He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.
He sent deliverance and redemption to His people and commanded His covenant to stand forever. His name is set apart and worthy of deep reverence and holy awe. It must therefore be spoken only with reverence and solemnity, never lightly, thoughtlessly, or needlessly in common talk, oaths, or even prayer. The word reverend occurs only once in Scripture, where it is applied to the Lord God to distinguish His honor and majesty. Holiness and reverence so belong to Him alone that no mortal has any right to take that title for himself or give it to any other human being, for to do so takes His holy honor from God and places it upon the creature.
Redemption and Everlasting Covenant
He sent redemption and deliverance to His people and commanded His covenant to stand forever. His name is holy and worthy of reverence, and the surrounding verses connect reverence for God and keeping His sure commandments with wisdom and good understanding. Its setting is a psalm praising the power of His works in giving His people the heritage of the heathen. In that same setting His works are praised as true and just, and all His commandments are declared sure, dependable and fixed for all time, standing fast forever and ever in truth and uprightness and carried out in honesty.
In that context reverence for the Lord is the beginning and start of wisdom. All who keep and practice His instructions gain good understanding and sound judgment. The verse belongs to the living Word given as the study book and foundation for educating and training students.
Reverence Due God's Name
His name is set apart as holy and worthy of deep reverence and holy awe. It is never to be treated lightly, but is to be approached with solemn respect, and awareness of His greatness and presence both inspires reverence and is deepened by treating His name with reverence. True reverence grows from recognizing His infinite greatness and presence. It requires meditation on His majesty, purity, holiness, and exalted character.
His name must therefore be spoken only with reverence and solemnity, never lightly, thoughtlessly, needlessly, or in common conversation. This forbids false oaths and common swearing, thoughtless mention of God in ordinary conversation, appealing to Him in trivial matters, and frequent careless repetition of His name. It forbids needless repetition even in prayer, including careless use of titles such as God Almighty. Angels veil their faces when speaking His name, showing how much more fallen and sinful people should speak it with deep reverence.
Careless and irreverent use fails to recognize His greatness, holiness, and majesty. Such light and careless use dishonors Him, profanes what is sacred, and displeases Him. Contempt for His name, law, ordinances, or holy things profanes what is sacred and brings condemnation. Irreverent words in prayer grieve the Spirit and can cause petitions to be shut out of heaven.
Reverend Belongs to God Alone
The word reverend is found only once in the Bible, and there it is applied to God and His holy name. It is applied to the Lord God Jehovah to distinguish His honor and majesty from every other being, however highly exalted. He is the exalted God who dwells in unapproachable light, and holy and reverend is His name. It stands in a psalm praising the power of His works in giving His people the heritage of the heathen, the truth and justice of His works, the sureness of all His commandments standing fast forever and ever in truth and uprightness, His redemption sent to His people, and His covenant commanded forever.
Holiness and reverence so belong to the Lord God of hosts alone that the title belongs only to Him. No mortal man has any right to attach it to his own name or to the name of any other human being, whatever his position may be. This holds however exalted the person, including ministers, and neither men nor proud, finite, sinful people may give it to other men nor receive it for themselves. No human title such as Reverend or Right Reverend is fitting for human beings, for God's name alone is holy and worthy of reverence.
For those professing to honor God to take that adjective for themselves, as in calling ministers Reverend or putting Reverend and Right Reverend before their names, takes glory and holy honor from the only living God and places it on the creature. It robs God of His title to clothe men as if sacred, making them appear sacred. It exalts man to an equality with God, making themselves gods on earth. Those who claim it may misrepresent His name and character.
Those who lay claim to this title take God's holy honor to themselves, and using this word where it does not belong dishonors God and stands condemned by Him. People who claim it do not display the wisdom and righteousness such a title implies. Doing so proves ignorance of God and His holiness through disobedience, and springs from pride and desire for high titles rather than growth in grace. A true sight of God would make men meek and lowly instead of exalting themselves, for God and His holy, unchangeable, eternal law stand firm forever.
He sent deliverance and redemption to His people and commanded His covenant to stand forever. His name is set apart and worthy of deep reverence and holy awe. It must therefore be spoken only with reverence and solemnity, never lightly, thoughtlessly, or needlessly in common talk, oaths, or even prayer. The word reverend occurs only once in Scripture, where it is applied to the Lord God to distinguish His honor and majesty. Holiness and reverence so belong to Him alone that no mortal has any right to take that title for himself or give it to any other human being, for to do so takes His holy honor from God and places it upon the creature.
Redemption and Everlasting Covenant
He sent redemption and deliverance to His people and commanded His covenant to stand forever. His name is holy and worthy of reverence, and the surrounding verses connect reverence for God and keeping His sure commandments with wisdom and good understanding. Its setting is a psalm praising the power of His works in giving His people the heritage of the heathen. In that same setting His works are praised as true and just, and all His commandments are declared sure, dependable and fixed for all time, standing fast forever and ever in truth and uprightness and carried out in honesty.
In that context reverence for the Lord is the beginning and start of wisdom. All who keep and practice His instructions gain good understanding and sound judgment. The verse belongs to the living Word given as the study book and foundation for educating and training students.
Reverence Due God's Name
His name is set apart as holy and worthy of deep reverence and holy awe. It is never to be treated lightly, but is to be approached with solemn respect, and awareness of His greatness and presence both inspires reverence and is deepened by treating His name with reverence. True reverence grows from recognizing His infinite greatness and presence. It requires meditation on His majesty, purity, holiness, and exalted character.
His name must therefore be spoken only with reverence and solemnity, never lightly, thoughtlessly, needlessly, or in common conversation. This forbids false oaths and common swearing, thoughtless mention of God in ordinary conversation, appealing to Him in trivial matters, and frequent careless repetition of His name. It forbids needless repetition even in prayer, including careless use of titles such as God Almighty. Angels veil their faces when speaking His name, showing how much more fallen and sinful people should speak it with deep reverence.
Careless and irreverent use fails to recognize His greatness, holiness, and majesty. Such light and careless use dishonors Him, profanes what is sacred, and displeases Him. Contempt for His name, law, ordinances, or holy things profanes what is sacred and brings condemnation. Irreverent words in prayer grieve the Spirit and can cause petitions to be shut out of heaven.
Reverend Belongs to God Alone
The word reverend is found only once in the Bible, and there it is applied to God and His holy name. It is applied to the Lord God Jehovah to distinguish His honor and majesty from every other being, however highly exalted. He is the exalted God who dwells in unapproachable light, and holy and reverend is His name. It stands in a psalm praising the power of His works in giving His people the heritage of the heathen, the truth and justice of His works, the sureness of all His commandments standing fast forever and ever in truth and uprightness, His redemption sent to His people, and His covenant commanded forever.
Holiness and reverence so belong to the Lord God of hosts alone that the title belongs only to Him. No mortal man has any right to attach it to his own name or to the name of any other human being, whatever his position may be. This holds however exalted the person, including ministers, and neither men nor proud, finite, sinful people may give it to other men nor receive it for themselves. No human title such as Reverend or Right Reverend is fitting for human beings, for God's name alone is holy and worthy of reverence.
For those professing to honor God to take that adjective for themselves, as in calling ministers Reverend or putting Reverend and Right Reverend before their names, takes glory and holy honor from the only living God and places it on the creature. It robs God of His title to clothe men as if sacred, making them appear sacred. It exalts man to an equality with God, making themselves gods on earth. Those who claim it may misrepresent His name and character.
Those who lay claim to this title take God's holy honor to themselves, and using this word where it does not belong dishonors God and stands condemned by Him. People who claim it do not display the wisdom and righteousness such a title implies. Doing so proves ignorance of God and His holiness through disobedience, and springs from pride and desire for high titles rather than growth in grace. A true sight of God would make men meek and lowly instead of exalting themselves, for God and His holy, unchangeable, eternal law stand firm forever.