“For Your Name's Sake!” (Ps 79)

Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, For we have been brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of Your name; and deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, for Your name’s sake! (vs8-9)

We want salvation because of who God is, the Savior of the poor, the Helper of sinners, the One who saves the miserably downcast by the blood of His own Son, in electing love, and in the power of the Spirit as promised (vs1-9). He says, “O God, the nations have come into Your inheritance; Your holy temple they have defiled; they have lad Jerusalem in ruins... and deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, for Your name's sake”. The God of glory is not held bound by the goodness of sinners, nor stopped by the strength of sin. Praise His name, in reality, we have a Savior; it is not merely a doctrine of how we can save ourselves, if strong enough.

We are weaklings, incapable of defeating sin, and surrounded by numerous foes, and yet God, because of who He is, outside of us, and beyond the help of our hands, has power to save us from sin, make us holy in deeds, and give us the joy of salvation. Of Christ it says, “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those whom come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb 7:25). He can make us powerfully and life changingly believe the gospel, resting us in Christ. He will bring fruit by His Spirit through absolute pardon, the fear of sin, and the continued call of grace. Do not despair, suffering believer! The God you cry unto saves.

Secondly, it is God's power, so rest assured (vs10-12). He says, “Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; according to the greatness of your power preserve those who are appointed to die; and return to our neighbors sevenfold into their bosom their reproach with which they have reproached You, O Lord”. You don't need to add anything or have any strength. The less YOU do the better! Paul wrote, “And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Cor 12:7). I love the gospel of men not helping God, and God doing it all! It's a gospel of God doing the impossible, even as He stilled the seas, raised the dead, and gave people power to obey. The gospel is God coming to a man who CAN'T, and by God's power (the only difference), now he can. He can believe, repent, and love.

Finally, the end result of salvation is God's own praise, so that “Amen”, and “Hallelujah”, and “Praise” may ascend to God willingly from those who've seen His beauty in redemption (vs13)! We read, “So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; we will show forth Your praise to all generations”. Creation has a glow, but God's unfolded glory is Him punishing and saving sinners... heaven and hell... sinners made holy by the Lamb He slew for sins (Rom 9:23-25).

The gospel of God's GIVING and transforming power - the gospel of His glorious love, the gospel of a holy and punishing God - is the most admirable thing in existence, the most amazing thing in human history and beyond. If you're able to see His salvation, then and only then can you sing His praise, for the unsaved cannot praise His glory. Thus, we call upon Him, confessing that He'll receive praise, because He gives us a reason to praise Him: He does it all, saving our everlasting souls from eternal misery to experience heavenly bliss and holiness, all by Himself.