NEARNESS OF HIS NAME
It is good to sing to the Lord. And it is especially good to sing songs of thanksgiving. In Psalm 75, Asaph reminds us that one of the reasons that we praise and thank God is for the nearness of His name.
“How”, you might ask, “can God’s name be near?” How can something intangible and abstract be “near”? If we take a brief moment to focus on the argument in vs. 1, the answer becomes clear. God’s name is brought near through His doings. God’s actions make manifest to us who He is and all that He’s promised to be to us. As Derek Kidner rightly asserts in his commentary on this psalm, God’s name is both pronouncement of who He is and an open “invitation to call upon Him.” His name is both declaration and invitation. When God acts, His name and the promises it holds for us in this life are made tangible and concrete. [1]
For Christians, the example par excellence of this indissoluble connection between God’s name and actions is found in the Lord Jesus. He took on Flesh and dwelt among us (cf. John 1). He said famously to Philip, “…Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9). He, Jesus, made God’s name known both to His disciples in His days upon the earth and continues to do so for us now as we place our trust in the God-man who now sits at the right hand of the Father.

[1] Derek Kidner, Kidner Classic Commentaries 73-150, IVP.
“How”, you might ask, “can God’s name be near?” How can something intangible and abstract be “near”? If we take a brief moment to focus on the argument in vs. 1, the answer becomes clear. God’s name is brought near through His doings. God’s actions make manifest to us who He is and all that He’s promised to be to us. As Derek Kidner rightly asserts in his commentary on this psalm, God’s name is both pronouncement of who He is and an open “invitation to call upon Him.” His name is both declaration and invitation. When God acts, His name and the promises it holds for us in this life are made tangible and concrete. [1]
For Christians, the example par excellence of this indissoluble connection between God’s name and actions is found in the Lord Jesus. He took on Flesh and dwelt among us (cf. John 1). He said famously to Philip, “…Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9). He, Jesus, made God’s name known both to His disciples in His days upon the earth and continues to do so for us now as we place our trust in the God-man who now sits at the right hand of the Father.

[1] Derek Kidner, Kidner Classic Commentaries 73-150, IVP.
by Craig Lester
Posted in Read Through the Bible
Recent
Archive
2024
January
A FRESH STARTPOSTURE OF FAITHHEAVENLY BODIESTHE BLESSINGS OF THE RIGHTEOUSI AM WILLINGGOD'S SOVEREIGNTY OVERRULES MAN'S DYSFUNCTIONJESUS IS LORD OF THE SABBATHLIVE OUT WELL THE TEACHINGS OF JESUSHOLD IT CLOSEOPEN MY EYESWHO DO PEOPLE SAY WE ARE?NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GODWHAT IS YOUR IDOL?GOD'S CHOOSING
February
March
2023
January
WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?RESOLVING CONFLICT AND DEALING WITH EVILWHAT KIND OF FRUIT DO YOU HAVE?GOD IS PROUD OF HIS SONPEACE IS A FUNCTION OF FOCUSTHE HEALING POWER OF JESUSGOD CALLS YOU BY NAMESMOKE AND MIRRORSBE A LIGHTWISE WORDSEXODUSCHOOSING THE RIGHT PATHGOD SEES AND HEARSWHO IS THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM?WARNING AGAINST FOLLY
February
March
HE HAS A PLAN FOR YOUTHE PLACE OF COMFORT AND SAFETYIT'S THE LITTLE THINGSBE ALERTMY GOD IS NOT TOO SMALLWHEN TO SPEAK AND WHEN NOT TO SPEAKGOD IS GRACIOUS TO USKEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUTSTAND STRONG FOR YOUR FAITHOUR HOPEDO I DO WHAT THE LORD ASKS OF ME?DON'T BE A SCHEMERA TREASURE HUNTLISTEN AND FOLLOWWORDS OF COMFORT OR WARNINGTHE POSSESSOR OCCUPIES AND FILLS THE POSSESSEDUNDIVIDED LOYALTY TO GODONE CONCESSION STAND
April
OUR GOD IS HOLY AND JUSTA CAUSE FOR OBEDIENCETELL THE COMING GENERATIONTHE PARABLE OF THE RICH FOOLSHINE YOUR FACE UPON USLISTEN UP!CHECK WITH GOD FIRST - HE KNOWS MORE THAN WE DOPSALM 86THAT IS ENOUGH SAIDDO YOU REMEMBER?TRANSITIONSSERVE ONE ANOTHERPROVERBS“Insignificant Does Not Equal Insignificant” (Judges 6)
May
JESUS IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU!FINISHING WELLARE YOU THE TEACHER OF ISRAEL AND DO NOT UNDERSTAND THESE THINGS?FORGETTING GOD IS DANGEROUS TO YOUR HEALTHREPENTANCE BRINGS MERCYGOD'S SOVEREIGN TIMING IS ALWAYS RIGHTWHAT ARE YOU AFRAID OF?A GODLY FATHERJESUS CARES FOR US - HE'S OUR SHEPHERDWHO DO YOU LISTEN TO?CARELESS SPEECHCONTINUE TO SERVE GODUNDIGNIFIED, HUMILIATED, AND GLORIFYING GOD!CLEAR PROMISES
No Comments