Go! And Honour His Name and Word Above All Else - Psalm 138:2
Psalm 138:2 (NLT): “I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honour of your name.”
Introduction: The Priority of His Name and Word
Today, we continue our “Go! And…” series by pausing to reflect on what fuels our going, what sustains our mission, and what ensures we go in the power and purpose of God. Our message today is titled “Go! And Honour His Name and Word Above All Else.”
We are living in a time when many are redefining truth, deconstructing faith, and diminishing the authority of God’s Word. But in Psalm 138:2, we are reminded that God Himself honours His name and His Word above all else. If that’s what God prioritises—His name and His Word—then we, as His people, must do the same.
Let’s walk through this beautiful verse together and see how the exaltation of God’s name and Word leads us to a deeper understanding of the Gospel and our response to it.
1. Worship with Reverence and Intimacy
“I bow before your holy Temple as I worship…” (Psalm 138:2a)
David, though often unable to enter the actual Temple (it had not yet been built in his time), understood what it represented: the manifest presence of God. To “bow” is to surrender, to humble oneself completely. The Hebrew word used here for bow is ?????? (shachah), meaning to prostrate oneself in submission and worship. This isn’t casual praise—it’s reverent adoration.
Picture a knight before his king, kneeling with head bowed. Not out of fear alone, but out of honour and love. That’s how David approaches God. Not as a distant deity, but as his Lord—worthy of all reverence.
We too must approach God not with entitlement but with awe. In a world obsessed with self-expression and self-promotion, God calls us to self-denial and worship. We don’t come before Him with our accomplishments; we come as beggars made righteous only by His grace.
Hebrews 12:28 (NLT): “Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.”
Charles Stanley: “True worship is not about what we get. It’s about what we give—our hearts fully surrendered to God.”
Stanley reminds us that worship is never self-centred. It’s a divine transaction of surrender—where we give our lives in response to the One who gave everything for us.
2. Praise His Name for His Covenant Love and Faithfulness
“I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness…” (Psalm 138:2b)
The Hebrew word here is ????? (chesed)—a rich term meaning loyal love, covenant kindness, steadfast mercy. God’s love never wavers, never fails, never quits.
Israel had repeatedly failed to uphold their covenant with God. Yet time and again, He remained faithful. David had personally experienced God’s loyal love—rescuing him, forgiving him, guiding him.
Lamentations 3:22–23 (NLT): “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.”
Imagine a lighthouse on a stormy night. The wind howls. The sea crashes. But that lighthouse never moves. Its beam cuts through the dark. That’s chesed—God’s steadfast love, unwavering, reliable.
We live in a culture of conditional love. But God’s love is covenantal. It’s not based on our performance but on His promise. And that promise finds its fulfilment in Jesus.
Max Lucado: “God never said the journey would be easy, but He did say the arrival would be worthwhile.”
Lucado captures the heart of God’s covenantal love. Through Jesus, our arrival is certain—not because of our steps, but because of His steadfast faithfulness.
3. Trust the Word Backed by God’s Name
“…for your promises are backed by all the honour of your name.” (Psalm 138:2c)
Promises
The word translated as promises here refers to ??????? (imrah)—a divine utterance, a spoken declaration from God Himself. His Word is not mere ink on paper. It is living, active, and powerful.
When God speaks, it is done. His Word is irrevocable because it is backed by the authority of His name—Yahweh, the self-existent, covenant-keeping God.
Isaiah 55:11 (NLT): “It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.”
When you stand on God’s promises, you’re standing on the character of God Himself. He does not lie. He does not fail. Every promise finds its “Yes and Amen” in Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20).
John Piper: “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
Piper reminds us that trusting God’s promises isn't passive. It’s active satisfaction in Him—resting in His Word, relying on His truth, rejoicing in His name.
4. The Gospel: The Fulfilment of His Name and Word
Everything David experienced in shadow form, we now see fully in Jesus Christ.
John 1:14 (NLT): “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness.”
Jesus is the embodiment of the Word of God. He is the perfect revelation of God's unfailing love and truth. The promises of Psalm 138 find their ultimate fulfilment in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
The Gospel:
Jesus, the eternal Word, took on flesh. He lived the perfect life we couldn’t live. He bore the wrath we deserved on the cross. He died in our place and rose victorious from the grave. Why? So that we could be reconciled to God.
Romans 5:8 (NLT): “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.”
5. Our Response: Repentance, Faith, and Devotion
Psalm 138:2 isn’t just poetry—it’s a call to live a life that honours God’s name and Word.
Call to Action:
Repent: Turn from trusting your own ways and surrender to Jesus.
Believe: Trust that God’s promises are true—salvation, eternal life, forgiveness, and restoration.
Live Devotedly: Honour His Word in how you live, speak, and serve.
The Bridge of Faith:
Imagine standing at the edge of a collapsed bridge, facing a chasm of death. But across the void, a new bridge stands—strong, secure, and freely offered. That bridge is Jesus. To be saved, you must step off the broken edge of self-trust and walk fully across the bridge of faith in Christ.
Tim Keller: “The Gospel is not just the ABC of Christianity, but the A to Z. We never move beyond the Gospel, only deeper into it.”
Keller is right. Every act of obedience, every step of faith, every word of worship—flows from the Gospel. We go not in our strength, but in His finished work.
Invitation to Salvation:
Friend, if you have never bowed before Jesus as Lord and Saviour, today is the day. He loves you with unfailing love. His Word is sure. His promises are secure. Repent. Believe. Be saved.
Benediction: Walk in Honour of His Name and Word
As you go from this place today, may you walk in the honour of His name and under the truth of His Word. May your life be a living testimony that God’s promises are true and His love endures forever. And may you go with boldness, proclaiming Christ—the Word made flesh, who saved you, who keeps you, and who is coming again.
Let us go—and honour His name and His Word above all else. Amen.
