Psalm 115 is another of thePsalms included in what the Jews call the “Egyptian Hallel.” The “EgyptianHallel” is so-called because of its allusions and references to the exodus ofGod’s people from Egypt.It was during the Exodus that God instituted the Passover Feast. Therefore,these psalms were commonly sung by God’s people in olden days whenever theyobserved the Passover.

Psalm 115 does not seem torefer to the Exodus. But if you think about it, you will realise that the themeof this psalm is actually exactly what the LORD was seeking to teach His peopleand to show to the world—namely that He alone is the living and true God! Allthe so-called gods of Egyptwere dumb idols!

Psalm 115, as such, gaveexpression to many a soldier of Christ as they fought intense battles under thebanner of their King. The early Christians, for example, are said to have sungverses 4 and 5 of this psalm when they defied imperial orders to sacrifice toCeasar: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work ofmen’s hands,” they declared. Likewise, Cromwell was said to meditate on averse from the psalm each time he went into battle. In October 1645, in thebattle of Basing, the words he meditated on was Psalm 115:8, “They that make them are like unto them; sois every one that trusteth in them” (Ps 115:8). Again, Psalm 115 affordswords of meditation for those who have been granted victories in their battlesfor the Lord. William Wilberforce, whose labours resulted in the abolition ofslavery in the modern world, for example would often meditate on verse 1 ofthis psalm whenever the Lord gave him success: “Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory…”(Ps 115:1)

We may entitle this psalm: “Praiseto Jehovah the Living & True God.” It has 4 parts: (1) Verses 1-2 is a callto the Lord to glorify Himself; (2) Verses 3-8 is a declaration of God’sSovereignty; (3) Verses 9-11 is a call to faith; and finally (4) Verses 12-15is an assurance of blessing.

Let’s look at these 4 partsbriefly.

1. Call tothe LORD to Glorify Himself

¹ Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thymercy, and for thy truth’s sake. ² Wherefore should the heathen say,Where is now their God?

Our Lord teaches us to pray“Hallowed by thy name!” The opening words of this psalm gives us words toexpress the same. There are times when we face intense battles as the servantsof the LORD, and the name of the LORD would be in danger of being sneered at byour enemies. At such times, we must petition all the more earnestly that theLORD will glorify Himself.

Lord,it is not for my glory; Lord, it is not for our glory; but it is for Thy glorywe plead. For Thy mercy, truth and faithfulness sake, wouldst Thou arise onbehalf of Thy children. Thou hast given us Thy Son that we might know Thy mercy.Through Him Thou hast shown us Thy truth and faithfulness. Thy Son trusted in Thee,and His tormentors jeered: “He saved others; let him save himself, if he beChrist, the chosen of God” (Lk 23:35).”Thou didst vindicate Him by raising Him from the dead and so silenced theclamour of the ignorant and ungodly. Oh wouldst Thou not do the same for us andvindicate Thy great and holy Name! Let not Thy Name be trampled upon by theheathen, O Lord!

Wherefore should theheathen say, Where is now their God?

The heathen know not what they say,for their idea of God is a helpless block of wood or metal. But our God is thesovereign Living and True God.

2. Declaration of God’s Sovereignty

³ But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. ⁵They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: ⁶They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: ⁷They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not:neither speak they through their throat. ⁸ They that make them arelike unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

OurLORD is the I AM, the alone self-existent Creator of the heavens and the earth.Not only has He made all things, but He is ordering all things by His sovereignpower.

Not so theidols of man’s imagination. They have eyes that see not, ears that hear not,noses that smell not, hands that touch not, feet that walk not, and throatsthat make no noise. They are not only powerless but totally helpless. Howfoolish to make them! How foolish to worship them! How foolish to trust them!Those who make them and trust them are in God’s sight no different from theiridols: foolish, powerless and abominable.

Therefore let us remind oneanother and call one another to trust in the LORD.

3. Callto Faith

⁹ O Israel,trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. ¹⁰ Ohouse of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield. ¹¹Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

TheLORD alone is the living and true God worthy of all our trust. Let us call uponIsraelor the whole church to put their trust in Him. He is our help and our shield.He is able to lift us up in times of need. He is able to protect us in times ofdanger.

Letus call upon the house of Aaron, or all who serve the LORD as His officers toput their trust in Him. He is their help and their shield. He will strengthentheir trembling hands and feeble knees. He will protect them from the assaultof the wicked One.

Letus call upon all who fear the LORD to trust in Him. “O fear the LORD, ye hissaints: for there is no want to them that fear him” (Ps 34:9). Those who fearthe LORD with loving reverence will know His blessing in every aspect of theirlives. They can have the assurance of the LORD’s love through every trial. Theywill know the LORD’s protection through every painful experience, for He willsee to it that all things will work together for their good.

Letus therefore remind one another to trust the LORD. Indeed, let us encourageourselves in times of doubt, with mutual…

4. Assurances of Blessing

 ¹² The LORD hath been mindful ofus: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house ofAaron. ¹³ He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small andgreat.

TheLORD has been mindful of us. We have known His blessings. Let us be assuredthat He will continue to bless us. He will bless us corporately. He will blessour leaders. He will bless especially those who fear Him and love Him whetherthey be great or small.

Sofear the LORD, brethren, and fear the LORD, children. The LORD our God is not adumb idol. His blessings, helps and protections are real.

Hehas demonstrated it in our lives and the lives of our brethren in the faithpast and present. He will continue to demonstrate it in many ways.

TheLORD is the maker of heaven and earth (v. 15). He will increase us spirituallyand numerically. He will, by His Spirit, cause us to grow in His graceindividually, as families and as a church. He will, by His providential power,cause us to grow in number and strength as families and as a church. He willeven bless us with the material things of this world for our enjoyment (v. 16).

Thisbeing the case, what shall we do but praise the LORD? The dead will not praisethe LORD. Those who are in Christ are alive even when they die; but those whoare without Christ are dead even while they live. They will not praise theLORD. They may in their ignorance while they live, praise the gods of humanimagination, but they will not praise Him who is the giver of life.

Therefore,let us who are alive praise Him! For Christ’s sake, He has changed our heart,opened our eyes, unstopped our ears and loosened our tongues. He made us tounderstand and experience His mercy or love; and His truth or faithfulness. Howshall we not praise Him? How shall we not praise Him from this time forth andfor evermore?

Conclusion

Dearlybeloved brethren and children, do you realise what a great privilege it is toknow the living and true God and to be adopted as His sons and daughters?

Hadit not been that the LORD has shown us mercy, we shall still be in the bondageof sin and idolatry. The natural mind is an idol factory. Unless our mind hadfound rest in Christ we would have sought to worship an idol. It might be anidol of wood, metal and stone. Or it might be the idol of wealth, money andstatus. Or we might have elevated ourselves to the status of God and be guiltyof I-dolatry.

Thanksbe to God, we have been delivered from the foolishness of idolatry and turnedto serve the Living and True God (1 Th 1:9). Thank God for the privilege ofbeing made His sons and daughters in Christ. Only let us trust Him. He is ourhelp and our shield. Let us praise Him and serve Him come what may in ourpresent life. Let us thank Him when in addition to the privilege of knowingHim, He has blessed us exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.Amen.Ω