What Does God Exalt Above All Other Things?

"...you [God] have exalted above all things your name and your word."

Psalm 138. It's short, but the truth wrapped into this Psalm is wonderful. I think the entire Psalm is wonderful, but I've emphasized the parts which stuck out to me the most. I praise God for his word. His living, breathing and spiritually active word!!!

Q. If God exalts his name and his word above all things, then why is it so seldom that his people and churches do the same?


A. I think that generally speaking it's much easier (and more comfortable) for us to put value in some of the other attributes of God (i.e. his love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, faithfulness etc.) God's word says some hard and challenging things. Things that as individuals we will not always like. Things that for a church body will be challenging and difficult. Things that the culture in which we live, will be opposed to and will sometimes even hate. I think it's pretty easy, if we don't put value in God's word, to say, yes I know that such-and-such is a sin...but God is loving and his love covers a multitude of sins. While this statement is certainly true...a side-effect of this kind of thinking is that we tend to become complacent and apathetic to God's word, which this Psalm clearly tells us is one of the (2) things that God exalts above all other things. God cares about his glory. He cares about his reputation and how his name is glorified. Why? Is it because he's an egomaniac? No...it's because he knows the true condition of our hearts. If we are honest with ourselves, the reason that we typically run towards words like forgiveness, mercy, grace etc. is because we are sinners and those words bring us comfort. But God is Holy, He is Just and He is Righteous. Why do we find it so easy to disregard God's command for us to "Be Holy as [He] is Holy" (Lv. 20:26) when His Holiness is an equal part of God's character to his love, mercy, grace and forgiveness.

I believe we do a serious disservice to ourselves and others (both inside and outside the church) when we fail to acknowledge that the thing which God loves most is not us, but is instead his own glory. God alone is great and he alone deserves honor, glory and praise...and I believe that as Christians and as a church we need to start putting the same kind of significance, reverence and exaltation towards His word and His Name that he does.

Psalm 138 (ESV)

Give Thanks to the LORD:

I give you thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart;
before the gods I sing your praise;
I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.
On the day I called, you answered me;
my strength of soul you increased.
All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O LORD,
for they have heard the words of your mouth,
and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD,
for great is the glory of the LORD.
For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly,
but the haughty he knows from afar.
Though I walk in the midst of trouble,
you preserve my life;
you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,
and your right hand delivers me.
The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me;
your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of your hands.


For His Glory,

Jason