Psalms 115:1-19. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
It was very natural that the heathen should say, «Where is their God?» because they had no outward emblem, no visible image, no tangible token; whereas the heathen had their gods many, such as they were, made of wood and stone; so that they asked, «Where is their God?» I think that when that question is suggested, it is a good sign, for it proves the purity of the faith which has cleansed itself from outward symbolism. May men often have to ask of us, «Where is their God?»
But I fear that the people of Israel were brought into so low a state, at times, that this question was also asked in scorn and derision, «Where is now their God?» «He was with them when they came out of Egypt; he was with them when they captured Canaan; he has been with them in many a terrible battle, turning to flight the armies of the aliens; but where is now their God?» It is a cutting question under such circumstances. It was so with the psalmist when be said, «As with a sword in my bones, mine enemies reproach me; while they say daily unto me, Where is thy God?» «But our God is in the heavens where their gods never were. He hath done whatsoever be hath pleased:» the gods of the heathen have done nothing; they cannot do anything.
Psalms 115:4-19. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: they have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: they have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
It is a grim piece of sarcasm which the psalmist here aims at the idol gods. I do not know, sometimes, whether this is not all that superstition deserves of us, to be utterly laughed at and put to scorn. The spirit of Elijah is not altogether the most Christlike; and yet even the Christian may well say to the priests of Baal, in derision and contempt, «Cry aloud, for he is a god.» What do they deserve who so degrade themselves as to worship things which their own hands have made, things which can be seen with the eye, and touched with the hand? Yet, even in this country, we have thousands, who call themselves Christians, who prostrate themselves before idols made in different forms and shapes; yea and say to a piece of bread that the baker made, «This is our god.» Well says the psalmist:
Psalms 115:8. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
They are as doltish and as stupid, as blind and as deaf, and as ridiculous as the gods that they make; for no man was ever better than the god he worshipped.
Psalms 115:9-11. O Israel, trust thou 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. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
There is real help in the living Jah, Jehovah, real protection in him.
Psalms 115:12. The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us;
There is a new year's motto for you. It will go back through the old year, and forward into the new one: «The Lord bath been mindful of us: he will bless us.» See how mindful he has been of us all through the past year in a thousand ways. Long before we have known our wants, he has supplied them. He has delivered us from dangers of which we never knew; and led us into mercies of which we never dreamed.
Psalms 115:12-13. He will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. Great blessings for small people, and not small blessings for those whom he maketh great in Israel.
Psalms 115:14-15. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.
This is the Creator's blessing, therefore a real one. Many of you have had the new creation wrought in you: you shall live to see new heavens and a new earth.
Psalms 115:16. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD'S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
And they seem as if they meant to keep it, too. The sad thing is, that they get the earth into their hearts, and so they miss the blessing which the Lord intended them to receive from his gift of it.
Psalms 115:17. The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
As far as this world is concerned, no note is heard from the grave
Psalms 115:18. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.
Praise the LORD. So let us do tonight. Let us have an extra psalm of praise to the Lord who has brought us safely through another year.