Psalm 9:10

“Those who know your name will put their trust in you; for you, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

In reading the Holy Scriptures, we should not be satisfied with inquiring into their sense and meaning, but should mark very particularly the character of God, as set forth in them. In the sacred volume, the portrait of Jehovah, if I may so express myself, is drawn, as it were, at full length; so that, as far as such weak creatures as we, are able to comprehend his Divine Majesty, we may form correct notions respecting him.

Few people ever enjoyed better opportunities for discovering his real character than David, who was favored with such ample manifestations of God’s power and grace. On what occasion he wrote this Psalm, we know not. It is clear that he wrote it subsequent to his bringing up of the ark to Mount Zion, and before he had vanquished all the surrounding nations. But from all that he had seen and known of God, he gives this testimony respecting him, “Those who know your name will put their trust in you; for you, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.”

For the elucidating of these words, I will endeavor to show:

I. What the knowledge of God’s Name imports.

1. God’s name imports, not merely a knowledge of the different names by which he is called, but a knowledge of him in his own essential perfections.

He was pleased to reveal himself to Moses in express terms, declarative of all his glorious perfections, “Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished! Exodus 34:5-7.” But he had previously placed Moses in a cleft of the rock in Horeb, Exodus 33:19-23; which rock was a very eminent type of Christ; and I doubt not but that this was intended to show that in Christ alone, God could be so viewed by fallen man. It is in Christ alone that all these perfections unite and harmonize; and in Christ alone can God be called “a just God and a Savior! Isaiah 45:21. Romans 3:26.”

Now, to apprehend God aright, we must have a view of him as revealed in the person of his Son, who is “the image of the invisible God, Colossians 1:15,” the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, Hebrews 1:3.” It is in Christ’s face alone that all the glory of God shines forth! 2 Corinthians 4:6.

2. God’s name imports a knowledge of him in all his diversified dispensations.

A view of God’s dispensations is particularly marked in my text, as necessary to a just estimate of his character, “Those who know your name will put their trust in you; for you, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” In truth, it is from the history of God’s dealings with his people, far more than from any abstract descriptions of him in the sacred writings, that we learn to estimate his character aright. When did he ever forsake one who sought him? “When did he ever say to any, Seek my face in vain, Isaiah 45:19.” Never did he reject one mourning penitent, or abandon one who humbly and steadfastly relied upon him. His compassion to the penitent, and his fidelity to the believing soul, have never failed. From the beginning of the world has he been, in these respects, “without variableness or shadow of turning, James 1:17.”

This we learn from the Prophet Samuel, “The Lord will not forsake his people, because it has pleased him to make you his people, 1 Samuel 12:22.” True, he may chastise his people for their offences; but yet he will not utterly forsake them, Psalm 89:30-36. He may even “forsake them for a time; but he will surely return to them in tender mercy,” at the appointed season, Isaiah 54:7-8. His assertions on this head are as strong as it is possible for language to express. He has said to every believing soul, “I will never leave you; I will never, never forsake you! Hebrews 13:5.”

Now, it is a view of God’s character in these respects, illustrated and confirmed by his actual dispensations; it is this, I say, which properly constitutes “the knowledge of his name.”

Having ascertained what this knowledge is, I proceed to show,

II. How a saving knowledge of God will manifest its existence in the soul.

1. A saving knowledge of God will lead that person to renounce all false confidences.

Man, while ignorant of God, is always leaning on an arm of flesh. See God’s ancient people—how continually were even they, notwithstanding all their advantages, trusting in the creature, rather than in God. To Egypt or Assyria they looked in their troubles, rather than to their heavenly protector! Isaiah 31:1. Hosea 5:13; Hosea 7:11. Indeed, there was nothing on which they would not rely, rather than on God, Isaiah 22:8-11. But, when they were made sensible of their folly, and had discovered the real character of God, they instantly renounced all these false confidences, saying, “Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say ‘you are our gods’ to what our own hands have made, for in You the fatherless find compassion! Hosea 14:3.”

This same proneness to creature-confidence is found among ourselves. Who does not, at first, rely on . . .

his own wisdom to guide him,

his own strength to support him, and

his own goodness to procure for him acceptance with God?

But, in true conversion we learn where alone our hope is to be placed, even in “God, who works all our works in us, Isaiah 26:12,” and “in Christ, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, 1 Corinthians 1:30.”

This was the effect of conversion in Paul, who accounted all his former attainments to be but “loss for Christ, and desired to be found in Christ, not having his own righteousness, which was of the Law, but the righteousness which was from God by faith in Christ, Philippians 3:7-9.” And the same effect invariably follows from a discovery of God as reconciled to us in Christ Jesus.

2. A saving knowledge of God will lead that person to rely solely upon God.

Yes, indeed, “those who know his name will trust in him.”

See in David the confidence which such knowledge inspires, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want, Psalm 23:1.”

See him when he goes forth against Goliath, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel! 1 Samuel 17:45-46.”

See him when all around him were reduced to despair, “In the LORD I take refuge. How then can you say to me: “Flee like a bird to your mountain. For look, the wicked bend their bows; they set their arrows against the strings to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart. When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The LORD is in his holy temple; the LORD is on his heavenly throne. He observes the sons of men; his eyes examine them. The LORD examines the righteous, but the wicked and those who love violence his soul hates!” Psalm 11:1-4.”

David’s deliberate sentiment, on all occasions, was this, “I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip—he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you—the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore! Psalm 121:1-9.”

“What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord! Romans 8:31-39.”

I say that there is nothing more severely reproved, throughout the inspired volume, than unbelief and distrust; nor is there anything more highly commended than faith! Jeremiah 17:5-8.

What, then, is my advice to all?

To every one among you I say,

1. Study the Holy Scriptures.

From human writings you may learn something of God; but from the Scriptures alone can you acquire such a knowledge of God as it is your privilege and your duty to possess!

In reading the Scripture, mark God’s every perfection as displayed in his dealings with the men. If you notice facts alone—then you will read Scripture to little purpose. It is his glory, as beaming forth throughout the whole sacred volume, which you are chiefly to contemplate. If your mind is habituated to contemplate God’s glory—then you can never lack a ground of consolation or of confidence in any state to which you may, by any possibility, be reduced.

2. Follow the examples of the Scripture saints.

In comparing the character of those who profess Christianity with that of the saints recorded in holy writ, one would be tempted to think that they were of a different species, and belonging to two different worlds; for really, if we heard of people inhabiting one of the planets, they could not differ more widely in their opinions and habits, than the nominal Christian differs from the Scripture saints!

What, for instance, were Paul’s opinions? “I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus, my Lord.”

And what were Paul’s habits? “To me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” “Forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those that are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

Compare this with the great mass of professing Christians around us, and say what resemblance there is between them. Truly, if we will serve God aright, we must be followers of the Apostle, even as he was of Christ.

As for the world’s judgment, we are not to regard it. We must approve ourselves to God; and both put our trust in him and serve him, as those who know they shall be judged by him in the last day. If we follow the footsteps of the flock, then we shall be numbered among the sheep of Christ, and dwell in his fold forever and ever!

Charles Simeon