To live by grace, one must trust in the Lord. ~ Bob Hoekstra

David Trusting in and Praising the Lord and His Word

In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust…In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust…You have magnified Your word above all Your name. (Psalm 56:4, 10-11 and 138:2)

To live by grace, one must trust in the Lord. David urged others to trust in the Lord. "Trust in the LORD…feed on His faithfulness…Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him"(Psalm 37:3, 5). David himself trusted in the Lord. "In God I have putmy trust." Part of trusting in the Lord involves holding His word in an exalted place (trusting in it, honoring it, praising it). David proclaimed, "I will praise His word." This is an inherent part of living by grace, since it is "the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance" (Acts 20:32).

God's word is so trustworthy, so praiseworthy. David proclaimed theunique character of God's word, which gives the word itsincomparable effectiveness. "The law of the LORD is perfect,converting the soul" (Psalm 19:7a). God's word is fully sufficient. The Lord has left nothing out of it that we need for spiritual development. Therefore, it can transform lives into what God wants them to be.

Furthermore, "The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise thesimple" (Psalm 19:7b). The Scriptures are absolutely reliable. They provide God's indisputable insights into life on earth, as well as necessary preparation for heaven. Consequently, they bring the Lord's wisdom to those who humbly admit that they need it.

Additionally, "The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart"(Psalm 19:8a). The Bible alone is irrefutably correct. Man's perspectives, opinions, systems, and theories are riddled with inaccuracies and fallacies. What a joy this brings to the inner man, knowing that there is a place to find the Lord's absolute realities.

Moreover, "The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening theeyes" (Psalm 19:8b). God's word is holy and untainted. Man's words are polluted with sin and self and all sorts of unrighteousness. When people feed on the contaminated words of humanity, their eyes become dull and lifeless. Contrastingly, when the words of the Lord are consistently taken in, one's eyes shine with heaven's light.

Upon consideration of the unparalleled character and ability of God's word, it is no surprise that the Spirit of God inspired David to exclaim,"You have magnified Your word above all Your name."

Dear Lord God, I see that the words from Your heart are to be treated just as You are to be treated. As part of my trust in You and my praise for You, I confess my trust in, and praise for, Your word. Please use the word of Your grace to transform and shape my life in every way, in Jesus' name, Amen.