This Psalm commences by establishing the principle that all occurrences in our lives must be ascribed to God, thereby negating the merit of our own actions. It is often challenging for individuals to fully acknowledge the attribution of God, as they tend to view achievements as the result of their own effort, strength, wisdom, and actions. The Psalm concludes with a hope of glorifying God upon the attainment of eternal life, a concept that was beyond the understanding of those who composed it. Furthermore, this Psalm serves as a prophetic announcement of the purpose behind God’s sending His Son to Earth, as revealed by the Holy Spirit.
Where is Your God?
Not to us, LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?” – Psalms 115:1-2 (NIV)
We petition God for the blessings of this world; however, once He grants our requests, we often prioritize our own role in obtaining these blessings and neglect to give due glory to Him. God, through the prophet Isaiah, underscored that He will not relinquish His glory to another, nor His praise to idols (Isaiah 42:8). This Psalm is in harmony with God’s directives and provides us with a paramount reason to exalt His name. Indeed, it is not solely due to His sovereign power but rather because of His boundless love and faithfulness. Observing all His creations that reveal His mighty power warrants our praise; we may initially praise Him out of fear, yet true reverence for Him arises only when we learn to love Him.
The psalmist eloquently elucidated the reason the people on this earth fail to recognize their true God: it is due to our tendency to appropriate the glory that rightfully belongs to Him, instead diverting it to ourselves and striving to exhibit our own righteousness rather than His. A servant of God may fervently petition for the grace to heal the sick, and upon receiving such graceful empowerment, he becomes the founding member of his healing ministry. In doing so, he obscures God’s role in his endeavors, opting instead to highlight his own actions to gain personal fame and recognition.
He mistakenly considers his miracle ministry as the solution to the ever-present inquiry of the world regarding the whereabouts of God. At this juncture, this servant of God remains unaware of the logical truth that even the devil is capable of performing signs and wonders in the last days (2 Thessalonians 2:9), leading the world to attempt to discern God through these miracle ministries, thereby rendering it difficult to distinguish between what originates from God and what emanates from the devil, resulting in the persistent question, “Where is your God?”
To substantiate the belief in the living presence of Jesus, believers frequently reference the empty tomb associated with Him. Tours are organized to enable believers to witness firsthand the site of the empty tomb. While the existence of the empty tomb serves as evidence of Jesus’ resurrection, it does not directly address the inquiry posed by the world: “Where is your God?” In response to this question, God instructs us to bind the miracles He has performed and set them aside (Isaiah 8:16), while we dedicate our bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Romans 12:1). In doing so, God would manifest Himself through our righteous conduct, prompting others to glorify our Father in Heaven (Isaiah 8:18, Matthew 5:16).
God Does Whatever Pleases Him
Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
But their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.
They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them. – Psalms 115:3-8 (NIV)
Individuals often misconstrue the notion that fervent prayer may compel God to act according to their desires; however, God persists in executing that which is pleasing solely to Himself. Fortunately, His pleasure is derived from loving, saving, and bestowing upon us all spiritual wisdom. Unaware of what pleases God, individuals may perceive God as an avenger, subsequently supplanting Him with their own handcrafted idols. This passage from Psalms elucidates the inadequacy of these idols to function in the capacity of God, while simultaneously affirming their worthiness as art pieces that exemplify the craftsmanship bestowed upon mankind by God (Exodus 31:3).
Is it conceivable that an artist, endowed with the wisdom of craftsmanship, could deceive himself while creating a representation of God, the ultimate creator of all? Moreover, do we believe that the intelligent individuals of this contemporary era are unaware that their idols are incapable of performing even the simplest actions achievable by a human being, and yet they equate these idols with Sovereign God? Is it essential to consider whether anyone should be enlightened regarding the impotence of these idols?
Most idol worshipers utilize idols as a focal point for directing their thoughts toward God, as they find it challenging to perceive the presence of unseen God directly, which seems to hold some rationale. However, after receiving blessings from God, ascribing those blessings of God solely to the idols appears illogical.
The Psalmist elucidated this truth by juxtaposing both the creators of the idol and those who place their trust in these impotent idols. The deepest implication of this is that, although God has endowed them with the intelligence to discern between good and evil, they remain incapable of expressing the truth, thereby leading the Psalmist to compare them to the idols themselves.
The LORD Remembers Us
The LORD remembers us and will bless us:
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
he will bless those who fear the LORD—
small and great alike.
May the LORD cause you to flourish,
both you and your children.
May you be blessed by the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
but the earth he has given to mankind. – Psalms 115:12-16 (NIV)
In the era of the Old Testament, the aforementioned words of blessings were imparted to the priests, who subsequently conveyed them to the congregation during each assembly (Numbers 6:22-27). The Psalmist recalled those times when God fashioned all things upon the earth and bestowed upon mankind to dominion over them (Genesis 1:28-30). At the time of the composition of this Psalm, individuals were able to acknowledge heaven’s association solely with the LORD, and consequently, God designated heaven as the abode for those who steadfastly preserved their salvation until the moment of mortal death. Jesus declared that He has prepared a place within His Kingdom for all who have been redeemed by His grace (John 14:1). As Jesus triumphed over death, we, too, are victors, and this promise is extended to all believers, both great and small.
At this juncture, it is imperative for every believer to comprehend that these blessings are imparted to us, eliminating the necessity to ponder how to request and obtain these blessings from God. As stated by Jesus, when we earnestly seek His Kingdom and His righteousness, all that God has designated for us shall rightfully be ours (Matthew 6:33).
God Raised Us From The Dead
It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
those who go down to the place of silence;
it is we who extol the LORD,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the LORD. – Psalms 115:17-18 (NIV)
The Psalmist recognized the incredible truth that, within our mortal bodies, we are incapable of offering perpetual praise to God. Therefore, it is imperative that we possess the Spirit of God within us, ensuring that He will resurrect us upon our death, as He has done for His Son (Romans 8:11). When we were spiritually dead due to the consequences of sin, God restored us to life by atoning for our transgressions through the sacrifice of His Son. In doing so, God forgave our sins and granted us back the eternal life that humanity lost long ago due to disobedience (John 10:10). Consequently, it is essential for every individual on this earth to renounce sin and rise anew with Jesus (Colossians 2:12) in order to inherit His kingdom and extol the LORD both now and forevermore.
O God, we beseech You to remind us that You have forgiven our sins, granting us the grace to die to our transgressions and to rise with Jesus, thereby inheriting Your Kingdom and offering our everlasting praise to You. Amen.
The Jordan Valley 
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