"HOW EXCELLENT IS THY NAME, O LORD, IN ALL, THE EARTH,

WHO HAST SET THY GLORY ABOVE THE HEAVENS."

Part II

Text: Psalm 8

"Sing unto the Lord; for He hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth."

"He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. They give drink to every beast of the field... He causeth the grass to grow for the cattle and herb for the service of man... The trees of the Lord --He hath planted; where the birds make their nests.... The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats; and the rocks for the conies. He appointed the moon for seasons: the sun knoweth his going down. Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep forth. The young lions roar after their prey and seek their meat from God....

"0 Lord, how manifold are Thy works! In Wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable both small and great beasts.... These wait all upon Thee; that Thou givest them they gather: Thou openest Thine hand, they are filled with good. Thou hidest Thy face, they are troubled: Thou takest away their breath, they die and return to their dust. Thou sendest forth Thy spirit, they are created: and Thou renewest the face of the earth.

"The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in His works, He looketh on the earth and it trembleth: He toucheth the hills and they smoke. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. My meditation of shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth let the wicked be no more. Bless Thou the Lord, 0 my soul. Praise ye the Lord." –from Psalm 104.

"In His hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is His also. The sea is His and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land." --Psalm 95:4,5

The worm is fed by His hand, and the rose receives its fragrance from Him. He perfumes the lilacs, the honeysuckle and the dandelions. Every rose smells like a rose, and every lilac smells like a lilac. No dandelion smells like a rose, nor does a lilac smell like a dandelion.

Does a snowstorm spread a foot of white over our northern states? Imagine the number of snowflakes it would take to cover a square foot of ground to a depth of one foot. Imagine how many snowflakes it would take to cover an acre of ground to a depth of one foot. How many individual snowflakes do you think it would take to cover one state to that depth! --Then realize that though all snowflakes are six-sided, and built according to the definite plan of God, yet no two have ever been discovered to be identical! The most excellent name of the Lord is testified by His Creation, but is even more amazingly traced in His attention to the likes of you and me.

The excellent name of the Lord is known in that "He hath done excellent things." –Isaiah 12:5 His "excellent glory" is set "above the Heavens," because Creation is but the work of His "fingers" (verse 3); it is His "handiwork," (Psalm 19:1); but the work of salvation is a greater work than that of creation because the Scriptures declare, "His arm brought salvation. -- Isaiah 59:16. As Thomas Watson observed, it was a great work to make man out of nothing, it was an even greater work to save him when he was less than nothing.

"When I consider Thy Heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands: Thou hast put all things under His feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the sea. O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!" --verses 3-9.

Immortal, invisible God only wise,

In light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

Most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

Almighty, victorious, Thy Great Name we praise.

Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

Nor wanting, nor wasting, Thou rulest in might;

Thy justice like mountains high soaring above,

Thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love.

To all, life Thou givest --to both great and small;

In all life Thou livest, the true life of all;

We blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree,

And wither and perish --but naught changeth Thee.

Great Father of glory, pure Father of light,

Thine angels adore Thee, all veiling their sight;

All praise we would render; o help us to see

’Tis only the splendor of light hideth Thee!"

Walter Chalmers Smith

"Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens: praise Him in the heights. Praise ye Him, all His angels: praise ye Him all His host. Praise ye Him Sun and Moon: Praise Him all ye stars of light. Praise Him; ye Heavens of Heavens, and ye waters that be above the Heavens. Let them praise the name of the Lord: for He commanded, and they were created. He hath also stablished them forever and ever: He hath made a decree which shall not pass. Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons and all deeps: Fire and Hail; Snow and Vapors; Stormy Wind fulfill His Word: Mountains, and all Hills; Fruitful Trees and all Cedars: Beasts, and all Cattle; Creeping Things, and Flying Fowl: Kings of the earth, and all People; Princes and all Judges of the earth: both Young Men and Maidens; Old Men and Children: Let them praise the name of the Lord: for His name alone is excellent; His glory is above the earth and Heaven. He also exalteth the horn of His people, the praise of all His saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto Him. Praise ye the Lord." --Psalm 148.

"Praise Him according to His excellent greatness." --Psalm 150:2

MARCH

19, 1871 --Africa. David Livingstone writes in his Diary, "March 19th, my birthday. My Jesus, my King, my Life, my All, I again dedicate my whole self to Thee. Accept me, and grant, O gracious Father, that ere the year is gone, I may finish my work. In Jesus’ name I ask it. Amen."

20, 1413 --England. Henry IV has planned to set out on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and it has been prophesied he will die in "Jerusalem." Today he dies in the large hall in the deanery of Westminster, known as the "Jerusalem Chamber." William Shakespeare will refer to the incident in his play, Henry IV, in Part II, Act IV, and Scene four.

25, 1740 --Georgia. In Savannah, George Whitefield lays the first brick for the Orphan House to which he has given the name "Bethesda" hoping it will ever prove to be "The House of Mercy." It is built "far removed from the wicked influence of the town!"

YOU ARE INVITED TO ATTEND

IN THE CHAPEL OF THE BON AIR RESIDENTIAL HOTEL

SUNDAY-11:00 AM, 7:00 PM WEDNESDAY-7:30 PM