"And they that know your name will put their trust in You." (Psalm 9:10)
This being the case, it follows that there are very many in socalled Christian lands, and even in the church, who do not know the name of the Lord. Let us see something of what is involved in knowing the name of the Lord.
Names Indicate Character
In Scripture, names are not given at random. Every name has meaning. The true name indicates the character of the one to whom it belongs.
For instance, the name "Jacob" means "supplanter," and that was the character of the son of Isaac. He was a schemer, benefiting himself at the expense of somebody else. That was before he was converted. When the Lord met him, and, like Saul, he was "turned into another man," (1 Samuel 10:6) he was given the name "Israel," (Genesis 32:28) to indicate the character of the new man. He was a conqueror over his besetments.
God's Name is His Character
So the name of God is the expression of His character. One may be familiar with the form and sound of the words which are used in His titles, without knowing the name of the Lord. His name is just what He is, and only those who are personally acquainted with Him know what His name is.
Moses prayed to be permitted to behold the glory of the Lord, God said, "I will make all my goodness pass before you, and I will proclaim the name of the Lord before you." (Exodus 33:10)
Accordingly, "The Lord descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord. And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaim, the Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin." (Exodus 34:5-7)
He who does not know the goodness and longsuffering and truth of the Lord, and that He forgives iniquity and transgression and sin, does not know His name.
God's Name in Nature
But no one need be ignorant of His name, for He has written it upon everything that He has made. "The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord." (Psalm 33:5) "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth." (Psalm 8:1) "Your mercy, O Lord, it is in the heavens; and your faithfulness reaches unto the clouds." (Psalm 36:5)
The Lord's name is a glorious name, (Deuteronomy 28:58) and "The heavens declare the glory of God." (Psalm 19:1)
God's Name in Christ
The name of God is in Christ. The only begotten Son of God has by inheritance the same name. (Hebrews 1:4) "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)
Whoever knows Christ, therefore, knows God. "The only-begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." (John 1:18) "He that has seen me, has seen the Father." (John 14:9) "And you shall call His name Jesus; for He shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21)
Jesus means Saviour. If He did not save, His name would be a misnomer. But His name is expressive of what He is. He saves by virtue of himself. In Him is salvation. "Behold God is my salvation." (Isaiah 12:2)
Taking Refuge in His Name
Trustworthiness and fidelity beget confidence. No one can help trusting one whose honesty is well known. Even the most suspicious come at length to lose their doubts after long dealing with a one whose fidelity is unswerving. The cause of doubt is dishonesty and lack of faithfulness. If no lie had ever entered the world, there would never have been such a thing known as doubt. Goodness wins confidence, and so they who know the Lord must necessarily trust Him.
But the Scripture meaning of trusting is to take refuge. Psalm 7:10 would more accurately express the original, and would be more striking, if rendered as in the margin of the Revised Version, "O Lord, my God, in You do I take refuge; save me from them that pursue me, and deliver me." (Psalm 7:10,RV,margin)
So when we read, "They that know your name will put their trust in You," (Psalm 9:10) we may know that it means that they will take refuge in God. And this is in keeping with the verse just before: "The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble." (Psalm 9:9)
The Revised Version has it, "a high tower." God himself is a Tower, a Rock of defense, a tower of Refuge. (Psalm 18:2) But His name is just what He is; so we read, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs intoit, and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10)
His name is a strong tower, an impregnable fortress; it stands to reason, therefore, that they who know it will fly to it for refuge, and will abide in it.
Christ is God. (John 1:1) The Father and the Son are one. (John 10:30) Their name is one. He who is in Christ is in God, for Christ "is in the bosom of the Father." (John 1:18)
Baptism is the sign of taking refuge in Christ: "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27)
Those who have put on Christ in baptism, have taken refuge in God. Baptism therefore is a reality, and not a mere form, only when the soul consciously takes refuge from sin in the mighty name of God. This is in exact accord with the Saviour's commission, as properly rendered in the Revised Version: "Baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 28:19)
Reader, do you know the name of the Lord? It is easy to learn. When you know it, you know Him, and then you have eternal life: for, "This is life eternal, that they might know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent." (John 17:3)
Oh, the precious name of Jesus!
How it thrills our souls with joy.
When His loving arms receive us,
And His songs our tongues employ!
--Lydia Odell Baxter (1809-1874), Hymn: Take the Name of Jesus With You.
--Present Truth, July 26, 1894--Psalm 9:10.