Psalm 115 (To Your Name O Lord Give Glory)

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

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

⁹ O 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.
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.

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.

¹⁷ The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence.
¹⁸ But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord!

 

Reflection on Psalm 115:

The Lord God respects his Holy Name because is faithful and ever-loving. There is no need for unbelievers to question where God is. Because the answer is already given; God is in heaven and does whatever he wishes. The Lord is not like any false god of whom people make idols. He is genuine and everlasting. His dominion is from age to age. Idols of false gods are useless because they don’t have the sense of hearing nor the sense of taste and neither can they see. So shallow are false idols that they cannot even walk. As lifeless as these idols are, so is the effect of putting hope in them. Avoid all such detestable idols. Let no material object nor any lust of any kind nor any thought pattern from the sinful world become a false idol to you!

The nation of Israel not matter what their current state is still called to trust in the Lord God and so are their priests; the household of Aaron. All those who trust in the Lord must remember he is the help and the shield of Israel and all believers when they trust in him. The Lord won’t forever forget the household of Israel nor that of Aaron the high priest of Israel, as per the law of Moses. In due time, he will turn their hearts back to him. But do remember, that God’s favour is not limited to them alone but is for all people who respectfully fear the Lord even if they are from the most remote parts of the earth. God’s mercy is available for all nations, tribes, language groups and races of the earth.

Always seek the blessing of God the everlasting One for yourself and your children. Because he is Great and has made heaven and earth. All of heaven belongs to the Lord of all the holy angels. But he has given mankind the earth, not as a possession but for stewardship, so that they glorify HIM in their thoughts, words and deeds while on earth.

Make good use of the time when you are alive on earth. Because for those who are dead, especially those who are dead in spirit to the will of God, there no time later to praise the Lord. While for those who are righteous in Christ at the time of their death are more alive than ever. They will praise the Lord in eternity which has God’s living light.

As for those of us who are still living on earth, lets us bless and praise the Lord forever and ever. Praise the Lord.

 

Verses for further reflection:

1. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21)
2. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. (Colossians 2:8)
3. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. (Colossians 3:5)
4. Lest you be wise in your own sight, I want you to understand this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11: 25-27)
5. After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” (Revelation 7: 9-10)