Psalm 115

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

The opening verse of this song is striking because of the way it is stated in the negative. There’s nothing else like it in the Psalter. The repetition of the phrase “Not to us” emphasizes the earnestness of the worshiper to divert attention away from themselves and to the one deserving of the weight of honor. YHWH is the One deserving of glory and honor. He is the One to whom all attention is directed. This is not because he’s got a big ego and will have his feelings hurt if we don’t. God is not insecure and in need of our worship to prop him up. He is worthy of our worship because of these two characteristics: his steadfast covenant loyalty and his constancy. The covenant love of God is an oft repeated theme of the psalms. It is a love that is not dependent on circumstance but is guaranteed by the promise of God. The closest example on earth is the covenant love of marriage. Imagine that couple who has been together for decades through the good and bad, inseparable and faithful to each other. That’s a picture of covenant love, an unwillingness to part ways under any circumstances. That is related to the second quality of God mentioned here: his faithfulness. The core of the word is “truth”, and this is how it is most commonly translated. In its essence, “truth” means “reality”, that which is and does not change. God is, and He does not change. It’s become fashionable in the west to create our own realities. With more than 50 genders and types of being, everything is fluid and emotionally based. It’s all quite silly, but it reflects what happens when as a society we abandon the reality that “God is and He does not change” and in its place insert our own reality that is constantly changing. All glory to God for his steadfast love and truth. 

2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”

3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.

Many ask about the nature of Israel’s God since there were no images of him. He could not be limited by an image conceived in the human imagination. All the idols of the ancients were representations of animals and humans, crafted to mediate the presence of the gods. The gods were not the idols, but the idols represented the actual gods that were believed in by the nations. So, it is a legitimate question and one which I’m sure the Jews heard often. The answer is very direct, “Our God is in the heavens, that which he desires, he does.” This statement places God beyond the reach of mankind who cannot go to the heavens and is relatively powerless. In fact, he is practically impotent compared to God, completely at his mercy. Idolatry is an attempt to bring God down to our level by crafting his representation in our image, getting a handle on him by describing and visualizing him in human form. In doing so, we get a handle on the gods and have measure of control. But YHWH cannot be limited in such a way despite our efforts to do so. He cannot be tamed to fit our desires. Instead, he does whatever he desires. He is sovereign and powerful, so the only wise response is worship and submission. And when things happen that you don’t understand, recall this statement. God is in the heavens so he has a perspective that you do not. He sees all and knows all. In his good will, all things are done, so place your trust in Him, even though it doesn’t make sense from your perspective. 

God is in the heavens, what he desires, he does.

4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.

5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.

6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.

The nations, representing unbelievers, are confident that they believe in the true gods because they are gods that they can see. They have a form and substance. They are made of valuable materials and are crafted by the finest artisans. They have inherent worth and they evoke a sense of the sacred in those who believe. The problem however is that they are not gods at all. They are ordinary objects made by humans and then made ultimate by those same humans. They are quite literally gods of our own making and therefore, we are greater than them, just as the creator is greater than the creation. So a person worshiping an idol is really worshiping themselves, enthroning the ego above all else. The psalmist begins to describe the total irony of the idol, appearing to have power, they are utterly impotent. First, they have mouths but cannot speak. They cannot say anything to you, and if they could, they would only tell you what you wanted to hear, because you made them. They will never disagree with you, never push you to grow in any way, they will only affirm what you think and feel. Their voice is your voice. Second, they have eyes but do not see. They are blind guides. Yes they have eyes carved into their faces but there is nothing behind them. They do not see, so they cannot judge. They cannot hold you to account, nor can they empathize with you because they cannot see what you are going through. Third, they have ears but do not hear. When you pray to them, you might as well be praying to yourself, the effect is the same. They are deaf to your cries. There’s nothing you can do to persuade them to act on your behalf. You are utterly alone when you are with them. Fourth, they have noses but do not smell. They have no breath in them. They are lifeless and cold, a lump of metal, unable to complete any biological process. The incense that you burn as you pray to them has a greater effect on you than it does on them. Around the world today you will find people who still worship these types of idols, burning incense and praying to lifeless statues that represent lifeless deities that men have invented to impose their will on the universe. But idolatry comes in many other forms as well. An idol is essentially a good thing that we have made an ultimate thing. They are projections of ourselves, not reality. A god that we have made ourselves is no god at all. What are the gods that you have made and how do you worship them?

7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.

8 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

The psalmist moves from the idol’s lack of sensation to its lack of activity and mobility. The idol has hands but cannot feel. An idol can’t reach out and touch, can’t extend itself to meet you where you are. They have no sensation of connectedness, just cold wood metal. They have feet, but they are imobile. They can’t come to you. You have to go to them. They are not there when you need them. Finally the psalmist circles back to the mouth of the idol. Not only are they unable to speak words, they can’t even mutter a sound. The word here is “hagah”, the same word that is used elsewhere to meditate, to mumble or murmur. It is a picture of an object that may have great material and artistic value, but it is absolutely useless in real life. To underline his point of the folly of idolatry and its impact on the worshiper, the psalmist states that those who make them and worship through them will be like them. This is a profound statement of fact -- we are shaped by that which we love. That which we admire and uphold, the artistic content that we consume, the hobbies and activities that occupy our minds and our days -- these are all shaping us in various ways. Frank Lloyd Wright said this about buildings, but the same principle is true of anything that we make. “We create our buildings and then they create us. Likewise we construct our circle of friends and our communities and then they construct us.” I fear that many of us are as hollow, lifeless and one dimensional as the idols that we worship. What are you valuing as indicated by your calendar and your wallet? Or in whom are you placing your trust? 

9 O Israel, [Masoretic Text; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac O house of Israel] trust 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 You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.

The worship leader calls upon three groups of people to trust in YHWH. This is a common structure in hymns, the three-fold division has a way of communicating totality. No one is left out of this injunction. The first to be summoned is the nation of Israel (or house of Israel to correspond with the house of Aaron in verse 10). In light of the hollowness of the gods of the nations, the nation of Israel is urged to place their trust in the true God, the one who is in heaven and does whatever he pleases on earth, the all-powerful One. They are invited to lean fully on Him rather than their own made up gods. Second, the “house of Aaron” is a reference to the levitical priesthood, those born into the service of God -- leading worship, caring for the worship environment, studying the Torah, and teaching the people. The leadership needs to trust in God because they are tempted to trust in themselves. The greater our level of competence at something, the greater the temptation to trust in ourselves. This group of people must show the way by example. The third group of people are those who fear the LORD, a designation for the gentiles, non-Jews by birth who have joined the community because they have come to believe in YHWH as the one true God. This is one of many examples of the inclusivity of the faith. The great commission given to Abraham was to be a blessing to the nations by sharing with them the good news of YHWH. This was no easy task because there is always tension. On the one hand, they were to be a holy people, set apart, separate in many ways from the nations around them. Mingling with the nations often got them into spiritual trouble. On the other hand, they needed to live in contact with the rest of the world to show them a better way. The inclusion of this phrase in the psalm is a reminder of the task of the church as well. We are the community of Israel, God’s people, and we are tasked with leading the nations to fear the LORD and place their trust in him. There are two metaphors that describe the LORD’s actions in relation to those who trust him. He is their help (the one who comes alongside to support) and their shield (the one who goes before to blunt the attack of the enemy). 

12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron;

13 he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great.

When the LORD remembers, it is another way of saying that he acts. He brings us to the forefront of his mind (to use a human description) and he acts in accordance with his affection for us. The result of his remembering us is a blessing. Just as the call to praise goes to everyone, so the blessing -- the house of Israel (the nation), the house of Aaron (the priesthood), and those who fear the LORD (non-Jewish believers). The great thing about the blessing of God is that it does not discriminate among people in any way whatsoever. Our modern world cannot wrap its mind around that, so ingrained is the habit of judging people by the color of their skin, age, sex, social status, income, or nationality. However, before God, none of those distinctions are conditions for receiving his blessing. The LORD simply remembers and blesses. This is a Piel form of the Hebrew word “bless” indicating intensity. The LORD will intensely bless everyone who trusts in Him. “Blessing” simply means well-being. It will go well with you, you will flourish. The Book of Psalms begins picturing this blessing as a tree that is planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season, whose leaf does not wither during dry season, and which prospers in every way. It doesn’t mean a life that is free from hardship, but rather one that is stable yet growing, secure against the forces of this world, and serving others by providing them comfort in its shade and nourishment from its fruit. This is what the blessing of God looks like.

14 May the LORD give you increase, you and your children!

15 May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the LORD’s heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.

The prayer of verse 14 is simply that the LORD would add to you and your children. It is the same root word as that of the name Joseph (“May the LORD add”). The object of the verb “add” is not mentioned, but it is assumed to be a blessing. May he increase your wealth, the length of your life, the number of your children, your happiness, your security -- all the things that make for a good life. Children are a blessing, so an abundance of children is an abundance of all of the above. It is a prayer for fruitfulness in every way. Verse 15 follows with another prayer of blessing, that you would be blessed by the LORD, maker of heaven and earth. The phrase “maker of heaven and earth” is one of the repeated phrases in the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134), introduced for the first time here. It is a reminder of the creative power of God, here in the context of his creative power in building and blessing the family (verse 14). If God can make the heavens and the earth, he can certainly bless you and make something of your life. Elaborating on the creation of the heavens and the earth, the psalmist references Genesis 1 and Psalm 8 in distinguishing the role of mankind. The heavens belong to God, but the earth belongs to the children of man (lit. “sons of Adam”). It is a place of high honor and responsibility, caring for the earth and stewarding its resources for human flourishing. We reign with the creator on this earth, continuing the creative and managing work that He began. Hidden in this verse is one of the major anthropological views of scripture: humans are created in the imago dei, the likeness of God, and we are entrusted with the ruling and care of the planet. There are limits to what we can do because we are earth-bound. The water and the sky are unnatural environments for us, even though we traverse them. We are made for the ground. We have legs, not gills or wings. We do what we are able, and we leave the rest to God. 

17 The dead do not praise the LORD (YH), nor do any who go down into silence.

18 But we will bless the LORD (YH) from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah)

The psalm concludes with a vow, a promise to praise the LORD while we are alive. From the perspective of the living, the dead do not praise the LORD. They are powerless, lifeless, and thoughtless, so what can they offer God as far as words or actions of worship? Their souls may very well be engaged in worship, but we have no way of knowing. The implication then is that we must praise the LORD while we have life. So that would be today. And so the psalmist promises that we will bless (praise) the LORD from now until forevermore. The phrase “from this time forth and forevermore” is another phrase from the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134), hinting at things to come. The word “forevermore” points to the future when time will be no more. It is an existence that we cannot fathom because we are so time-bound. It really doesn’t make sense to us, so all we can do is imagine a world without clocks where the passage of time is not marked and we are simply present. John Newton gives us a vision of this reality just to get us thinking about it, “When we’ve been there 10,000 years, bright shining as the sun, we’ve no less days to sing God’s praise than when we first begun.” So even as verse 17 declares that the dead do not praise YH, verse 18 promises that we will continue praising God into the eternal future, long after our bodies have ceased to function as the temporary home of our souls. Of all the things that you do today, most of them will not last. You’ll have to do them again tomorrow and the next day and the next day. But the one thing that will endure forever is your worship. It is a timeless, eternal act of ultimate consequence. Blessed are those who learn to worship the LORD.