Spurgeon PS0910
EXPOSITION.
Ignorance is worst when it amounts to ignorance of God, and knowledge is best when it exercises itself upon _the name_ of God. This most excellent knowledge leads to the most excellent grace of faith. O, to learn more of the attributes and character of God. Unbelief, that hooting nightbird, cannot live in the light of divine knowledge, it flies before the sun of God’s great and gracious name. If we read this verse literally, there is, no doubt, a glorious fullness of assurance in the names of God. We have recounted them in the “Hints for Preachers,” and would direct the reader’s attention to them. By knowing his name is also meant an experimental acquaintance with the attributes of God, which are everyone of them anchors to hold the soul from drifting in seasons of peril. The Lord may hide his face for a season from his people, but he never has utterly, finally, really, or angrily, _forsaken them that seek him_. Let the poor seekers draw comfort from this fact, and let the finders rejoice yet more exceedingly, for what must be the Lord’s faithfulness to those who find if he is so gracious to those who seek. “O hope of every contrite heart, O joy of all the meek, To those who fall how kind thou art, How good to those who seek. “But what to those who find, ah, this Nor tongue nor pen can show The love of Jesus what it is, None but his loved ones know.” EXPLANATORY NOTES AND QUAINT SAYINGS. Verse 10.–“_They that know thy name will put their trust
in thee_.” Faith is an intelligent grace; though there can be knowledge without faith, yet there can be no faith without knowledge. One calls it quicksighted faith. Knowledge must carry the torch before faith. #2Ti 1:12|. “For I know whom I have believed.” As in Paul’s conversion a light from heaven “shined round about him” (#Ac 9:3|), so before faith be wrought, God shines in with a light upon the understanding. A blind faith is as bad as a dead faith: that eye may as well be said to be a good eye which is without sight, as that faith is good without knowledge. Devout ignorance damns; which condemns the church of Rome, that think it a piece of their religion to be kept in ignorance; these set up an altar to an unknown God. They say ignorance is the mother of devotion; but sure where the sun is set in the understanding, it must needs be night in the affections. So necessary is knowledge to the being of faith, that the Scriptures do sometimes baptise faith with the name of knowledge. #Isa 53:11|. “By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.” Knowledge is put there for faith.–^Thomas Watson.
Verse 10.–“_They that know thy name will put their trust in thee: for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee_.” The mother of unbelief is ignorance of God, his faithfulness, mercy, and power. _They that know thee, will trust in thee_. This confirmed Paul, Abraham, Sarah, in the faith. “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” #2Ti 1:12|. “He is faithful that promised,” and “able also to perform.” #Heb 10:23; 11:11; Ro 4:21|. The free promises of the Lord are all certain, his commandments right and good, the recompense of reward inestimably to be valued above thousands of gold and silver; trust therefore in the Lord, O my soul, and follow hard after him. Thou hast his free promise, who never failed, who hath promised more than possibly thou couldst ask or think, who hath done more for thee than ever he promised, who is good and bountiful to the wicked and ungodly; thou doest his work, who is able and assuredly will bear thee out. There is a crown of glory proposed unto thee above all conceit of merit; stick fast unto his word, and suffer nothing to divide thee from it. Rest upon his promises though he seem to kill thee; cleave unto his statutes though the flesh lust, the world allure, the devil tempt by flatteries or threatenings to the contrary.–^John Ball, 1632.
Verse 10.–“_They that know thy name will put their trust in thee_.” They can do no otherwise who savingly know God’s sweet attributes, and noble acts for his people. We never trust a man till we know him, and bad men are better known than trusted. Not so the Lord; for where his name is ointment poured forth, the virgins love him, fear him, and rejoice in him, and repose upon him.–^John Trapp.
HINTS TO PREACHERS.
Verse 10.–I. All-important knowledge–“know thy name.” II. Blessed result–“will put their trust in thee.” III. Sufficient reason–“for thou, Lord, hast not forsaken them that seek thee.”—T. W. Medhurst.
Knowledge, Faith, Experience, the connection of the three.
Verse 10.–The names of God inspire trust. JEHOVAH Jireh, Tsidkenu, Rophi, Shammah, Shalom, Nissi, ELOHIM, SHADDAI, ADONAI, etc.