“But the LORD shall endure forever: He has prepared His throne for judgment.
And He shall judge the world in righteousness, He shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.”
(Psalm 9:7-8)
The word eternal is sometimes used, both in Scripture and in ordinary language, to express something of exceedingly long duration or something whose end is not known. Occasionally it refers to a duration that has a beginning but no end—such as angels and the souls of men, which began in time but will not cease. But eternity, in its strict and proper meaning, belongs to God alone. It signifies a duration without beginning, without end, and without succession. Only God is eternal in this way.
To suppose that there was ever a time when God began to exist is contrary both to reason and divine revelation. If God is the Creator, He must exist prior to creation itself. The Scriptures are plain: “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God” (Psalm 90:2). The same word tells us He is without end: “The Lord shall endure forever” (Psalm 9:7). He is called “the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity,” and “the everlasting God,” the “First and the Last.”
Being eternal, God experiences no succession, meaning there is no before or after in Him. Change is the mark of creatures, not the Creator. He does not grow, learn, improve, or diminish. He is, in fullness, what He always has been and ever shall be. “Thou art the same,” the Psalmist writes (Psalm 102:27). From everlasting to everlasting, He is God. This does not simply refer to a continuation of being; it is perfection in being. The whole of God’s infinitely perfect essence is present always, at once, without fluctuation or decay.
By contrast, all created things are in constant flux. Stephen Charnock observed that human beings are ever gaining and losing; acquiring strength and then fading; changing physically, emotionally, intellectually, even morally. But with God there is no change. He exists in a single, uninterrupted act of being—complete, whole, perfect.[1]
This unchangeable, eternal nature of God is our comfort. Because He does not change, His Word does not change. His promises remain. His purposes will not fail. His mercy is not diminished by time, nor His love swayed by shifting tides. As believers, our anchor is secure in the constancy of an eternal God who governs all and remains ever faithful.
Contemplation:
- God Without Beginning or End. I try to stretch my thoughts to grasp what it means for God to have no beginning, but I fall short every time. Everything I know began at some point… everything except You, Lord. You always were. This causes me to bow in awe. You are not measured by time; You are above it. And though my mind cannot fully understand Your eternality, my heart rejoices to know You are the everlasting God.
- God Without Change. I am constantly changing—my emotions, desires, strength, and understanding. But You never change. You remain perfect, steady, whole. Your promises don’t falter. Your grace doesn’t fade. Your Word doesn’t wear out. I praise You for being the one unchanging anchor in a restless world.
- God’s Judgment is Eternal. Because You are eternal, Your judgments are never unjust nor rash. You see all things clearly and judge with perfect knowledge. I take comfort that no injustice will go unanswered and no righteousness will be overlooked. Your throne is established forever, and all the world shall answer to You.
- God’s Presence is Everlasting. You dwell in eternity, high and lifted up, yet You are near to the lowly. That the eternal God would dwell with the contrite and revive the heart of the broken is beyond my comprehension. And yet, You say it is so. Lord, make me humble, for I long to dwell with You.
Prayer (Adoration):
O eternal and unchanging God, I lift my soul to worship You. You are from everlasting to everlasting, the same yesterday, today, and forever. Time has no hold on You. You are not marked by days or years, nor moved by decay or growth. You are complete in Your being—perfect, full, and whole. I adore You as the One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy. Before the mountains were formed, before light was called into being, before a single angel sang, You were.
Lord, I worship You because there is none like You. Everything I see and know is fleeting, but You endure forever. The ground beneath me may tremble, nations may fall, the heavens may be rolled up like a scroll, but You remain.
You never grow weary, never falter, never change. Your judgments are anchored in Your eternal wisdom. Your justice flows from a throne that cannot be shaken. Your Word is forever fixed, for it proceeds from the mouth of One who is outside of time.
You are the I AM—always present, always sovereign. I adore You not only for Your eternality, but for the kindness You show to frail creatures like me. That You would dwell with the contrite and revive the heart of the humble, that is a mercy too great to measure. You reign in the highest glory, yet You bend to lift up those who fear You.
How can I not exalt Your name, O Lord? You have no beginning, yet You know my frame. You have no end, yet You hold my future. You are infinitely beyond me, yet intimately near. In You, I find stability. In You, I find truth. In You, I find every reason to worship.
Let my lips ever praise You. Let my heart never cease its adoration. May I honor You with a life that reflects the fear and love I have for the everlasting God. And when I falter, bring me back to the comfort of Your unchanging mercy. You are my God, eternal and true.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Psalm 9:7-8:
Ps. 11:4, 47:8, 93:2; Lam. 5:19; Ps. 102:12, 103:19; Isa. 66:1; 2 Peter 3:8; Job 36:26.
[1] Stephen Charnock, The Complete Works of Stephen Charnock, vol. 1 (Edinburgh; London; Dublin: James Nichol; James Nisbet and Co.; W. Robertson; G. Herbert, 1864–1866), 352.
