Ben Fourie

“I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praise of your name, O Most High.”Psalm 9:2 (NIV)

If we could consider degrees of comparison for God, the Bible tells us he is not high or higher, but the superlative, El Elyon - Most High. You will find this name for God many times in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament.

The moving psalm that we quoted above was most probably written by King David after a difficult time of stress and war. The main theme is thanksgiving for being saved by God from an ordeal. In his song of praise, he could find no better name than the Most High, the God that is above all. The idol worship that was rife amongst the nations surrounding Israel usually had a hierarchy of gods with the one at the very top being the most important. We also find this form of religion at a later stage in the mythologies of Greece and Rome as well as the Scandinavian people. In contrast, David only knows the One and Only God of Israel, the Most High.

In the Book of Daniel, we find this name fifteen times, although not in Hebrew, but in Aramaic, as the Book of Daniel was written in both these languages. Daniel used this particular name for God, in contrast to the worldly kings of his time. We read that King Darius, on the advice of his officials, declared himself a god. Anybody worshipping any other god than the king would end up in the pit of lions. We all know the story of how Daniel was thrown into the pit because he kept on worshipping the Most High. No president, king, emperor or government is elevated above God. He is the Most High and his laws take precedence over all secular laws.

What position does God have in our lives? Is He, because of our very busy schedules, maybe on the lowest rung? Have we not reduced Him to only one of many things that will get a small share of our attention sometime in the busy day? He will not be satisfied with that, He wants to be the Most High in all facets of my life.

Prayer: Please help me not to become so entangled in the tumult of everyday life that I forget about you as the Most High.  Amen