God speaks to His people!

We often read Psalm 138:2 and marvel at what we think God is saying. But the truth is, He is really prioritizing something different than what we think in the last phrase of this verse.

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name. (Psalm 138:2)

How many times have we read this verse and thought it was talking about the Scriptures? But God did not magnify the written Scriptures above His name. He magnified much more than that! What He magnified is His Word. So what does He really mean in this verse?

The Hebrew word for “word” in this psalm is “emrah.” It means an utterance, speech, or what is being spoken. It’s referring to an active dialogue. What God magnified above His name is His active speaking to His people. Such speaking involves a hearing relationship with them, a fellowship.

Think of Matthew 4:4, quoted from Deuteronomy 8:3—that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word (Greek: rhema speaking) that proceeds (is proceeding) out of the mouth of God.

God so loves us and wants us to live by every word that continually proceeds out of His mouth. He wants conversation; an ongoing, two-way, right now fellowship. His written Word captures some of His amazing oral communications. But like God’s rebuke to Aaron and Miriam in Numbers chapter 12, He desires more. He could only speak to them in visions and dreams because of their pride. But to Moses, He could actually speak and fellowship “mouth-to-mouth.” Such has been His desire since Adam and Eve before the fall. 

Our heavenly Father tolerates having to communicate by impressions, coincidences, dreams, and visions. But He really wants to actually talk with us, and we with Him. Would you be satisfied relating to your spouse only through notes, visions, or previous writings? Of course not. It is the same with God. He wants to speak mouth-to-mouth conversations with us! In this way, we get to know the Author of our faith, not just His wonderful book.

Jesus rewards those who overcome in such fellowship and dialogue with Him by inviting them to sit with Him on His throne (Revelation 3:20-21). The single criterion behind such invitation is the fellowship that we keep through hearing His voice and fellowshipping with Him!

The New Covenant is all about creating space in our hearts to receive God and His Son’s speaking words. Such words are also known as a “fountain” and as “living water” in John 4:14 and 7:37-38, and as “the water of life” in Revelation 21:6, and 22:17. This is how He writes His word in the fleshly tables of our heart.

So, what did God magnify and even place above His name in Psalm 138:2? His fellowship via one-on-one verbal communications with the people that He loves. Just as Jesus prayed for oneness in His last prayer on the way to the garden in John 17, so God longs for oneness with us. He sent Jesus Christ to save us and to open the door to talk with us personally in His still, small voice. And the Holy Spirit was additionally sent to guide us into such fellowship with The Truth—Jesus Himself!

May the joy of His fellowship be with you every day in the secret place of The Most High.

In John chapter 15 we learn that Jesus Christ is the vine, we are the branches and that without Him, we can do nothing. What powerful words these are! They mirror what He said twice in chapter 5 (5:19, 30) that without the Father, He also could do nothing.

As Jesus Christ was powerless without the Father directing His steps, so are we powerless without Jesus Christ directing ours. So simple! How exciting life becomes when He leads us. Now the big question, how does He direct our steps?

If ye abide in me, and my words (rhema = speaking voice) abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:7-8)

These verses share four monumental things that occur when we hear and respond to the inner voice of the Lord: 

1. Our prayers get answered  

2. We glorify the Father

3. We bear much fruit

4. We become His disciples

There is a method to God teaching us how to hear and rely on His still small voice. That method runs through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit (our guide to the all truth). Jesus wants to communicate with us as sheep that hear the voice of their Shepherd! Behold, I stand at the door and knock…Our productivity for the Kingdom hinges on doing things His speaking way rather than our own way. It hinges on the intimacy of the relationship that we are keeping with the Master.

Our flesh tries to keep us in “stall” mode, often through condemnation, distractions and busyness, so that we don’t hear well in the spirit. The busyness of life and the affairs of the world all work against stillness and intimacy with the Lord. Here’s a great tip to get unstuck quickly: speak in tongues for yourself often. It is block-busting perfect prayer. Speaking in tongues is a powerful way to restore intimacy with the Lord and rebuild your spiritual muscles.

In closing, may the truth of Jesus’s exhortation in Matthew 4:4 continue to shine in our hearts as we enjoy the pleasure of His fellowship each day:

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word (rhema speaking) that proceedeth (is proceeding) out of the mouth of God. 

May the constant stream of the Lord’s affectionate communion with you be as His words to the woman at the well:

Whosoever drinketh (is drinking) of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh (is drinking) of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

May you be blessed and full of the wonder of God’s living water abiding in you!