Bible Commentaries

THEY THAT KNOW GOD TRUST HIM

‘They that know Thy name will put their trust in Thee.’

Psalms 9:10

I. Christ, in the prayer recorded in St. John 17, says: ‘I have manifested Thy name unto the men that Thou gavest me.’ And again, ‘I have declared unto them Thy name, and will declare it.’ The manifestation of God’s name is the manifestation of God. They that know His name know Him, and they put their trust in Him. Knowledge and faith are in inseparable alliance. Unbelief and ignorance go together.

II. Do you grieve over your want of faith?—Grieve over your want of knowledge. Look unto Immanuel, God manifest in the flesh. Remember His kindness towards the sons of men, His sacrifices of glory, felicity, power, rest, reputation, liberty, health, and life; remember what He has been to you individually; look at Him through His promises, invitations, and predictions, and trust in Him.

III. When any one withholds his confidence from you, you say, ‘He does not know me.’—The implication of the text is, that there is everything attractive about the character of God. It is impossible to know Him without being drawn to repose all confidence in Him, and to commit all our interests to Him. To know Him is to know in Him one Who is willing to employ infinite wisdom, knowledge, power, and wealth in the utmost possible promotion of our interests. To know Him is to know that without Him we are nothing—as dead men in respect to all true excellence.

Illustration

‘This is the first of the acrostic psalms in the Hebrew. It is a good thing to give thanks to God at all times, but not unfrequently the rush of praise for some marvellous interposition sweeps away the dam of ordinary reserve. It was as though the Psalmist had seen the enemies, which had gathered around his life, break and flee for no obvious reason but because they were confronted with the Divine Presence. So utter was their overthrow that their name was blotted out, and the enemy came to a perpetual end. God has done this so often that out of our own experience we may bid all oppressed ones take comfort. To all those who flee to Him in times of trouble God will be a high tower; only let us learn His name, His character, then trust will rise easily and naturally, and from trust we shall pass on to praise, and the declaration of His great deeds.’