Well, let us turn to the portion
of Scripture we read, the 138th Psalm, Psalm of David, and I
want to direct you to the words that we find in the second verse,
Psalm 138, verse 2, I will worship toward thy holy temple and praise
thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth. for thou hast
magnified thy word above all by name. And the theme is God's
word magnified, that statement that we have in the final clause.
But to consider this second verse in its entirety, to see it all,
of course, also in the context of the whole of the psalm, The
end of the psalm we have quite a remarkable statement there
in the last verse, the Lord will perfect that which concerneth
me. My mercy, O Lord, endureth forever,
forsaking not the works of thine hands. It's interesting because
we have two different forms of address in the language that's
being used. First of all, He speaks of the
Lord. We have the nominative case. He speaks of God, the Lord, will
perfect that which concerneth me. But then the case changes
and he uses evocative and says, O Lord, O Lord, Endureth forever, forsaking not
the works of thy known hands. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever,
forsaking not the works of thy known hands. So we see how in
the opening clause there he speaks of God and then he speaks to
God. And is it not a truth that when
we speak of God and seek to understand something of the character of
God, the attributes of God, when we have right views of who God
is, that will always move us to prayer that will cause us
not so much to speak of Him, but to direct our words immediately
to Him. The right view of God will lead
to prayer. The right view of God will always lead to the act
of worshipping Him. And of course that's the note
on which the psalm really opens. I will praise thee with my whole
heart. Before the God will I sing praise
unto thee. I will worship toward thy holy
temple and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy
truth. for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. And in many ways the psalm, like
so many others, is a messianic psalm. It speaks to us of the
Lord Jesus Christ. And he is the one really that
is being spoken of in this second verse. Thou hast magnified thy
words above all thy name. So the first thing I want to
do is to consider what is said here concerning the Lord Jesus. The Word of God incarnate. These remarkable words that he
used so often in reference to the Lord Jesus, the familiar
words that opened the Gospel according to Saint John. We all
know that remarkable passage, in the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was
in the beginning with God. All things were made by him,
without him was not anything made that was made. And then
John goes on, the Word was made flesh. The Word was made flesh
and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the
only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. The three that bear record in
heaven. Says John there in 1 John 5,
7, the three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word,
and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And what is David saying here
in the text? I will worship, he says, toward
thy holy temple. And praise thy name for thy lovingkindness
and for thy truth, for thou hast magnified thy word above all
thy name. The Word is the same One, really,
who is spoken of as the Holy Temple. And He is that One in
whom we see the lovingkindness and all the truth of God. Think
of that expression that we have here, thy lovingkindness. It's a Hebrew word that's so
bound up, really, with the idea of the covenant. It reminds us
of God's covenant faithfulness, reminds us of the sure mercies
of God, reminds us of his sovereign grace, thy loving kindness. It's a great word, a Hebrew word
of course, and it's translated in a variety of different ways,
but more often than not, we have this remarkable double-barreled
word to to translate it, loving kindness. God's faithfulness
to all that He has declared in the covenant of His grace. And the Lord Jesus, of course,
is that one who is the mediator of the new covenant. I will make an everlasting covenant
with you, says the Lord God, even the sure mercies of David. Behold, I have given him for
a witness to the people, a leader and a commander to the people. Here is that one then who is
being spoken of. And doesn't John again remind
us there in that opening chapter of his gospel that grace and
truth came by Jesus Christ. Here is David praising God's
name for his loving kindness. that that would, in the fullness
of time, be fully revealed with the coming of David's greater
son. But Christ, of course, is that
one who is also the truth. Here is worship and praise to
God for thy truth, it says. And the Lord declares as much,
doesn't he? in the Gospel, I am the way,
the truth and the life. No man cometh unto the Father
but by me. And John, again it's John writing
there in the book of the Revelation and speaking of the glorified
Christ, the Amen, the faithful and true witness. And how many times do we see
recorded in the the Gospel, in John's Gospel, the ministry of
the Lord Jesus and His use of that word verily. So often He will prefix His teaching
with a single verily, sometimes with a double verily, verily,
literally of course, Amen, Amen. And it means truly, in the Authorized
Version language it's verily, but it's a significant word.
It's underlining the blessed truth that He is the Armé. He
is the faithful and the true witness. He declares all the
truth of God. He comes to make known that full
and final counsel of the Almighty. And do we not hear in a sense
three things really with regards to this person? We have mentioned
of course of God's name. I will worship toward thy holy
temple and praise thy name for thy loving kindness and for thy
truth." And we know that God's name is very much the declaration
and the revelation of Himself. And think of what the Lord God
has done concerning that name. that is given to the Savior.
God also has highly exalted him, we're told, and given him a name
which is above every name, that is the name of Jesus. Every knee
should bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord. To the glory
of God the Father. He is Jesus, yes. Thou shalt
call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people. It's the Hebrew
name Joshua, the Greek form Jesus, but it means the Savior. But
He is also the Lord, Jesus being His human name as it were, and
then Lord reminding us of His deity, just as Christ reminds
us of His office. And what does Peter confess concerning
Jesus of Nazareth? Thou art the Christ, the Son
of the Living God. Oh, He is that Jesus, He is the
Christ, He is the Lord, He is the Son of God, He is all of
these things. How significant are our names? We know that here in Holy Scripture. We see it in the ministry of
the prophets. We see it in what Isaiah is told
to do there in that 8th chapter of his prophecy. where the prophetess
is with child, and the child will be born, and is to give
the child that strange name, Meir Shalalashvatz. And the margin
tells us what that weird name means, in making speed to the
spoil he hasteneth to pray. And there in that 8th chapter
of Isaiah is part of the message of the prophet to Judah, and
in a sense also to Israel. Israel is in league with Syria
and they're against Judah and they're scheming for the destruction
of Judah but then the Assyrians will come and overrun Israel
and overrun Syria also. And here is a message in making
speed to the spoil, he hasteneth to pray, why the Assyrians will
come soon, Sennacherib will descend with his armies. And this is
a message then of condemnation to Israel, and yet a message
of comfort to Judah. And it's then in the following
chapter that we have that remarkable prophecy concerning the Lord
Jesus. Behold, the child born and the son given,
the government upon his shoulders, and his name. He is to be called
Wonderful Counsel of the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace. So, in chapter 8, the name is
a message to Judah, and then in the following chapter, we
have that name that is the proclamation. of all that Jesus Christ is and
all that Jesus Christ will accomplish. This is that same one also spoken
of previously in Isaiah 7. Behold, a virgin shall conceive
and bear a son and call his name Immanuel. And those words taken
up there at the end of Matthew 1 at the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. He is that Immanuel which means
God's with us. Oh, he is that one then who has
these remarkable knives, we might say. But what of his person? What of his person? Well, he
is that one who has come to reveal God, because he is the eternal
son of God. He is the brightness of his glory.
He is the express image of his person. He is the image of the
invisible God. No man We're told of seeing God
at any time, the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of
the Father, He hath declared Him. And then when we think of
His works, the works that He has accomplished, do we not see
in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that final revelation
of God in all His holy attributes? We might see His majesty, His
greatness, His glory in creation. We can witness his faithfulness
in his providential dealings, but when we come to consider
that work of redemption that the Lord has accomplished, here
all the attributes of God come together. And all these attributes
harmonize, mercy and truth are met together. Righteousness and
peace have kissed each other. God is just. He's a just God and a Savior.
is just, and is the justified of them that believeth." We see
then how that all the attributes, the holiness, the righteousness,
the justice, together with love and mercy and grace, all come
together in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And so, what do
we have here in the text? I will praise thy name for thy
lovingkindness and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy word
above all thy name that name that is so highly exalted
in the work of the Lord Jesus and Gatsby expresses it so beautifully
in the verse of the hymn, doesn't he? in his highest work, redemption,
see his glory in a blaze. Nor can angels ever mention aught
that more of God displays. Grace and justice here unite
to endless days. Oh, it is the incarnate Word
then who is being spoken of in the verse, that Word that has been magnified,
above all the name of God. That's for that final revelation
that God has given of himself. And why has God magnified that
name? He has done it in order to the
salvation of sinners. Those words of the apostle writing
in Philippians 2, that God also has highly exalted him. and given
him a name which is above every name that the name of Jesus every
knee should bow and every tongue confess of things in heaven and
things in earth and things under the earth he is exalted and on the day
of Pentecost Peter reminds us why why God has done this work
why he has raised Christ and given that seal to his work and
now received him into the highest courts of heaven being by the
right hand of God exalted Peter says he's the one who has shed
forth this which he now see and hear he is exalted in order to
the coming of the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit is his gift it
is the exalted Christ who sends him abroad at best of all the
donations of God to apply that salvation that he accomplished
there upon the cross at Calvary. He is exalted, the Prince and
the Saviour, to give repentance to Israel
and the forgiveness of sins. And now we're told, aren't we,
here in the sixth verse, O the Lord be high, yet that he respects
unto the lowly. but the proud he knoweth far
off or how he humbled himself and humbled himself to that cruel
death of the cross to be exalted and he will himself therefore
take account of those humble and those lowly ones Peter says
be clothed with humility God resisted the proud but God giveth
grace unto the humble This is that one then who is said before
us in the text. It is the incarnate word that
we are to recognize, that word magnified above all the name
of God. But then, if one might coin a
word, is there not also here some reference to what we term
the inscripturated word? the inscripturated Word, as well
as the incarnate Word. In other words, the Word of God
that we have in Scripture. The Scriptures and the Lord bear
one tremendous name. The written and incarnate Word
in all things are the same. Those lines in Joseph Hart's
hymn, how true they are. Isn't the Lord Jesus that one
who is revealed to us here in the Scriptures? When there was
nothing of the writings of the New Testament Scriptures, he
says to the Jews, search the Scriptures, that would be the
Old Testament Scriptures, search the Scriptures, for in them you
think that you have eternal life, and these are they that testify
of me. And we know how on that road
to Emmaus, as he speaks with those two, who were so full of
doubts and fears with him. and he opened their understanding
as he spoke to them out of the Lord of Moses out of the prophets
and out of the Psalms the things concerning himself he is here
in the scriptures and his words his words are the true words
of God the words that I speak unto you he says they are spirits
and they are life and it is his word that we come
to when we gather to worship God and we attend to the authority
of that word if we worship we have to recognize that it is
God's word that is to regulate us God is a spirit says Christ
the true worshipers they worship the Father in spirit and in truth
it is the truth of God's Word that is to regulate all that
we do as we come before Him that scripture that can never be broken
and we are to bow to the authority of it look at what it says in verse
4 all the kings of the earth shall praise you O Lord when
they hear the words of thy mouth all the words of his mouth now
the words of him who is the king of kings and lord of lords and
where the words of a king is there is power and it is here in scripture that
we have that word you know how the psalms really celebrate in
some ways the word of God we see it very much in the 119th
psalm At home, we were recently again
reading through that longest of all the Psalms. It was divided
into 22 sections, 8 verses in each section. As I've said before,
of course, it's all built really around the 22 letters of the
Hebrew alphabet. In the Hebrew, in that opening
section, all of the sentences begin with the letter Aleph. And then in the next section,
they all begin with the letter Beth, and right through all the
letters of the Hebrew alphabet. And of course, it is in that
language that God has given to us the Old Testament Scriptures.
And then as we said also in those 176 verses, in all but two verses
there is some reference to scripture under various synonyms. The word
of God, the law of God, the statutes of God, the judgments of God.
It's a remarkable psalm. Such a wonderful celebration
of the truth of God that we have before us in Holy Scripture. And it's not just that 119th
Psalm, but we have something very similar, really, in the
19th Psalm. Again, these various synonyms
are used in reference to the Word of God. Verse 7, the Lord
of the Lord is perfect. Converting the soul, the testimony
of the Lord, is sure, making wiser, simple. The statutes of
the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart. The commandment of
the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord
is clean, enduring forever. The judgments of the Lord are
true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than
gold, yea, than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey. and
the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is thy servant
warned, and in keeping of them there is great reward." And how
strange it is that amongst those various names that are given
to the Word we find the fear of the Lord. The fear of the Lord. Say, Christian,
wouldst thou thrive in knowledge of thy Lord against no scripture
ever strive but tremble? at His Word, we're to tremble
then at the Word, because God has magnified the Word above
all His name, we're to revere it. We're to revere the sacred
Scriptures. Why do we revere it? Well, two
things, because God's Word is true, but also because God's
Word is trustworthy. It is true. And we see that,
don't we, in the text. What is David about? He is praising
God's name for His truth. I will worship toward thy holy
temple and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy
truth. All God's Word is truth. God
is not a man that He should lie. nor the son of man that he should
repent, hath he said it, shall he not do it, hath he spoken
it, shall he not make it good? He is true to his word. I have sworn by myself, he says,
the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness and shall not
return. We know that when God gave his
promise to Abraham Because he could swear by no greater, he
swore by himself. And that's the way in which he
has magnified the Word of Scripture above all his name. Because if
his word of promise fails, God has failed. And God is no more. He has taken an oath. He has
sworn by himself. Heaven and earth shall pass away,
he says, but my words shall not pass away. Not one jot or tittle
shall pass from the law, says Christ, till all be fulfilled. The scripture cannot be broken. Ebenezer Erskine says, God has
a greater regard unto the words of his mouth than to the works
of his hand. God has a greater regard to the
words of his mouth than to the works of his hands." And Erskine
is preaching when he makes that statement on this very text of
Scripture. Thou hast magnified thy word
above all thy name. What do we have? We have promises
and precepts. We have gracious invitations,
solemn warnings. And we are to take heed then
to the Word of God. The Lord Jesus says, take heed
what you hear. And then again the Lord says,
take heed how you hear. How we're to be careful hearers
in. Faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the Word of God. And we're not to be partial.
Malachi the prophet rebukes a priest in his day, there in Malachi
2.9, because they were partial in the law of God. Or we have
to embrace it in its totality. We don't cut it to pieces like
the modernists will rifle through the Old Testament
Scriptures and reject this and reject that and say this is myth
and that's Bible. and finish up really with hardly
anything at all. No, we're to embrace God's Word
in its entirety because God's Word is true. And then also that
Word that is true is a trustworthy Word. David praises the name of God
not only for his truth but for his loving-kindness. What did
we say concerning loving-kindness? It speaks to us of covenant faithfulness. His covenant faithfulness. His
sure mercies. That lovely passage at the end
of Micah. They will perform the truth to
Jacob and the mercy to Abraham. Those are parallel statements.
God says, by His servants, Micah thou wilt perform the truth to
Jacob and the mercy to Abram which they were sworn to our
fathers from the days of old. Oh, the God whose word is true
is that same one who is always faithful to that word. He is a trustworthy God. And all of it, you see, pointing
to the Lord Jesus Christ, ultimately. Because that's what the scriptures
do, they reveal Him. He's the fulfillment of all that
we have in the Old Testament. The Old Testament, as you know,
is full of type. Why, the temple itself is a type.
The Lord says, doesn't He destroy this temple, and in three days
I'll build it again? And they imagine He's talking
about that physical building there in Jerusalem, but He's
speaking of His own body. The temple is a type. And so
it is worship toward God's holy temple. That's worship that centers
ultimately in the Lord Jesus Christ. And all the promises
of God in Him are yea, and in Him are men. Oh, when we come
to prayer, this is our comfort, is it not? When we pray in his
name, what does he say here at the end? The Lord will perfect
that which concerneth me. The Lord will perfect his work
in us. He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it until
the day of Jesus Christ. The Lord will perfect that which
concerneth me. Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth forever,
forsake not the work. of thine own hands, or if the
Lord has begun with us. That work will be continued and
perfected in the day of the Lord Jesus, that one in whom all those
promises are yea and amen. What a blessed security we have
when we come before this God in prayer. We have the Word,
that is the Word of God incarnate, we have the Lord Jesus as our
great High Priest our advocate, our mediator and we have the
word of scripture and all that God says here and
the assurance that we can find look at what David says in the
following third verse in the day when I cried thou answerest
me and strengthenest me with strength in my soul all this
is a God that we At dealings with us we come to pray. This
is David's testimony. Now this is really one of those
exceeding great and precious promises that we have from him
who cannot lie, the Lord Jesus himself. It is his words. In the day when I cried, thou
answerest me, and strengthenest me with strength, in my soul
or might we then live to prove the truth of it and be those
who desire to worship and to praise so good and so gracious
the Lord God as he is I will praise you with my whole heart
before the God will I sing praise unto thee I will worship toward
thy holy temple and praise thy name for thy loving kindness
and for thy truth for thou hast magnified thy word above all
by name. May the Lord bless these few
broken words and thoughts to us tonight. Let us now worship
God again as we sing our second praise before we come to prayer.
128 is the hymn. The true news all well 201 Christ bears the name of all
his saints, deep on his heart engraved, attentive to the state
and wants of all his love has saved. In him my weary soul has
rest, though I am weak and vile, I read my name upon his breast
and see the Father smile. 128, Tune 201.