Psalm 79:9 Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of your name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for your name's sake. I. THE PETITION ITSELF. 1. It is very fit for nations under heavy pressures and calamities to confess their sins to God publicly. 2. It is very proper for such an afflicted nation to pray earnestly to God for help and deliverance. II. THE MOTIVE OR ARGUMENT USED. 1. By the Name of God, in Scripture, is frequently to be understood God Himself in all His excellences, attributes and perfections; and the glory of His name is the rendering those perfections conspicuous and observable; so that to move God for His name's sake, or the glory of His name, is to move Him, that the effects of His Divine attributes may be made visible and illustrious in the sight of men, so that they may be had in just esteem and veneration. 2. What particular reasons the Jewish nation had to petition God, to glorify those His attributes on their behalf. (1) As they were a nation selected from the rest of the world, and made the peculiar people of God. (2) As the people of the Jews were politically united to God, their Sovereign in a national bond, or covenant, so He expressed Himself frequently to have a particular kindness for them, giving them many repeated promises of establishing their government and the succession of their kings in the royal line of David to perpetual generations. 3. Inquire what general encouragement there is for other nations to address to God upon the same motive. And the encouragement is sufficient, in that God has upon occasions declared by His holy prophets that He is not a little concerned for His own honour, He would have His name known and published in all the world, He would have that honour given to Him, which is due unto His name, to all His names; for He is styled in Scripture by many names, not only with respect to His essence, and existence, but also to His supereminent attributes and properties. 4. Inquire, as far as it is fit for us, upon what occasions, and at what seasons it may be proper for a nation to use this motive in their addresses to God. (1) When the existence and providence of God is called in question, denied by some, and exposed and profaned by others. (2) When they themselves or others, whom common humanity and Christian charity oblige to commiserate, lie under great oppressions; in this case men may confidently apply themselves to God, for the sake of His honour and for His holy name. III. APPLICATION. 1. If Almighty God have such a respect to the honour of His name, as to accept the addresses that are made to Him upon that motive, it is a great encouragement to us to make use of it upon all occasions; especially upon occasion of using some extraordinary offices of devotion. 2. Let us be careful that we do not as publicly dishonour Him by our sins as we pretend publicly to honour Him by our devotions. (Bp. Gardiner.) Parallel Verses KJV: Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake. |
    |