. Having explored the ‘length’ of God’s love in the previous article, which signifies the eternal nature of it, we now delve into the other three dimensions that further illuminate the complexity and enormity of His love.

The ‘breadth‘ of God’s love represents its extensive reach. God’s love is not reserved for a select few; instead, it encompasses all of humanity. Revelation 7:9-10 paints a vivid image of the immense multitude from every nation and language who have been recipients of God’s love. His love is not confined by geographical borders, cultural differences, or historical eras; it reaches out to everyone, everywhere:

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”

Revelation 7:9-10

Even today, here and now, God still is inviting people everywhere to come and be a part of His family. In John’s vision in Revelation quoted above, the great multitude represented people who had washed their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. This represents the great exchange that happens when we place faith in Jesus Christ: He exchanges our sins for His righteousness, typified by white robes. If you have yet to experience this transforming power of the blood of Jesus, I invite you to invite him into your life today. He stands ready to wash away all your sins and clothe you in His righteousness like this holy choir that John the revelator describes.

The ‘depth‘ of God’s love is reflected in the lengths that Jesus Christ went to demonstrate His love for us. The Apostle Paul, in Philippians 2:5-8, illustrates Christ’s humility and sacrifice, from setting aside His divine grandeur and putting on humble humanity, to experiencing a criminal’s death on a Roman cross:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6. who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7. but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(Philippians 2:5-8).

When C. S. Lewis contemplated the miracle of the incarnation, he wrote:

“In the Christian story God descends to reascend. He comes down; down from the heights of absolute being into time and space, down into humanity; … But He goes down to come up again and bring the whole ruined world with Him. One has the picture of a strong man stooping lower and lower to get himself underneath some great complicated burden. He must stoop in order to lift, he must almost disappear under the load before he incredibly straightens his back and marches off with the whole mass swaying on his shoulders. Or one may think of a diver, first reducing himself to nakedness, then glancing in mid-air, then gone with a splash, vanished, rushing down through the green and warm water into black and cold water, down through increasing pressure into the death-like region of ooze and slime and old decay; then up again, back to colour and light, his lungs almost bursting, till suddenly he breaks surface again, holding in his hand the dripping, precious thing that he went down to recover.”

Lewis beautifully captures how the King of Glory stoops low, stepping down from eternity into time, just to draw us up with Him to sit with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). Isaiah 53:2-5 further illustrates the profound depths of this love, as Jesus bore our iniquities, suffered, and died to offer us redemption.

Lastly, the ‘height‘ of God’s love indicates the transformative power of His love. We, once sinful and estranged, are now adopted as His children, seated in the heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). We have become fellow heirs with Christ, raised from the miry pits of sin (Romans 8:17). As 1 Samuel 2:8 (cf. Psalm 113:7-8) declares, God “raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes…“

Exploring the breadth, depth, and height of God’s love offers us a profound perspective on His character and His relationship with us. The vast reach of His love, demonstrated in the breadth, invites us to pursue His heart for our world, and to be unrelenting in our efforts to share the good news of His love to a world that is lost, broken and hurting, and in desperate need of salvation.

The depth of God’s love, mirrored in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, calls us to a deeper understanding and appreciation of His grace. It is in the depth of this love that we find forgiveness, redemption, and the promise of eternal life.

The height of God’s love, finally, symbolises the transformative power of His love. We are elevated from our sinful nature to become His children, who are adopted into His family and are filled with His Spirit (1 John 3:1-2). This serves as a powerful reminder of our worth in Christ: we are the people He purchased with His blood (Acts 20:28). We are loved and accepted in the Beloved! (Ephesians 1:6).

In our daily lives, these dimensions of God’s love should guide our actions and interactions. Having received such great love, we should extend the same love, compassion, and grace to those around us, mirroring the divine love we have received.

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“That you … may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”
Ephesians 3:17-19.

In today’s world, the concept of love is as varied as the people who experience it. Notably, human love can often be volatile and fleeting – one moment it’s a profound profession of love, and in the next, it can swiftly turn into words of resentment, especially in the context of intimate relationships. This inconsistency starkly contrasts the love of God. God’s love transcends human comprehension, it is steadfast, enduring, and unwavering. As we dive into the scriptures, we discover that one way to grasp this divine love is by contemplating its ‘length’.

In his epistle to the Ephesians, Paul prays for all recipients, whom he refers to as ‘saints and faithful in Christ’, to experience the zenith of all spiritual experiences: ‘that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.’

It is significant to note that Paul’s epistle was directed to the entire Church – all who are considered ‘saints,’ which simply denotes those called out or set apart – and not exclusively to the clergy or a special group of people. Throughout his letter, Paul consistently addresses all members of the Church as ‘saints’ (Eph 1:15, 18; 2:19; 3:8; 4:12; 6:18). Interestingly, the term ‘saints,’ appears 67 times in the New Testament and is invariably used in the plural form. Paul’s desire was for all the believers at Ephesus to attain this profound spiritual experience. We, as modern-day believers, are no different from these Ephesian Christians.

The Apostle underlines in his prayer, that the pathway to this spiritual summit lies in knowing ‘the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge’; to comprehend the dimensions of this love – its length, width, depth, and height. This is implied by the phrase, “that” in verse 19, which indicates that what precedes is a necessary condition for what follows:  

“and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:19).

Nota bene

It is important to note upfront that what proceeds is only applicable to the heart in which Christ dwells. The text makes this explicitly clear when it says, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and ground in love,” before continuing with “may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth…”. In other words, only the heart in which Christ dwells through faith can know this love that this article explores.

Next, it is essential to clarify the kind of knowledge being talked about here. The Bible uses the word “know” in two different ways. First, is head or sense knowledge. This kind of knowledge is merely intellectual and is not dependent on love. This is the kind of knowledge that the Apostle says, “puffs up”, contrasted by love, which “builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). One may know a lot about God and yet not know God. The second way in which the Bible uses “know” is translated from the Greek, “Ginosko“, depicting a living and deep experience, which stems from a loving and personal relationship with God. Interestingly, the Bible uses this expression to denote the intimate relationship between a husband and wife that leads to procreation (Luke 1:34). This kind of knowledge goes beyond sensory perception and permeates the heart that has made a home for Christ. Does your heart fit this description? Then you may proceed. If not, I invite you to invite Christ in, before we commence our journey.

What is the length of God’s love?

We start our journey by attempting to understand the ‘length’ of God’s love, signifying the endless and eternal nature of His love. At the start of his letter, Paul bursts into Apostolic praise, as he considered the fact that God’s love for His people began before he said “Let there be light“. In love He predestined us for adoption to Himself as sons through Jesus Christ, and chose us in Him [Christ] before the foundations of the world were laid in place (Ephesians 1:4-5). Again, notice how this sets the premise for all that follows in Paul’s letter – including this indescribable experience of embracing the fullness of God in the totality of our being.

Jeremiah 31:3 provides us with a profound affirmation of God’s everlasting love: “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee (KJV).” His love is ceaseless, unchanging, and unbroken, and it endures from eternity past to eternity to come.

Romans 8:35, 38-39 reassures us of the inseparable nature of God’s love, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“ No circumstance or power in the universe can sever us from this eternal love.

God’s love is like an unbreakable promise that persists no matter the situation, just as stated in Hebrews 13:5, “I will never leave you, nor forsake you“. This promise reflects the boundless length of God’s love. It started before time and will continue forevermore, uninterrupted and unchanging, irrespective of our shortcomings and failures.

Understanding the length of God’s love – its unchanging and everlasting nature – provides us with immense comfort and assurance. His love, ceaseless and steadfast, becomes our fortress and refuge in times of trials and tribulations. No matter the situations we face in life, we can remain secure in the knowledge that God’s love for us remains constant.

The length of God’s love reminds us of our worth in His eyes. Despite our imperfections and failures, He continues to love us with an everlasting love. This should encourage us to reciprocate His love, not out of obligation, but out of genuine gratitude and joy. Our actions, attitudes, and relationships should reflect this divine love that has been so generously bestowed upon us.

In conclusion, the length of God’s love is a testament to His unending commitment to us. It provides a foundation for our faith and shapes our Christian walk. As we continue to delve deeper into the dimensions of His love, let us not forget the profound truth found in the length of His love – it is eternal, unchanging, and forever faithful.

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