Setting Our Love Upon Him

Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation.
--Psalm 91:14-16

What beautiful promises are contained in this passage of Psalm 91. This is one of my favorite Psalms in the Bible. As I was studying some of the Hebrew meanings contained in this scripture, I wanted to share them with you.

First, to set your love upon something means to "cling to" or "to desire" that thing. The Lord says that when we set our love upon HIM that he will deliver us. To deliver means to strengthen something or to pull out of something. To honor means to promote or favor or bestow glory upon someone. And to have long life means to "live forever."

Knowing the meaning of these words a little more deeply, how does this describe our lives with God? Have we truly "set our love" upon Jesus? Are we clinging to Him daily, desiring Him above all else in life? I think most of us could honestly say that we often fall short of this kind of love and devotion to our Creator. Frankly, we expect His deliverance, His help, and His benefits without fulling devoting our lives in every way and in every aspect to Him.

The truth is that God's love toward us is UNconditional, but His promises coming forth and being appropriated in our lives are based upon the choices we make while on this earth. They are CONditional. We can choose the way of agape love toward God and toward others, or we can choose our own way. When we walk our own way, we forfeit many of the promises that could have been ours in this life.

Have we truly "known his name?" Do we know the name of God for ouselves, in our own hearts, in our motivations? The meaning of "to know" describes an intimacy that is like what should be experienced within the marriage relationship, a sexual "knowing." Would this type of intimacy describe our relationship with the Messiah? Or would our relationship, our knowing, be more formal, as in an acquaintance or an employer/employee relationship?

Ah, that we would truly long for and desire and cling to our Lord and Savior above all other passions! He said in the first commandment that we are to have no other gods before Him; not the god of career, not the god of church ministry, not the god of materialism, not the god of a good reputation, not the god of living a moral life, not the god of temporal pleasures, not the god of man-made traditions, not the god of entertainment, not even the god of a good marriage and healthy children, but Him and Him alone! When we live in this way, the world at large will shun us, but the covenant promises that He has made to us will come forth and be manifested in our lives. We will shine like stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life!

May you be blessed today as you read and meditate on Psalm 91. May we come before the King of Kings and say, "I choose to set my love upon you, my Master and my Lord! I choose to cling to YOU above all others and to follow your ways! Teach me to love you and walk in your paths, to call upon you daily, and to abide in you always, to forever life with you! Amen!"