Psalm 9 – Day 1
“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you." – Psalm 9:10 NLT
David knew God. He was highly familiar with His character. He knew and understood His nature. The Psalms are more than a personal journal of David's experiences, they are an expression of his grasp of the greatness of God. In this Psalm alone David reveals that his God is all-powerful, just, eternal, righteous, faithful, merciful, sovereign, impartial, holy, and wrathful. It was David's understanding of the nature of God that made it possible for him to trust God. To know God's "name" means to be his follower, recognizing his authority and maintaining loyalty to him (NET Bible notes). The word translated "name" can also mean "reputation" or "fame." To trust in the name of God was to trust in who He was – His very nature, character, and reputation. It was to stand on His past accomplishments and to rely on His track record of reliability. God had proven Himself to David time and time again. He had shown Himself to be faithful, powerful, righteous, just, true, merciful and holy. So David trusted in the name of God. When in trouble, he appealed to the name of God.
For David, God was worthy of praise because of all He had done in the past. He had found God to be a shelter and a refuge in the past, so he knew God would be so in the future. God was faithful, consistent, reliable and unchanging in His nature. David knew he could turn to God and find mercy and help no matter how difficult the situation. He knew from experience that God had a special affinity for the helpless and the hopeless, rescuing and restoring them. David had seen God judge righteously and justly, bringing judgment on the wicked and avenging the righteous. For David, the works of God were "unforgettable" and "marvelous." They were worth singing about, talking about, and relying upon. No matter how bad things got, David knew he could trust in his God, because he knew Him well.
Father, I want to know You like David did. I want to trust You like David did. I want to understand the full scope of Your character and be able to rest in the integrity of who You are based on all You have done. Give me eyes to see Your reputation all around me. Help me know You better and better with each passing day. Amen