In July my family — parents, self, brothers, sisters-in-law, and nephews — had the opportunity to all spend some time together. We had doubled in size since the previous time we were all able to be together at once, which was eleven years prior, making it particulary special.

During that time, I began to work on a poem about the goodness of God. It seemed to me that the Lord blessed its writing (he did favorably answer prayers for help along the way), and it has been a very fruitful exercise for me personally. I share it in the hope that it will provide some benefit for others as well.

The Lord is good from age to age,
And from eternity;
His universe the grandest stage
To show his majesty.

The Lord is good — good of himself,
As nothing else can be;
He is, in truth, goodness itself —
He’s good essentially.

The Lord is good, the Holy One,
His purity astounds;
Of moral excellence the sum
In him is solely found.

The Lord is good in all he made,
His glory to declare;
Such pow’r and wisdom there displayed:
Perfections matchless fair.

The Lord is good, his law to give,
His creatures to instruct,
And teach them how to love and live
Rather than self-destruct.

The Lord is good — when man, he fell,
The promise swiftly came:
A seed to crush the serpent well,
Defeating Adam’s bane.

The Lord is good, when man rebelled,
God might all joys remove,
Yet judgment both and mercy fell —
Mercy triumphant proves.

The Lord is good, not man (sin-bent),
It’s God who’s good alone;
His kindness leads men to repent
Of all their evil done.

The Lord is good, good news he brings,
Behold, great joy descends;
To God in Heaven “Glory!” rings,
Goodwill and peace toward men.

The Lord is good: God gave his Son,
He loved the world so;
To all believing Heaven’s One
Eternal life’s bestowed.

The Lord is good, has loud expressed:
“Come, weary sinner, come!
Look unto me and find your rest” —
These words have struck me dumb.

The Lord is good, but who am I
That he should favor me?
That God who sits enthroned on high
Should speak so graciously?

The Lord is good — I’ve so much sin,
The mountain’s piled high;
No, would he — really — take me in?
And bring such blackness nigh?

The Lord is good, again he cries:
“Come, thirsty, hungry soul!
Come, without money, without price,
And I will make you whole.”

The Lord is good, yes, I believe!
And all my sin repent;
To Jesus Christ my soul I cleave,
My former ways relent.

The Lord is good, to him I run,
I’ve nowhere else to turn;
Without him surely I’m undone,
It’s for his words I yearn.

The Lord is good — Christ took my sin
With all its filth and guilt,
And then he loved me to the end:
His precious blood he spilt.

The Lord is good: where Adam failed,
Did Christ all perfectly;
What his obedience entailed
Was credited to me.

The Lord is good: by faith I’m clean
And clothed in righteousness;
None of my own, it’s Christ’s that’s seen,
What blessed happiness!

The Lord is good: he sacrificed
His life to give me mine;
O gracious, gracious Jesus Christ,
To bear full wrath divine.

The Lord is good — I love you, Lord!
Because you first loved me;
The price I never could afford
You paid to set me free.

The Lord is good, oh, would you know
The blessings here portrayed?
Believe in Christ, yes, him alone —
In Scripture he’s displayed.

The Lord is good — dear sinner, hear:
Eternal life he gives!
Your death no pleasure would him cheer;
Turn from your ways and live!

The Lord is good, his praise compel,
Ever his love remains;
All that he does he does so well,
His faithful love sustains.

The Lord is good, this, constantly,
Here meditate and learn;
Think on its regularity,
Do not his kindness spurn.

The Lord is good — no good have I
Apart from him, the Lord:
Each good comes down from God on high,
From whom they are outpoured.

The Lord is good, his gifts to give
In generosity;
Can I begrudge what I receive?
Do I belong to me?

The Lord is good: he’s brought me nigh
Within his courts to dwell;
His goodness has me satisfied,
This happy state I’ll tell.

The Lord is good: here in his house
I’m treated as a son;
A thousand days I’ve had without
Are here no match for one.

The Lord is good: no good I lack
If but I seek his face;
Now, lest I wrongly this unpack,
Some things, their lack is grace.

The Lord is good — soul, be content!
Your ways to God belong;
Do not his fleeting trials resent,
But praise his name with song.

The Lord is good when he reproves,
He’s altogether wise,
He chastens every son he loves;
Do not his rod despise.

The Lord is good when I do sin —
I should know better now;
Yet kindly I’m received back in
When I, confessing, bow.

The Lord is good when failure hurts —
“This wasn’t in my plan”;
Yet ask: Will God forget the work
That he himself began?

The Lord is good in loneliness —
He empathizes well:
In darkest hour of great distress,
His friends all left pell-mell.

The Lord is good, and strong beside —
Dear Christian, stay your fear!
The Mighty Warrior’s on your side,
And he’s both good and near.

The Lord is good through darkest night,
Oppressive though it be;
To God the darkness is as light,
His presence comforts me.

The Lord is good where few see mirth
And evil brings such harm;
God is the Judge of all the Earth,
Await his righteous arm.

The Lord is good when turmoils rise,
Reprieve no place in sight;
Pure rest o’er yon horizon lies —
Let there faith’s eye alight.

The Lord is good when I’m o’erwhelmed
And know not what to do;
By him this vessel’s surely helmed,
He’ll deftly steer it through.

The Lord is good, there’s none like you!
To help the troubled weak,
To work the awesome deeds you do —
Great God, whose face I seek.

The Lord is good — seek him in prayer,
On him cast every care;
His shoulders any weight can bear;
Take all and leave it there.

The Lord is good when I’m confused
And fog clouds all my view;
There’s none so thick it’s not suffused
With light his lamp imbues.

The Lord is good when thoughts intrude
Which crush or scare or grieve;
By Scripture is the mind renewed,
Made clean, at peace, and free.

The Lord is good when I feel done
And all my strength is spent;
Till life is o’er and race is won
Yet more strength shall be lent.

The Lord is good in pained remorse,
He’s sov’reign over all;
Both time and space are right on course:
They answer to his call.

The Lord is good, and in control,
So I can be at peace;
His providence is wonderful:
When trusted, what release!

The Lord is good when grieving strikes,
And leaves a gaping hole;
Joy comes with future morning’s light,
Have hope, O weary soul.

The Lord is good, to give or take —
It’s his prerogative;
And when he takes, to soothe the ache
His very self he gives.

The Lord is good: he gives himself!
And is he not the best?
Why, could you own the world itself
But have not Christ, and rest?

“The Lord is good in wilderness,”
The saint looks back, o’ercome;
“God — all the way until this place —
Carried me as a son.”

The Lord is good, yes, come what may,
Though pain, or death, or loss:
Christ washed my every sin away
By dying on the cross.

The Lord is good, and for my good —
He works things toward this end;
No other path to take they could,
To his good will they bend.

The Lord is good — to him commit
What deep within you roils;
To Christ your quest’ning heart submit —
Be freed from anxious toil.

The Lord is good, for Christ has ris’n:
It is just as he said;
May his true words fill all your vis’n,
Put unbelief to bed.

The Lord is good, His Word is clear,
And Yahweh cannot lie;
Take courage in the hope that’s here;
He won’t himself deny.

The Lord is good, past finding out —
With God I’ll not contend;
Like Job my hand is on my mouth,
I won’t speak back again.

The Lord is good — oh do not doubt!
Reject contrary thoughts;
Such lies the devil flings about —
To cause distrust he plots.

The Lord is good — fell Satan, reeled —
His works shall be destroyed;
For this cause Jesus was revealed,
And has his church employed.

The Lord is good — lift up your head!
Advance the cause of Christ;
He shall reward you as he said,
It’s well worth any price.

The Lord is good: he rose in pow’r,
His promises to keep;
Each word has its fulfilling hour,
So work, and know you’ll reap.

The Lord is good — oh, taste and see!
In him your refuge take;
By faith let Christ your portion be,
He shall you blessed make.

“The Lord is good!” my soul will cry,
Though testing sore assails;
Afflictions on the pathway lie
Till kingdom joy prevails.

The Lord is good — his kingdom comes,
Its march no force can slow;
Till Heav’n and Earth will be made one,
His reign builds here below.

The Lord is good, though godless war
Against his truth with gall,
They’ll not get very far before
Their folly’s plain to all.

The Lord is good, thus, patient be;
Is Heav’n not worth the wait?
Must you have all immediately?
Before there’s sight, have faith!

The Lord is good — brings justice forth
To ’stablish in each land;
He’ll not grow faint till all the Earth
Does wait for his commands.

“The Lord is good!” the tribes will cry,
All fam’lies join to sing;
The ends of Earth all drawing nigh
To worship Christ their King.

The Lord is good, restoring all —
On Earth, in Heav’n — to him;
The cosmos, ruined by the fall,
His cross-work shall redeem.

The Lord is good, oh praise his name!
His works are wonderful;
With gratitude your heart exclaim:
“He’s good unchangeable!”

The Lord is good at journey’s end,
For then what life begins!
To be with Christ, then rise again,
And ever without sin!

The Lord is good, the first to rise,
Defeated death itself;
One day I’ll — with my very eyes —
I’ll see Christ for myself.

The Lord is good — the grave surpassed,
Yes, my Redeemer lives!
He’ll stand on the New Earth at last
With all whom he forgives.

The Lord is good, oh happy thought:
A new and perfect home
Where all is fin’lly as it ought —
Such hope the Christian owns.

“The Lord is good” my firm refrain,
It’s true in life, in death;
The Lord is good — this is my claim
Until my dying breath!

The Lord is good, will always be,
And ne’er has changed — nor could;
This very goodness follows me,
The Lord he is so good!