TRUST IN THE LORD
Opening Prayer
I bring myself before You, Lord, Maker of heaven and earth, the great Redeemer and giver of life.
Read Psalm 115
1 Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
2 Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4 But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
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 in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him, trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord—
small and great alike.
14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16 The highest heavens belong to the Lord,
but the earth he has given to mankind.
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
those who go down to the place of silence;
18 it is we who extol the Lord,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the Lord.[a]
Footnotes
- Psalm 115:18 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Do you ever feel surrounded by voices urging you to try, buy, consume, and change your life to their image?Some scholars suggest that this psalm was written at the time of Israel’s exile in Babylon (circa 597–539 BC). As residents in an empire of gods, they were exposed daily to shrines, altars, statues, and images that would have been alien to them. Such gods are ‘made by human hands,’ says the psalmist, and thus controlled by their makers (2–8). In this context, the psalm is a call to steadfast faith in the God who is above all others.
The psalm seems to hinge on verses 9–11 where God is known by His covenant name, translated as the Lord in English. This is the name by which He discloses himself to Moses (Exodus 3:14), the One who cannot be contained or defined by language. He is uncreated, self- sufficient, and free to act as He pleases. These verses, however, are not in praise of an unknowable deity. The Lord is trustworthy because He loves and cares for His people, even in the dislocation of exile. He is the God of covenant relationship who deserves our hallelujahs (18).
Apply
Let’s pause and turn away from all the things that take glory away from the Lord and commit ourselves anew to trusting and worshipping Him.
Closing prayer
I trust in You, Lord – You are my help and shield (11).
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