God Honor's The Heart of His Beloved

“Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.” (Ps 91:14-15 AV)

God’s love and provision is a promise that is sometimes overlooked.  Or, at the least, not completely understood.  God love unconditionally.  However, He does not always act in favor unconditionally.  In the above verses, God’s answers, deliverance, and honor are on the condition of the recipients love for Him and his faith in the nature of God; His reputation.  The two conditions are actually a beautiful picture of the saint’s relationship with the LORD as is should be.

To set love upon comes from the word which we understand as a fillet.  A fillet as in a building or decorative piece of furniture or antique firearm.  It is the smaller band of material surrounded be the greater pieces on either side.  If taken as the fillet of a building, picture a column with a large base pillar, then a smaller but similar stone piece place atop.  Then a third and greater stone would be placed upon the fillet.  When the writer of this Psalm used this word, he gave us a picture of the saint who is under the extreme weight of God’s love.  Not a mere passing influence.  But a stronger than itself influence.  There is a willingness to be overwhelmed by the love of God here.  There is no other force on that fillet but the weight of the pillar.  In like manner, those who receive God’s answers, deliverance, and honor are those who are willing to have their relationship with God to be the most influential and overwhelming relationship which they have.

Knowing the name of God here isn’t merely knowing a fact.  Like the names of the LORD, some believe that knowing the name of the LORD is a mere theological exercise.  But not so here.  Knowing the name of God in this text is an experience.  The word ‘name’ here is not a title or a description.  His Name here is His reputation.  He reputation is the manifestation of His character in His acts towards men.  To know the name of God means to perceive, to recognize, admit, acknowledge, then confess.  This person has learned of God by what the Bible says of Him, then, experienced God in the manner in which He is revealed.  This means eyes to see God’s hand are present.  He sees God in everything and in convinced that God is who He says He is.

This is simple.  There is nothing complicated here.  These two things, and only these two things, are the foundation of all other aspects of our relationship with God.  Seeking to rest in God’s love motivates to obedience.  Believing what God says about Himself is the foundation of faith.  If we do these two things, then there is no end to answers, deliverance, and honor.