Psalm 113:2
“Blessed be the name of the LORD
from this time forth and for evermore.”
~ Psalm 113:2
This whole Psalm is one of pure devotion. From beginning to end, the Psalmist mingles prayer with praise—a concoction that sends up a most sweet aroma. After reading it, one could easily begin to meditate on the thousand mercies that attend our way every day. Every point of mercy is a condescension of the Lord who is “high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens” (Psalm 113:4). This Psalms exalts the Lord God with amazement: “Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!” (Psalm 113:5-6).
The first direction in our verse is to bless His name, “Blessed be the name of the LORD.” A reference to His “name” exists in each of the three opening verses of this Psalm. The name of the Lord speaks to us of power, authority, wisdom, etc. The mention of His “name” exhorts us to contemplate all of His attributes, all of His names.
A name is an identifier and a way that God reveals Himself to us. He is jealous of His name, “I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images” (Isaiah 42:8), and so should we be jealous of His name. In this regard, may we have the testimony of Phinehas, of whom it is written, “He was zealous for his God” (Numbers 25:13). Though a rose may smell just as sweet by another name, we cannot presume to change the name of God and offer to Him a sweet savor.
To give God a new name would be to worship a false god. We often give names to the people around us. These may be derogatory or complementary and usually reflect something that we presume about the person we have so labeled. To approach God this way would be for the creature to find out the Creator rather than the Creator revealing Himself to the creature. This is man’s attempt to define, and thus limit God. God is not boxed in by man. He is the “high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy” (Isaiah 57:15).
The godhood of God is in His name and anything other than receiving His testimony concerning Himself is idolatry. This is discomfiting to the egalitarian feminists, humanists, evolutionists, postmodernists, et al. However, they have “set themselves . . . against the LORD,” and consequently, “the Lord shall have them in derision . . . speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (Psalm 2:2, 4-5). Except these repent of their idolatry, they will finally be made to bow at His name and be cast from His presence forever (Revelation 20:12-15).
The direction to bless is set in a perpetually present day—“from this time forth.” Each day is the day of blessing the name of the Lord. The birth of every new day is a reminder of the covenant faithfulness of our God, who vowed, “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22). It should sober us to think of how we cannot today praise God yesterday. That opportunity is gone, but while it is yet today, we may praise Him.
This should be our daily activity. “From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’s name is to be praised” (Psalm 113:3). “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24). Let us continue in blessing the name of the Lord “from this time forth and for evermore.”
Luke 18:7
“And shall not God avenge his own elect,
which cry day and night unto him,
though he bear long with them?”
~ Luke 18:7
Our verse contrasts God with “the unjust judge” in the previous verses. This man was unrighteous—he “feared not God” (Luke 18:2). He was also without compassion and mercy—he “neither regarded man” (Luke 18:2). He refused to hear the case of the plaintive widow “for a while” (Luke 18:4), though she was oppressed by an “adversary” (Luke 18:3). The widow was one who had no power to avenge herself. She was easily oppressed and taken advantage of, if none would intervene on her behalf. For all of this, the unjust judge was neither compelled to relieve her by duty nor by love.
However, eventually, the woman was avenged. Interestingly, the judge’s heart did not soften to her pitiful estate; neither did his neck bend to transcendent justice. He was made neither righteous, nor caring, but the widow won her case only by “her continual coming” (Luke 18:5). She found neither love nor mercy with this wicked judge, but she did find justice, although it was served both tardy and cold.
The contrast, and the lesson learned by it, could not be more blatant. God is “the righteous judge” (2 Timothy 4:8) and “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25). God cannot forsake justice. Though He is “slow to anger,” He “will not at all acquit the wicked” (Nahum 1:3). The unjust judge did not consider the widow in her estate, but God is “A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows” (Psalm 68:5).
Ah, but the contrast continues. In His judgment, God is neither petty nor austere. With Him is found mercy and love in abundance: “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth” (Psalm 86:15). All of His judgments of His people are bathed in mercy: “For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: He doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow, and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment” (Deuteronomy 10:17-18). It is not only that He can show mercy, but “he delighteth in mercy” (Micah 7:18). Mercy is His delight and rejoicing.
Furthermore, the judge had no personal connection with the widow. She was simply another demand on his time. He found her an inconvenience—“this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me” (Luke 18:5). What was it to him whether she found justice or not? So, the contrast is furthered by considering the relation of the Righteous Judge to “his own elect, which cry day and night unto him.” These are His people that cry unto Him. Though a woman could discard “the son of her womb,” refuse to “have compassion,” and “forget” him, God says to His people, “yet will I not forget thee” (Isaiah 49:15). He declares, “Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continuously before me” (Isaiah 49:16).
In light of this testimony, our text is a conclusion that cannot be otherwise. The context of our verse is a parable, and a peculiar one at that. It is peculiar because it is prefaced by the primary purpose for the parable. The first verse tells us, “And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” The whole must be interpreted in light of this purpose, especially our text. If this widow found justice at the hands of an unjust judge solely by her perseverance, how could it be possible that the people of God shall not be delivered when they cry day and night unto their Father? And, shall their deliverance not be much greater through the hands of their benevolent Father in heaven? Christ also answered the question, “I tell you that he will avenge them speedily” (Luke 18:8).
We must not think that our faith shall not be tried in this matter. Christ frames the promise saying, “though he bear long with them.” As the people of God labor for His cause in the world, as they go forth to war for the sake of His kingdom, they meet with opposition and oppression. This word is spoken to us not to despair of His deliverance, for it seems to us He delays it. It not only seems that way to His people, but also to their enemies. For this cause, they revile and mock, as they did David: “My tears have been my meat day and night, while they continually say unto me, Where is thy God?” (Psalm 42:3). Do we think the man after God’s own heart should have to wait patiently on the Lord’s salvation and we shall not suffer the same? Though we wait on the vindication of Christ in us, we must not despair. “He will avenge them speedily.”
We must give heed that His people “cry day and night unto him.” I see no promise without this cry. Our resolve must be as the Psalmist who declared, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me. Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and he shall hear my voice” (Psalm 55:16-17). This fervent prayer was not birthed from personal desire for success, nor was it for deliverance from inner personal struggle. His heart was “sore pained” with the “terrors of death” upon him (Psalm 55:4). He cried, “Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me” (Psa. 55:5). Why? “Because of the voice of the enemy, because of the oppression of the wicked: for they cast iniquity upon me, and in wrath they hate me” (Psalm 55:3).
Oh that we would take up the cause of Christ in the world today! Oh that we would be so jealous and zealous for His honor that we would “cry day and night” in prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). Oh that we would cry unto God day and night that the nations would be subdued under His feet and that they would give Him the glory due unto His name (Psalm 96:7-8)! Amen!
John 10:4
“And when he putteth forth his own sheep,
he goeth before them,
and the sheep follow him:
for they know his voice.”
~ John 10:4
Neither space nor time will permit us to exhaust this rich treasure of God’s Word. Numerous draws could be made and the well would still be springing up in abundant supply. We shall have to pass over many things and yet, let us commune with our Lord in this text.
Immediately, we approach this passage knowing Christ says, “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11). He is “that great shepherd of the sheep” (Hebrews 13:20). We know also that the sheep are His people, whom He “must bring” (John 10:16) to glory. This rich knowledge prompts the faithful declaration, “For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand” (Psalm 95:7).
The overwhelming characteristic mark of His sheep is that they “follow him.” Not only this, but “a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him” (John 10:5). In all cases, in all conditions, the sheep follow the Shepherd.
We cannot escape the fact that “he putteth forth his own sheep.” This language brings to mind a forcible action. He puts them forth. Unfortunately, this may imply laxity or reluctance of the sheep, but let us rather consider it as revealing the mind of the Shepherd for not only does He put them forth, He “goeth before them.” This speaks then of His guidance of His sheep. He sends them forth to accomplish His purpose and goes before them to lead, prepare, and keep them in His way.
That “he putteth forth his own sheep” speaks of the purpose of the Shepherd. He does not put them out; He puts them forth. The harried mother, whose head is dazed by a dozen things that have gone wrong at once, will put the children out to play that she may collect her thoughts and set things back in order. However, that same mother will rise up in the morning with clear thought and put the children forth to do their morning chores. So, they are put forth with purpose and the Shepherd does this when He puts forth His sheep.
When the Shepherd puts forth His sheep, He also “goeth before them.” He puts them forth with purpose that He might lead them. He leads them to “green pastures,” “beside the still waters,” and “in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake” (Psalm 23:2-3). Not only does He lead them to the pleasant places, but He also conducts them through the dangerous miles. He leads them through “the valley of the shadow of death” and to a “table . . . in the presence of mine enemies” (Psalm 23:4-5). Because of His abiding presence, the sheep can say in the dark valley, “I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). The sheep need not be overly concerned about which path they are on at the moment, so long as the Shepherd is with them.
The dependence of the sheep upon their Shepherd cannot be overstated. They need to be put forth. They need to be led. They need to follow their Shepherd. Without Him, they cannot find the pleasant places of rest and restoration. Without Him, they cannot safely traverse the dangerous paths where they are refined and sharpened. Ah, but with Him, they are safe and rest securely for “they shall never perish.” They are “the sheep of his hand” and “neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). Praise God, what a Shepherd! Let us sing with Sis. Kathryn Parrish:
Praise God, what a shepherd! He died not in vain;
Oh, He knows His sheep, and He calls them by name;
He goeth before them, And they know His voice;
Him only they follow, And in Him they rejoice.
