For in Him our heart rejoices,
Because we trust [lean on, rely on, and are confident] in His holy name.
Psalm 33:21 (AMP)
Tucked near the end of the thirty-third Psalm is a verse resounding with hope and conviction. Let’s examine three of its elements to encourage our hearts today: (1) In Him, (2) Our Hearts, and (3) Trust in His Name.
(1) In Him
This verse begins with “…in Him.” The Psalmist locates the object of a believer’s joy in God.
Christians find their joy in God. This runs counterintuitively to our world today. Instead of anchoring joy in God, we anchor in created temporal things. I am not just talking about unbelievers, but Christians too.
How easy is it for Christians to fix their source of joy in relationships, jobs, possessions, the approval of others, their physical health, and more? We know when we’re doing this or not based on our response to disappointment or unmet expectations in any of these categories. It is one thing for God to be distant and say, “Come up to Me by keeping rules.” This is every other religion outside of Christianity.
On the other hand, the Bible presents a different picture: God came down to man, entered his domain, and redeemed him. This is what J.R.R. Tolkien called one of the two greatest eucatastrophes (a sudden turn for the better that should not be possible) of all time. Assuringly, Tolkien asserts that God becoming man means “the desire and aspiration of sub-creation has been raised to the fulfillment of Creation. The Birth of Christ is the eucatastrophe of Man’s history.”* What Tolkien means by sub-creator is mankind’s acting as mini-creators (art, building, writing, etc.).
In other words, Christ is the Word made flesh. God became a man and dwelt among us. The unthinkable has occurred: blessing from a curse and life from death. Narnia’s White Witch could not understand. And, if that’s not amazing enough, God takes His enemies and not only associates with them, but also births us in Him. How comforting to learn that we who have been crucified with Christ now are in Christ (Gal. 2:20)?
(2) Our Heart
Next, we learn where joy is expressed: from the heart. Practically, we are used to comparing and contrasting the heart with the mind. It goes something like this: our minds represent reasoning and rational capacities, while our hearts represent our emotions. While this is true and helpful, the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, presents the heart in a more holistic view that integrates the various aspects of mind, heart, and will.
In other words, from a biblical perspective, the heart embodies the entire person. Several examples begin with the Great Shema, which teaches that God’s people are to love Him with all their heart, soul, and might (Deut. 6:5). Elsewhere, we learn that it was those with “stirred hearts” that brought their tabernacle contributions to God (Exodus 35:21). Prophetically, Ezekiel pronounces that the heart must be changed (Ezekiel 36:26); ultimately finding its fulfillment in the work of the Holy Spirit.
Indeed, it is the apostle Paul who declares in Rom. 2:28-29 that the Spirit changes the heart. This change was not just a theoretical change, but a relational change. Amazingly, a Gentile, outside the covenant family of God, is now welcomed and adopted (Gal. 4:4-6).
(3) We Trust…His Holy Name
Joy in God, expressed by the heart, is possible only because of trust in God.
What does the Psalmist mean here by trust in God, who is holy? It means that although God is holy and uniquely set apart from His sinful creation, He still enters His creation to redeem it and reconcile it to Himself. Let’s examine two aspects of trust rooted in God’s attributes and Person: Holiness and Name.
- Holy. Holiness carries at least two facets and has significant implications:
- God’s Actions: The first is God’s perfection reflected in actions humans can observe. Every action of God is important, ranging from the fellowship with Adam and Eve in the Garden to the end of the book of Revelation, when Christ appears in judgment. The implications of God’s holiness extend to His eternal and infinite distinction, observed in the second aspect.
- God’s Nature: The second aspect of His holiness is understood by His infinite and eternal distinction from everything. While God’s actions are holy, so also is God’s nature. God’s holy nature is beyond words, yet He is described as Spirit (John 4:24). Although His nature is entirely distinct and beyond all created things, He nevertheless condescends to His creation, which leads to the second facet.
- Name. The name of God represents at least three elements: (1) His covenant relationship with His people, (2) how His people understand him, and (3) His unchanging character. One way the Bible reveals God’s covenant relationship with His people is through His name.
- Covenant Relationship: We see this in Exodus 3:13-15, where God tells Moses that I AM WHO I AM sent him to Pharaoh. This is God’s covenant name, YHWH, which God allows His people to use on His behalf for their good.
- Personal Understanding: Additionally, God relates to His people by His name. Through the Scriptures, God’s name enables His people to understand His nature more. As they live in a broken world, God reveals Himself as their Provider, as they battle with enemies, God is their Banner, and more.
- Unchanging Character: Third, God’s character is revealed by His name. David opens the twenty-third Psalm, declaring that God acts on behalf of His people for the sake of His name. In other places, God’s character is revealed by His protection. In all cases, the character quality that underlies His name is His hesed love (loyal love). Indeed, trusting in God’s name means trusting in an unshakeable, unalterable, and loving God.
Conclusion
What makes this Psalm so amazing for Christians is that the holy God, unable to abide sin, became sin on our behalf so that we might receive His righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21). It sounds too fantastic—like a myth or fairy tale. Yet, this is what some consider the glorious “scandal” of the gospel. Thus, the more we understand the extent God went for our salvation and sanctification, the more we both trust and rejoice!
Our hearts rejoice because we trust in a holy God who became a man to redeem rebels. In a world that offers many—and good—substitutes for us to trust, none compares to our God! He alone offers us hope, protection, and love because He is good and offers us access to Himself by grace through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.
What created things (relationships, job, reputation, and more) are you clinging to for joy this week? How can you shift your trust back to God as the true and only source of joy? How might reflecting on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ aid in this reflection?