Acknowledge and Know Him
How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? But know the LORD has set apart the godly for Himself; the LORD hears when I call to Him.
PSALM 4:2-3
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Acknowledge and Know Him
With [the Lord] is plenteous sweetness. The Law only killed, but it did not make alive [that is, it showed how a person should be put to death, but it did not make alive, that is, it did not show how a person was to be made alive], and man only hurts but does not soothe, whereas God "pours in wine and oil" (Luke 10:34). Therefore if anyone will hear this voice of the Spirit, "Why do you seek vanity and lies?" and submit to this rebuke and smiting, and say to him: "But what shall we do, O prophet? How may we escape a heavy heart? Who will set us free from this vanity and lying?" then the prophet will show them the true Savior and the "redemption which the Lord sent to His people" (Psalm 111:9), saying: " 'Know,' O sons of men, and understand what I say to you, for it will be for your good. Behold, 'the Lord has made His Holy One wonderful,' " as if to say: "Acknowledge and know Him as the Holy One of the Lord (namely, that He is Himself holy and makes you holy) whom you shall see doing wonderful things, as Isaiah 35:6 prophesied: 'Then shall the lame man leap like a hart.' Then know that 'the Lord has visited His people' (Luke 7:16) and 'has made His Holy One wonderful' for you. 'If you believe in Him, you will be saved' (Mark 16:16). If you will cry to Him, the Lord will hear you, for He is the beginning of salvation, and without Him 'there is salvation in no one else' (Acts 4:12). Therefore you must know and acknowledge Him above all, if you want to avoid vanity and lying. But you acknowledge and know Him, if you observe His miracles, since 'these very works bear witness' (John 5:36) concerning Him and the Lord has made Him wonderful so that you may know Him and cry to Him . . ."
From First Lectures on the Psalms (Luther's Works 10:63)
PSALM 4:2-3
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Acknowledge and Know Him
With [the Lord] is plenteous sweetness. The Law only killed, but it did not make alive [that is, it showed how a person should be put to death, but it did not make alive, that is, it did not show how a person was to be made alive], and man only hurts but does not soothe, whereas God "pours in wine and oil" (Luke 10:34). Therefore if anyone will hear this voice of the Spirit, "Why do you seek vanity and lies?" and submit to this rebuke and smiting, and say to him: "But what shall we do, O prophet? How may we escape a heavy heart? Who will set us free from this vanity and lying?" then the prophet will show them the true Savior and the "redemption which the Lord sent to His people" (Psalm 111:9), saying: " 'Know,' O sons of men, and understand what I say to you, for it will be for your good. Behold, 'the Lord has made His Holy One wonderful,' " as if to say: "Acknowledge and know Him as the Holy One of the Lord (namely, that He is Himself holy and makes you holy) whom you shall see doing wonderful things, as Isaiah 35:6 prophesied: 'Then shall the lame man leap like a hart.' Then know that 'the Lord has visited His people' (Luke 7:16) and 'has made His Holy One wonderful' for you. 'If you believe in Him, you will be saved' (Mark 16:16). If you will cry to Him, the Lord will hear you, for He is the beginning of salvation, and without Him 'there is salvation in no one else' (Acts 4:12). Therefore you must know and acknowledge Him above all, if you want to avoid vanity and lying. But you acknowledge and know Him, if you observe His miracles, since 'these very works bear witness' (John 5:36) concerning Him and the Lord has made Him wonderful so that you may know Him and cry to Him . . ."
From First Lectures on the Psalms (Luther's Works 10:63)
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