“Those who know Your name trust in You because You have not abandoned those who seek You, Yahweh” (Psalm 9:10).

We live in a day and time of conditional statements. Everything is maybe, possibly, perhapsly, sometimes-esque. But here? Here is a bold statement without apology. Those who know the name of the Lord will trust in the Lord. There is no might, no should, no maybe, and no mostly. Those who know will trust.

There are lots of unconditional statements like this in Scripture associated with “the name of the Lord”:

• Deuteronomy 28:10: “Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.”
• Psalm 102:15: “The nations will fear the name of the Lord, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.”
• Psalm 113:13: “From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”
• Psalm 124:8: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

But this isn’t a formula; it’s not like a secret password though we sometimes treat it that way. I know I went through a season of making sure all my prayers ended “in Jesus’ name” because I believed that was the sure fire way to get God to do what I wanted. But the name of the Lord isn’t a rabbit’s foot; it’s the summation of His character.

It’s who He is in all His gracious and terrible might, holiness, wrath, justice, grace, love and mercy – all rolled in together. That’s why the statement lacks condition.

Those who know the Lord – those who walk with Him and deeply understand who He really is – have the same response: trust. There are some “almost” people like that in the world; I hope day by day I’m growing into one of those people. But who else can we say that about? Who else can we claim that intimate knowledge results in unequivocal trust?

There is none, for there is no one like Him.

If, then, today I find myself waning in trust, then I can return to this promise over and over. The antidote for doubt is knowing God. For to know Him? That’s to trust Him.