Mensa Otabil - How Excellent Is Our Lord
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We’re concluding our study of Psalm 8 with the last verse, verse 9. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Your name in all the earth! Psalm 8 ends the way it began; the same words that open the psalm are the words that conclude it. David, the psalmist whom God has inspired to share this reflection with us, returns to the excellence of God’s name after discussing all the things we’ve talked about in the heavens, the moon, and the stars. He talks about God giving victory and the purpose of man, concluding everything with the excellence of God’s name. You know, Scripture is a very beautiful revelation to us, and any time I read the Bible, I am amazed at the sense of orderliness in the way it is structured. I’m astonished by the beauty of how God’s thoughts are communicated to us.
Now, many times, I know some of you just read the Bible to get an inspirational word to verbalize, use, or declare. That’s one way of using it, but I think it limits your understanding of Scripture. You don’t engage the mind of God as you read because it’s just beautiful to see how God’s thoughts are portrayed to us. Remember, when David starts, he says, «O Lord, our God, how excellent is Your name!» He talks about creation, the moon, and the stars because we say it’s a night reflection. He discusses all the great things out there that make him say God’s name is excellent. But then he moves from the moon and the stars and creation to man. Then he asks, «What is man that You’re mindful of him?» He says, «You made him like Yourself, and You’ve crowned him with glory.» He concludes, «O Lord, our God, how excellent is Your name in all the earth.»
So the first reference is creation that makes him wonder at God, but the second reference is himself; it’s human beings and what God uses us to do that makes him marvel at God. You know, many times we look at God’s creation and we are amazed, but we forget that we are the greatest of His creation. We are the miracle of His creation. Your life is greater than the sun, the moon, and the stars. Just looking at how God uses you, out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants, He ordains strength. How a little boy like David can bring down a giant like Goliath! As you look at that, you say, «O Lord, our God, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!»
So, let me leave you with three thoughts about the name of the Lord as you reflect on all that He has done for you. Always come back to honoring the name of the Lord. First, the name of the Lord must be precious to us; it’s excellent. We must love the name of the Lord, honor His name, and not take His name in vain. We must not use the name of the Lord for jokes that are not edifying. I mean, there is a place for cracking jokes here as Christians, but let us not dishonor the name of the Lord when we are making a joke or when we’re making a statement. His name is excellent.
Secondly, the name of the Lord must be glorified in our lives. Why? Because we bear His name. He has put His name on us, and when we live our lives, people look at us and judge God by us. The more we live for the Lord, the more the name of the Lord is glorified among us. We must not let people say, «If you say you are a believer and you worship God, then I don’t want to have anything to do with God because your life doesn’t reflect what God is.» His name is on us, and through us His name must be glorified.
Thirdly, God’s name must be known in our world. We must proclaim His name, share His glory, tell people about Him, and lead others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We must make the name of the Lord known to all people in every tongue, tribe, and station of life-the high, the middle, the low, everyone, men, and women. Let’s make the name of the Lord known to them.So, that’s how we end our study of Psalm 8, a very beautiful psalm. O Lord, our God, how excellent is Your name in all the earth!
Let us pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, Your name is precious to me. Thank You for making me a part of Your creation. In Jesus' name, Amen.»
Well, I’ll start something new tomorrow as we get close to Christmas. We’ll be turning our attention to Christmas. I am Pastor Mensa Otabil. Shalom, peace, and life to you.