Saved by God's Name

Psalm 54:1,2

    Well may we ask, ''What is there in a name?" Our names seldom say what we truly are. Mr. Long may be far shorter than others in his age group and race. Mr. Brown may have white skin, and a man named Daniel — which name means "my judge is God" — may be a man who walks in a way that reveals anything but trust in God as his judge.

    But when we consider God's name, we must insist that He is everything that His name declares. He is the Almighty One, the self-sufficient Jehovah Who needs nothing and no one outside of Himself. And He is Lord and must not simply be called such.

    It is for that reason that David in Psalm 54:1, 2 writes, "Save me, O God, by Thy name, and judge me by Thy strength. Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth."  For there is nothing and no one from whom He cannot save us. David uses His name Elohim here, which means the Almighty One. That not only makes our prayer wise, but it gives us the confidence that God can save us.

    Therefore our versification has it thus (PRC Psalter):

    O save me by Thy name
    And judge me in Thy might;
    O God now grant my urgent claim,
    Acceptance in Thy sight.

    And the salvation for which David prays is not merely from the enemies of flesh and blood, but also from Satan and his host, and thus also from the power and love of sin that holds us as we are by nature, and because of which we deserve to be judged worthy of the same punishment as that to be given to Satan, the fallen angels, and all unbelievers.

    But consider that God's name also is Savior. And when we pray to Him to save us and judge us by His name, we are asking for the benefits of the cross of Christ, namely the full blotting out of our sins.  Then we need not fear God's wrath, nor anything Satan and his host can do to us.

    Never, then, no never forget in your prayers to ask for salvation from sin. And never, no never approach the almighty God in any other way than through His Son, Who earned the right of salvation for us.

Read: Psalm 54 
Psalter versification: #147:1

Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Song for Meditation: Psalter #28
Why not sing along??

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:

1 Kings 22:1-53 
Acts 13:16-41 
Psalm 138:1-8 
Proverbs 17:17-18

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Quote for Reflection:

“Once more the sword of the world-power shall be turned against the saints of Christ.  They shall be killed.  And besides, they shall be allowed no room in that empire of Antichrist.  Social and economic outcasts they shall be.  In the literal sense of the word they shall be cast out. For they shall not be allowed to buy or sell unless they worship the beast and his image.  All this will literally be realized in the period of the Antichristian dominion.  No one can escape this persecution.  And hence, there will be great tribulation, such as the world has never seen before. ~ Herman Hoeksema