Psalm 115

Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us,
But to Your name give glory,
Because of Your mercy,
Because of Your truth.
Why should the Gentiles say,
“So where is their God?”
But our God is in heaven;
He does whatever He pleases.
Their idols are silver and gold,
The work of men’s hands.
They have mouths, but they do not speak;
Eyes they have, but they do not see;
They have ears, but they do not hear;
Noses they have, but they do not smell;
They have hands, but they do not handle;
Feet they have, but they do not walk;
Nor do they mutter through their throat.
Those who make them are like them;
So is everyone who trusts in them.
O Israel, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord;
He is their help and their shield.
The Lord has been mindful of us;
He will bless us;
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron.
He will bless those who fear the Lord,
Both small and great.
May the Lord give you increase more and more,
You and your children.
May you be blessed by the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

This Psalm has been on my mind a lot lately, especially the verses (4-8) describing the futility of idols. This past Sunday, our pastor pointed something out that corresponded with these verses - people who create idols ultimately worship themselves. True, isn’t it?

If an idol has a mouth but can’t speak, who comes up with its rules and morals?

If an idol has eyes but can’t see, who determines right and wrong?

If an idol has ears, but can’t hear, or noses, but can’t smell - who says what’s pleasing and what’s not?

Someone may have a literal figurine or statue that they bow down to, or it may be something abstract. But anything worshiped that isn’t the Lord God is an idol.

Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.

This Psalm talks about literal statues, physical idols. And the author says that those who create and trust in these idols are like them. Empty, futile, hopeless.

But those who trust in the Lord? We have substance to our faith!

We have the God who speaks, the God who sees, the God who hears and smells and moves. He’s living and active. He is our help and shield, He is not only aware of our lives but involved in them. We don’t serve an idol, we serve the living God!

The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor any who go down into silence.
But we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forevermore.

Praise the Lord!

-Amy