Psalms 115

Psalms 115:1

Psalm 115: Israel Renounces IdolsThe Jews have now returned from their exile in Babylon; they are back in their own land. But they do not take any credit for it to themselves. Their restoration is due solely to Jehovah. He did it because of His unfailing love for His people and because of His faithfulness to His promise. 115:1, 2 For too long the heathen have been taunting the Israelites. “So where is your God? He doesn’t seem to be very interested in you when He leaves you to languish in captivity for seventy years!” But now they can’t say this any more. Their scorn and ridicule have been silenced. God has vindicated His name. 115:3 It should be apparent now to all the world that the true God is transcendent"Our God is in heaven" and He is sovereign"He does whatever He pleases." The transcendence of God means that He is exalted above the universe, and has His being apart from it. The sovereignty of God means that He is free to do whatever He pleases, and what He pleases is always good, just and wise. 115:4-7 It was because of their idolatry that God allowed the Jews to be taken captive by the Babylonians. But now that they have learned the impotence and worthlessness of idols, they taunt the heathen for their graven images. The idols are made of silver and gold, and therefore their value is determined by conditions in the market place. They are manufactured by men and thus they are inferior to the ones who worship them. They have mouths but they cannot teach or predict the future. They have eyes . . . but they do not see the problems of their people. They have ears but no power to hear prayer. They have noses . . . but they do not smell the incense that is offered to them. They have hands but no power to feel. They have feet . . . but they do not move off their pedestal. They can’t even mutter through their throat. 115:8 Those who make them are like them. It is a settled principle in the spiritual realm that men become like the object of their worship. Their moral standards are shaped by their god. Everyone who trusts in images becomes impure, feeble, obtuse and uncomprehending. 115:9 Only Jehovah is worthy of trust. So now a soloist steps forward and calls Israel to a life of unswerving trust in the LORD. The choir responds with the confessionHe is their help and their shield.115:10, 11 Next the priestly house of Aaron is exhorted to put its faith unreservedly in the LORD; the choir again responds with the acknowledgment that He is their tested and proven help and Defender. The third time the precentor widens his appeal to all who fear the LORD, possibly including Gentile converts as well. They too know that He is their true help and their shield. 115:12-15 It sounds as if the priests take up the song next, assuring the people that the same LORD who has been mindful of the nation in restoring their fortunes will bless themthe people, the priests, the proselytes, those of every age, rank, class and condition. They pray that God will bless His people and their descendants with increaseprobably thinking of numerical increase for a nation whose ranks were depleted. But the prayer could also include spiritual and material prosperity. In addition they invoke the general blessing of the LORD, the One who made heaven and earth. 115:16 God made the heavens as His own dwelling place, but He assigned the earth as a place for men to live. And in this place man can worship and serve Him. 115:17, 18 Verse 17 mirrors the common view of OT saints that death ends a man’s ability to praise the LORD. As far as they knew, the dead are in a condition of stony silence. We now know that those who die in faith pass immediately into the presence of the Lord. Though their bodies lie silent in the grave, yet their spirits are unfettered in worship and adoration of the Lord. But the climax of their argument is valid for usthat is, that we should bless the Lord while we are alive. And that is the vow with which the Psalm closes: We will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!