THE LORD IS NOT LIKE IDOLS

Passage: Psalms 115:1-18

Key verse: 3

NIV

Psalm 115(A)

1 Not to us, Lord, not to us
    but to your name be the glory,(B)
    because of your love and faithfulness.(C)

2 Why do the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”(D)
3 Our God is in heaven;(E)
    he does whatever pleases him.(F)
4 But their idols are silver and gold,(G)
    made by human hands.(H)
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(I)
    eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear,
    noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel,
    feet, but cannot walk,
    nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
    and so will all who trust in them.

9 All you Israelites, trust(J) in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron,(K) trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him,(L) trust in the Lord—
    he is their help and shield.

12 The Lord remembers(M) us and will bless us:(N)
    He will bless his people Israel,
    he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear(O) the Lord—
    small and great alike.

14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,(P)
    both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven(Q) and earth.

16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord,(R)
    but the earth he has given(S) to mankind.
17 It is not the dead(T) who praise the Lord,
    those who go down to the place of silence;
18 it is we who extol the Lord,(U)
    both now and forevermore.(V)

Praise the Lord.[a](W)

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 115:18 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

To Your Name Give Glory

115 (A)Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
    (B)for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,
    (C)“Where is their God?”
3 (D)Our God is in the heavens;
    (E)he does all that he pleases.

4 (F)Their idols are silver and gold,
    (G)the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, (H)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 (I)Those who make them become like them;
    so do all who trust in them.

9 O (J)Israel,[a] (K)trust in the Lord!
    He is their (L)help and their shield.
10 O (M)house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
    He is their help and (N)their shield.
11 You (O)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 (P)the house of Israel;
    he will bless (Q)the house of Aaron;
13 he will (R)bless those who fear the Lord,
    (S)both the small and the great.

14 May the Lord (T)give you increase,
    you and your children!
15 May (U)you be blessed by the Lord,
    (V)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 (W)The dead do not praise the Lord,
    nor do any who go down into (X)silence.
18 But (Y)we will bless the Lord
    from this time forth and forevermore.
(Z)Praise the Lord!

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Footnotes
  1. Psalm 115:9 Masoretic Text; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac O house of Israel
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Unbelievers may mock us for worshiping an invisible God, saying “Where is he?” (2) But worshiping God, who is in heaven, raises our spirits above all earthly and corruptible things. We don’t worship God to get what we want from him but for his own sovereign goodness (3). The godless worship idols such as money, which are blind and mute and can never truly save (4-7). In fact, worshiping idols makes us lost and blind like the idols themselves (8).

Though God cannot be manipulated, he brings great benefits to those who trust in him. He is called a help and a shield because, in Jesus, he saves us from sin and protects us from evil in the world (9-11). God remembers everyone who fears him, whether they are famous or nobodies, and he blesses them even if the world forgets them. It is right for us to pronounce blessings on our brothers and sisters who fear the Lord, because it is God’s own will to bless them and their children (14-15).

Prayer: Father, thank you for enabling us to worship you for who you are. Thank you for your sure blessings for everyone who trusts in you. Elevate my heart to heaven in worship of you today.

One Word: Worship God who is in the highest heavens