The Pulpit Commentary — Psalms — Volume 1 — Section 183

light and sound-so if religion is to have any reality and wor•,h, it is not enough that our nature cries out for God; we must have the light of Divine truth, the voice of Divine teaching. 'fhis, in a word, is just what is meant by this phrase, so constantly employed in Scripture," The Name of God." It stands for all that God has made us capable of knowing of him, and all that be bas actually made known of himself. This plea, "for thy Name's sake,'' is accordingly an appeal-first, to God's mamfes- tation (or revelation) of himself to men; and then, further, to his unchangeableness; and to his pledged word of promise. I. To Goo's lll.ANIFESTA'l'ION OF HIMS.ELF. In other words, to bis recorded dealings with mankind. Our knowledge here, as elsewhere, rests on experience. \Vhen we speak of the Bible as "a revelation," we express but half the truth. It is the history of revelation-the record of God's progressive manifestation of himself to mankind. Speech is a powerful revealer of character. But words must be accompanied or backed up by deeds, if we are to trust them fully. Conduct reveals character as words cannot. And these, conduct and speech combined, cannot give full, intimate knowledge of any one without converse-personal communion and sympathy. Accordingly, thi~ threefold cord is woven right through the Bible: (1) the revelation of God in his Word-law, instruction, promise, warning; (2) the revelation of God in his public dealings with nations and with individuals; and (3) the revelation of God by his Spirit in personal communion with the soul that seeks nnd loves him. It is little to say that, outside the Bible, in the religions and religious books of the heathen world, there is no such record, nor any semblance of it. Thero is nothing from which the very imagination of it could be drawn. 'l'o illustrate this threefold manifestation of God would be to go through the whole Bible. The light which dawns in Genesis shines brighter and brighter, till in the gospel we have the perfect day (1 John ii. 8). 'The words of Jesus tell all that words can express of God. His atoning death is every- where in the New Testament declared to be the highest, deepest, most convincing revelation of both God's love and righteousness-the two mnin features of his character. And personal communion with God cannot possibly go beyond our Saviour's promise to his disciples (John xiv. 7, 10, 21), combined with the promise of the indwelling presence of God's Spirit (vers. 16, 17). II. AN APPEAL 'l'O Goo's UNOHANGEABLENESS. In other words, to what in men we ca.ll consistency and stability of character. This is all-important; yet in the case of men we must rest content with something short of complete certainty. 'l'ho best of men may change or break down. We may say- "' He was a gentleman on whom I built An absolute trust." But temptation may find some weakness in him. Disappointment may sour his spirit. Some secret sin may undermine his virtue and piety. Circumsta.nccs, if they cannot conquer hiR will, may destroy his power to make good his word. But God cannot change (2 Tim. ii. 13; Mai. iii. 6). The revelation of God in Scripture is progressive but consistent. His Name is, as it were, spelled out letter by letter; but no letter once written is ever erased. In this sense, therefore, our knowledge of God has greater certainty than of our fellow-men. What _is true of them to-day may not hold good this day year. But 1 John iv. 16 is true for a.11 lime, for all eternity. (These passages may be referred to: Exod. iii. 14-, 15; xxxiii. 19; xxxiv. 5; Prov. xviii. 10 nml Pa. ix. 10; John v. 43; Matt. xviii. 20.) Ill. AN APPEAL TO Gon's WORD OF PROMISE, When an honest man puts his 11am,i to a promise or engagement, he is bound by a tie stronger than iron. God has condescended to give us thiH security. Purblind critics may call this "anthropo- morphism; " it is what the Dible calls "the grace of God "-the settled plan and effort of the Father of spirits, by coming near to us to draw us home to him. Glimpsc•s ot this sublime idea, irrevocable Divine promise, may Lo found in heathen literature (' Homer,' e.g.)-a religion based on God's promise will be found nowhere but in the Bible. Fear not, then, to use this pica, which God himself puts in thy mouth, " Fur thy Name's sake I " 186 THE BOOK OF PSALMS. [PS. XXV. 1-2~