Originally posted: 11/21/2020
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture, (100:3).
As I sat contemplating this verse, I was struck with the magnitude of those seven words, “Know that the Lord Himself is God.”
He Himself Is God, and there is no other. He Himself Is God, and we are not. Period. End of discussion. What more needs be said? But unfortunately, many have worked tirelessly to reverse the stations in life, wanting God to be something that fits into a mold of their making.
Just imagine the trouble our world would be saved from, if we would but acknowledge, if we would but Know that He Is God, and we are not.
As we considered in Psalm 97 and 98 yesterday, He has revealed His righteousness so that we have no excuse for not knowing. But greater than this awful reality of so many choosing to reject what He has revealed, is His desire and the lengths that He went to so that we could Know Him. And when we Know Him Who Himself is God, we will be blessed beyond measure.
Both Psalm 99 and 100 call the listeners to ponder the truth of the Lord as He Himself Is… God. Psalm 101, written by David, the man after God’s own heart, will be our pattern to encourage our response as we consider and Know Him Who Himself Is God.
Consider and Know Him, Who Himself Is God
- Know that He Himself Is God; He reigns enthroned above.
- The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble;
He is enthroned above the cherubim, let the earth shake! (99:1).
- The Lord reigns, let the peoples tremble;
- Know that He Himself Is God; He is great and exalted.
- The Lord is great in Zion,
And He is exalted above all the peoples, (99:2).
- The Lord is great in Zion,
- Know that He Himself Is God; He is holy and awesome.
- Let them praise Your great and awesome name;
Holy is He, (99:3).
- Let them praise Your great and awesome name;
- Know that He Himself Is God; He manifests His strength through His love for justice.
- The strength of the King loves justice;
You have established equity;
You have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob, (99:4).
- The strength of the King loves justice;
- Know that He Himself Is God; He is worthy of worship.
- Exalt the Lord our God
And worship at His footstool;
Holy is He, (99:5).
- Exalt the Lord our God
- Know that He Himself Is God; He answers in His miracles and statutes.
- …They called upon the Lord and He answered them.
7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud;
They kept His testimonies
And the statute that He gave them, (99:6-7).
- …They called upon the Lord and He answered them.
- Know that He Himself Is God; He forgives our iniquity, yet avenges evil.
- O Lord our God, You answered them;
You were a forgiving God to them,
And yet an avenger of their evil deeds, (99:8).
- O Lord our God, You answered them;
- Know that He Himself Is God; He is exalted and holy.
- Exalt the Lord our God
And worship at His holy hill,
For holy is the Lord our God, (99:9).
- Exalt the Lord our God
- Know that He Himself Is God; He is served with gladness.
- Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing, (100:2).
- Serve the Lord with gladness;
- Know that He Himself Is God; He is Creator and Master.
- Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture, (100:3).
- Know that the Lord Himself is God;
- Know that He Himself Is God; He is worthy of all praise and thanksgiving.
- Enter His gates with thanksgiving
And His courts with praise, (100:4).
- Enter His gates with thanksgiving
- Know that He Himself Is God; He is good.
- For the Lord is good…(100:5).
- Know that He Himself Is God; and His lovingkindness and faithfulness are everlasting.
- …His lovingkindness is everlasting
And His faithfulness to all generations, (100:5).
- …His lovingkindness is everlasting
How do we respond to Him Who Himself Is God?
When we Know that He Himself Is God and there is no other, when we are absolutely convinced that He Himself Is God Who Is holy and exalted, we will live like it.
Psalm 101, written by King David, was written from the perspective of his role in God’s kingdom as the king of Israel, living in surrender to God’s calling. As king, he was pledging to rule with righteous justice, like his God. He was committing to follow God’s ways and to emulate Him in his calling. As king of the land, David would hear the disputes and bring righteous judgment to protect the weak and defenseless; for David knew Him Who Himself Is God, the Great King Who always judges in righteousness.
Wherever God has placed us, He has called us to live by following and emulating Him in His righteousness. In order to follow and emulate Him, we have to Know Him Who Himself Is God. May we be inspired in our response by His Inspired Word penned by the man after His own heart.
- Let us study and commit to Know His lovingkindness and justice and be led to praise.
- I will sing of lovingkindness and justice,
To You, O Lord, I will sing praises, (101:1).
- I will sing of lovingkindness and justice,
- Let us seriously consider His ways, that we would walk in integrity so that our private character would match our public persona.
- I will give heed to the blameless way.
When will You come to me?
I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart, (101:2).
- I will give heed to the blameless way.
- Let us not be held captive by worthless pursuits the world constantly dangles before our eyes, but that the only hold on us would be that of Him Who Himself Is God.
- I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;
I hate the work of those who fall away;
It shall not fasten its grip on me, (101:3).
- I will set no worthless thing before my eyes;
- Let us be intentional to not allow evil to dwell in the secret places of our heart, that we would be diligent to destroy any spirit of slander, gossip or pride that threatens the purity of our heart attitude.
- A perverse heart shall depart from me;
I will know no evil.
5 Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy;
No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure, (101:4-5).
- A perverse heart shall depart from me;
- Let us choose our companions wisely, that our relationships would draw us into a lifestyle of holy and faithful commitment in following Him Who Himself Is God.
- My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;
He who walks in a blameless way is the one who will minister to me, (101:6).
- My eyes shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me;
- Let us depend on His Holy Spirit to reveal any deceptions or falsehoods that we are either believing or practicing. And let us be persistent in turning away from anything contrary to His Truth, that we would be a dwelling fit for our King.
- He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;
He who speaks falsehood shall not maintain his position before me, (101:7).
- He who practices deceit shall not dwell within my house;
- Let us come to His Word for His Truth each morning, that we would start our day with a clean slate, confessing our sins and asking Him to purify and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
- Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
So as to cut off from the city of the Lord all those who do iniquity, (101:8).
- Every morning I will destroy all the wicked of the land,
As we follow the example of King David, who followed the example of Him Who Himself Is God, we will be blessed beyond measure. Oh, may our praises overflow that others would also consider and Know Him Who Himself Is God.
Know that the Lord Himself is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture, (100:3).