Tuesday, December 19
Our God is the Living God!
Psalm 115:1-8
1 Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth.
2 Why should the Gentiles say, "So where is their God?"
3 But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men's hands.
5 They have mouths, but they do not speak; Eyes they have, but they do not see;
6 They have ears, but they do not hear; Noses they have, but they do not smell;
7 They have hands, but they do not handle; Feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat.
8 Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.
Psalm 115 does not have a title like many of the psalms that reveals who wrote them or what was the occasion or history behind them. But we believe that it was written to the remnant that returned to the Promise Land after the 70 years of captivity in Babylon around 538 B.C. They needed some encouragement and how to give an answer to the “Gentiles”, the idol worshipping pagans that lived around them who would ask them, “Where is your God?”
The psalmist first gives glory and praise to God for His mercy, truth and faithfulness that brought them back to their beloved Promise Land (v. 1). Then in verse 3 he begins to answer the question of verse 2, “Where is their God”? I love his answer which is so simple, “Our God is in heaven, and He does whatever He pleases!” My friend that is still exactly where our God is and what He is doing even today in our world!
In verses 4-8, the psalmist reminds the remnant that not only does our God reign from heaven, but He is also a living God, not like the dead idols of the Gentiles. Idolatry had always been Israel's most habitual and costly sin (Judg. 2:11-3:6), and even though their prophets ridiculed these manmade gods (1 Kings 18:27; Isa. 44:9-20; Jer. 10:1-16) and the Lord chastened Israel often, the people persisted in breaking God's laws. Israel did not seem to learn its lesson until Babylon carried the people away captive after destroying Jerusalem and the temple. In the great city of Babylon, two or three generations of Jews saw idolatry firsthand and the kind of society it produced. This cured them.
They needed to remember that they were the servants of the living God (Psalms 42:2; 84:2; Deut. 5:26), and the church today also needs to keep this truth in mind (Acts 14:15; 1 Thess. 1:9; 1 Tim. 3:15; 4:10; 6:17). God is a Spirit and does not have a body (John 4:24), so when writers in Scripture speak about His eyes, ears, hands, and feet and so on, they are using a literary device which uses human characteristics to describe divine attributes. God uses the known to teach us the unknown and the unknowable. This section is repeated in Psalm 135:15-18. Because the dead idols lacked the attributes of the living God, they were unable to do either good or evil, yet the people worshiped them!
Their manmade idols of wood, silver or gold might have mouths, but cannot speak to their people, make covenants, give promises, guidance, or encouragement. Our living God speaks to us! Their idols have eyes, but they offer their followers no protection or oversight. Our living God's eyes are upon us (Psalm 32:8; 1 Peter 3:12) and we can trust Him. Their idols have ears, but no matter how much the idolaters pray, their gods cannot hear them! Remember Elijah on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:20). Our living God's eyes are upon us and His ears open to our cries (Psalm 34:15).
Their idols have noses but cannot smell. Our living God smells the sweet incense of our prayers and receives our worship (Gen. 8:21) and is pleased with what we bring Him. (See John 12:1-8; Eph. 5:2; Phil. 4:18.) Their idols have hands, but the truth is that the workers whose hands made the idols have more power than the idols they call "gods." Our living God is able to work for us as we seek to serve Him. His fingers made the universe (8:3) and His arm brought salvation (Isa. 53:1; Isa. 41:10; 46:1-7.) Their idols have feet, but their worshippers have to carry their idols (Isa. 46:1-7; Jer. 10:1-10). Our living God carries us and walks with us. (Isa. 41:10, 13.)
Our God is very much alive and aware of every need we have! And He is ready and willing to meet those needs if we will believe and trust Him! Today you can “Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
God bless!