“How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you…” (Psalm 31:19).

In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Free me from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth. I hate those who cling to worthless idols; I trust in the LORD. I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place. Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak. Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors; I am a dread to my friends— those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side; they conspire against me and plot to take my life. But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me. Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Let me not be put to shame, O LORD, for I have cried out to you; but let the wicked be put to shame and lie silent in the grave. Let their lying lips be silenced, for with pride and contempt they speak arrogantly against the righteous. How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. In the shelter of your presence you hide them from the intrigues of men; in your dwelling you keep them safe from accusing tongues. Praise be to the LORD, for he showed his wonderful love to me when I was in a besieged city. In my alarm I said, “I am cut off from your sight!” Yet you heard my cry for mercy when I called to you for help. Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.
— Psalm 31

I’ve been taught about your stored-up anger, God, but I haven’t been adequately taught about your stored-up goodness. My picture of you is far more often of a stern disciplinarian rather than a generous giver of goodness.

How do you store up goodness? How do you dispense it? What motivates you to give some out? What does it mean when you choose to lavish it upon me?

I certainly fear you. I bend the knee to you. I express my total dependence upon you. I trust you. I love you.

Your storehouse must be HUGE, for your goodness is not for me alone but for all those who fear you. You warned us as followers not to hoard and build even bigger barns to store up for ourselves. You must not be limited by the fear of selfishness. Your storehouses must be rebuilt to continue the overwhelming love you have for those you call your own.

I imagine there are no keys to your storehouse. You aren’t a miser.

No wonder David responded to you with a call to those who fear You, “Love the LORD, all his saints! (Psalm 30:23)