Psalms 115
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Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
9 O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
11 Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
14 The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
15 Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
17 The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Psalm 115:1-18
To Your Name Give Glory
1Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.
4Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
9O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
10O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
11You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
12The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the small and the great.
14May the Lord give you increase,
you and your children!
15May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!
16The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into silence.
18But we will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Psalm 115:1-18
Psalm 115
1Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
2Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
6They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
7They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
9All you Israelites, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11You who fear him, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12The Lord remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.
14May the Lord cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
15May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16The highest heavens belong to the Lord,
but the earth he has given to mankind.
17It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
those who go down to the place of silence;
18it is we who extol the Lord,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord.
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
Men are molded into the images of their idols. Famously, youth that idolize various stars tend to dress like them. But this is only a superficial example of a deep truth. Our ideals are more like a brass sky than a glass ceiling.
What I am saying is that we do not rise higher than our moral ideals.
In one eastern religion, the “merciful” deity burns sinners sadistically, taunting their agonies. Not surprisingly, domestic violence in that religion is proverbial. I mean, when that is your moral ideal, your character is warped.
David wrote of this idea. “[Your idols] have hands, but they handle not. Feet they have, but they walk not. Neither speak they . . . They that make them are like them. So is everyone that trusts in them.”
The Psalmist didn’t mean that idolators are in a catatonic state.
Rather, he explained that our ideals limit us. They mute us. They ground us.
As an idol, that is what money can do. That is what sports can do. That is what power can do. That is what a sexual partner can do.
But when Jesus is our meditated ideal, the limits evaporate. “Trust in the Lord for He is your help and your shield.”
Eugene Prewitt
Director, BE WELL Training Center in Sitakunda, Bangladesh.
