Read: Psalm 8:1 |
Psalm 8 starts out “O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth,…”
How can a name be majestic? After all, it is only a “name”.
In William Shakespeare’s 1594 play, Juliet also mused “What’s in a name?” But in Shakespeare’s personal reflection on the subject, he said, “He who steals my purse, steals trash, but he that filches from me my good name robs me of that which enriches him not, and makes me poor indeed.”
Psalm 8 emphatically states with ample evidence that God’s name “is” Majestic! Indeed, it is above all names.
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Psalm 8, written by David, declares with bookend statements in verses 1 and 9, “How majestic” is the name of our Lord. The marvel of His majesty in the universe is sandwiched between the psalmist admiring the heavens and entities that God has created and yet… And yet, He takes note of us and cares for us.
Also notable in this Psalm is a question in verse 4 that is echoed by Job and again in the New Testament by Paul, “What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?”
Also notable is that this Psalm was made into a popular song by Michael W. Smith in 1981 (“How Majestic is Your Name”
Main Message – How majestic is the name of our LORD
Throughout Scripture, God is described by many names. God’s true presence and character is made known by the meaning of His names and the aspects of His character revealed by each name.
Our challenge is that we may not be fully aware of His majesty because we have not experienced His presence in our lives. Consequently, we lack the insight into His nature.
As we allow Him access to our hearts and minds, we begin to know Him personally by name. At that point, we find that God has many names. His names carry significance and weight. They matter. Embedded within each of God’s names are statements about His character, which give us hope, remind us of His promises and inspire us to live for Him. (See the he blog image for this posting to find some of the names of God and their meanings.)
God’s name is not only majestic, it is also Holy. His name is so holy that in the Old Testament, the 4th commandment forbids from using His name in vain. Even in the New Testament when Jesus was teaching us how to pray, Jesus instructs us to say “Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.” [Matthew 6:9]
God’s name also carries authority. When Moses asked Him, whom shall I say sent me when I go to the Pharaoh, He said to say that, “I Am has sent me to you”‘ (Exodus 3.13-14). In Matthew 28:19-20, we find Jesus preparing to ascend to Heaven. He tells us that “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth,…” At that point, He conferred authority on Believers to go in His name to the corners of the world and share His story.
God’s name carries power. In the New Testament, we are told to pray and baptize in His mighty name. (John 14:13; See also 14:14; 15:16; 16:23). Also, several scriptures note even demons tremble at the sound of His name. [James 2:19; Luke 10:17; Mark 3:11]
God’s name is majestic, holy, carries all authority and is powerful. But it doesn’t just stop there. He is un-created and un-originated. In other words, He does not have a birth date and He has no parents. Let that sink in!
By comparison, we are helpless at birth and still puny at adulthood compared to our mighty marvelous magnificent majestic Lord God. Yet, He still sent His son to die for us. Again, I say, let that sink in!
Hallelujah, His name is worthy of praise…always!
Questions:
1. Discover –
A. Have you ever looked at something that God created and just get goose-bumps thinking about how awesome God is for what He has created?
2. Develop –
A. What are some ways that you can honor and celebrate God’s majesty in your life?
B. When you think of God’s majesty, what comes to mind? Do you think of your worship as joining you to a universal chorus of praise? How might this thought affect your worship of God?
3. Demonstrate –
A. God’s name is majestic. Does your life demonstrate that you are an heir to the King?
B. At least four verses in the Bible [Rev 2:17; Rev 3:12; Isa 62:2; Isa 65:15] note that we will receive a new name in Heaven. Assuming it is based on who you are in Christ and what you did for Christ, what might your name be? If you are not proud of it, you still have time to change!
