WEBVTT 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:02.060 Psalm 115 00:00:02.060 --> 00:00:11.099 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory 00:00:11.099 --> 00:00:15.460 for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 00:00:16.859 --> 00:00:20.000 Why should the nation say, where is their God? 00:00:21.039 --> 00:00:24.900 Our God is in heaven. He does all that he pleases. 00:00:24.899 --> 00:00:31.619 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 00:00:32.539 --> 00:00:36.839 They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see. 00:00:38.239 --> 00:00:42.219 They have ears but do not hear, noses but do not smell. 00:00:43.359 --> 00:00:47.140 They have hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk, 00:00:47.619 --> 00:00:49.700 and they do not make a sound in their throat. 00:00:49.700 --> 00:00:56.040 Those who make them become like them, so do all who trust in them. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.660 O Israel, trust in the Lord. 00:01:01.260 --> 00:01:03.460 He is their help and their shield. 00:01:04.020 --> 00:01:06.359 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord. 00:01:06.900 --> 00:01:09.560 He is their help and their shield. 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:12.620 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord. 00:01:13.320 --> 00:01:15.520 He is their help and their shield. 00:01:16.140 --> 00:01:18.980 The Lord has remembered us. He will bless us. 00:01:18.980 --> 00:01:21.100 He will bless the house of Israel. 00:01:21.480 --> 00:01:23.400 He will bless the house of Aaron. 00:01:23.939 --> 00:01:27.719 He will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great. 00:01:28.859 --> 00:01:31.460 May the Lord give you increase, you and your children. 00:01:32.100 --> 00:01:35.280 May you be blessed by the Lord who made heaven and earth. 00:01:35.980 --> 00:01:37.840 The heavens are the Lord's heavens, 00:01:38.300 --> 00:01:40.500 but the earth he has given to the children of man. 00:01:41.380 --> 00:01:45.320 The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. 00:01:45.319 --> 00:01:49.379 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. 00:01:49.919 --> 00:01:51.019 Praise the Lord. 00:01:51.019 --> 00:01:58.780 This psalm seems like it was written in response to a taunting 00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:02.699 that the Israelites were receiving from their surrounding nations. 00:02:03.519 --> 00:02:05.399 And we see that in verse 2. 00:02:05.819 --> 00:02:07.079 Where is their God? 00:02:07.519 --> 00:02:08.199 Verse 2. 00:02:08.859 --> 00:02:09.680 Where is your God? 00:02:09.900 --> 00:02:13.659 If God is real, why is your nation not as powerful as ours? 00:02:13.659 --> 00:02:19.979 We have kind of all heard variations of that same taunt in our lives. 00:02:20.340 --> 00:02:24.219 If God is real, why is your life full of setbacks and struggles? 00:02:26.419 --> 00:02:30.039 If God is real, then why are Christians no better off than non-Christians? 00:02:31.379 --> 00:02:34.099 If God is real, why aren't you as successful as I am? 00:02:34.099 --> 00:02:39.400 Your visions and prophecies are figments of your imagination. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:45.780 Your Bible is a patchwork of bigotry and barbarity and absurdity. 00:02:46.539 --> 00:02:47.939 So where is your God? 00:02:49.159 --> 00:02:53.459 That's the taunting of those who don't believe in God. 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:55.560 And this psalm is a response to that, 00:02:55.859 --> 00:02:57.340 and structured in two parts. 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:01.400 First, in verses 1 to 8, we see an entreaty to God, 00:03:01.799 --> 00:03:03.740 entreaty to vindicate God's glory. 00:03:04.099 --> 00:03:05.219 To defend His honor. 00:03:05.859 --> 00:03:08.079 And the second part we see in verses 9 to 18, 00:03:08.239 --> 00:03:10.240 is an exhortation to the people of God, 00:03:10.280 --> 00:03:12.259 to trust in God's blessing. 00:03:13.060 --> 00:03:16.219 And really the main point is that we can trust the Lord to help us, 00:03:16.299 --> 00:03:19.900 to deliver us, because of His steadfast love and faithfulness. 00:03:20.579 --> 00:03:23.859 So let's look at verses 1 to 8 to start. 00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:28.240 It begins in verse 1. 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:30.759 Not to us, O Lord. 00:03:31.359 --> 00:03:33.500 Not to us, but to your name give glory. 00:03:33.500 --> 00:03:37.259 For the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness. 00:03:38.219 --> 00:03:41.659 This is so that not, not so that we can be vindicated, 00:03:41.840 --> 00:03:43.939 feeling better about ourselves. 00:03:44.099 --> 00:03:46.099 Not so that we can say, oh no, we are better than you, 00:03:46.139 --> 00:03:47.400 or we are stronger than you. 00:03:47.599 --> 00:03:49.659 But so that God's name can be vindicated. 00:03:49.659 --> 00:03:52.240 His psalmist is praying in this way. 00:03:53.000 --> 00:03:54.400 And Moses, I don't know if you guys remember, 00:03:54.539 --> 00:03:59.280 employed a similar strategy after the incident with the golden calf. 00:03:59.460 --> 00:04:02.199 And the Israelites made a golden calf and worshipped it. 00:04:02.599 --> 00:04:05.180 And God's wrath was burning hot against them. 00:04:05.579 --> 00:04:10.120 And then Moses, this is the way Moses reasons with God in Exodus 32, 12 to 13. 00:04:10.120 --> 00:04:40.100 He says, 00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:43.199 God in that way, it says that God relented from his wrath. 00:04:43.600 --> 00:04:47.340 And did not bring on the disaster that he had planned to bring to them. 00:04:48.120 --> 00:04:53.019 And too often, I think our concern is not with God's glory, but our own. 00:04:53.019 --> 00:04:58.019 Do we really work hard for God's glory? 00:04:59.699 --> 00:05:02.620 Or so that we might be recognized and praised? 00:05:06.799 --> 00:05:08.139 In Psalm 115. 00:05:09.299 --> 00:05:14.419 Do we really seek success and blessing and happiness 00:05:14.419 --> 00:05:17.719 so that God might be made much of in our lives? 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:20.540 Or because we want to be made much of? 00:05:22.320 --> 00:05:24.820 And even when we do something that is, you know, 00:05:25.720 --> 00:05:28.440 on the surface very ostensibly for the Lord, 00:05:29.400 --> 00:05:33.080 even preaching, proclaiming the gospel, 00:05:33.760 --> 00:05:37.580 even doing good deeds in the world and serving others, 00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:41.060 that we can do it for ourselves to impress others. 00:05:41.060 --> 00:05:44.699 We can do it to be seen by others 00:05:44.699 --> 00:05:46.759 so that we can get glory for ourselves. 00:05:48.280 --> 00:05:50.600 But this psalm is teaching us 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:52.600 those should not be the basis, 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.060 but because we want God's name to be vindicated, 00:05:55.340 --> 00:05:57.199 because he really is God, 00:05:57.560 --> 00:05:58.920 because he really is glorious, 00:05:59.340 --> 00:06:02.000 because he really deserves honor and praise, 00:06:02.100 --> 00:06:05.720 that's why we seek his purposes for our lives 00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:06.519 and do his will. 00:06:06.519 --> 00:06:12.439 And so in verses 3 to 8, really, 00:06:12.539 --> 00:06:18.019 we see kind of a satirical writing 00:06:18.019 --> 00:06:21.359 mocking the idols of the world. 00:06:22.180 --> 00:06:23.539 Our God is in the heavens. 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:25.019 He does all that he pleases. 00:06:25.120 --> 00:06:26.979 That's really kind of the definition of who God is. 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:28.219 His name is the Lord. 00:06:28.799 --> 00:06:31.439 The Lord means I am who I am. 00:06:32.019 --> 00:06:35.959 He's the Lord who does what he wants to do. 00:06:35.959 --> 00:06:38.859 The very definition of God is that he's sovereign. 00:06:39.579 --> 00:06:44.500 He's not beholden to anyone else for his actions, 00:06:44.759 --> 00:06:45.620 his thoughts. 00:06:45.819 --> 00:06:47.639 He can do whatever he wants. 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:49.039 He's the creator. 00:06:50.199 --> 00:06:54.279 And sometimes we put him in a box and say, 00:06:54.399 --> 00:06:55.579 well, you have to do this, 00:06:56.120 --> 00:06:57.419 or you've got to do this. 00:06:58.060 --> 00:06:59.639 Well, that's unfair. 00:07:00.099 --> 00:07:00.639 It's not this. 00:07:00.740 --> 00:07:02.459 But God's very definition of God 00:07:02.459 --> 00:07:04.959 is that he does what he pleases. 00:07:05.939 --> 00:07:07.099 Our God is in the heavens. 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:08.319 He does all that he pleases. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:11.539 That's the very definition of what it means to be the Lord. 00:07:12.060 --> 00:07:13.620 I am who I am, the sovereign God. 00:07:14.339 --> 00:07:15.299 But unlike him, 00:07:15.859 --> 00:07:17.599 their idols are silver and gold, 00:07:17.719 --> 00:07:19.019 the work of human hands. 00:07:20.019 --> 00:07:21.560 They have mouths, but do not speak. 00:07:21.899 --> 00:07:22.979 Eyes, but do not see. 00:07:23.079 --> 00:07:24.439 They have ears, but do not hear. 00:07:24.599 --> 00:07:25.819 Noses, but do not smell. 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:27.799 They have hands, but do not feel. 00:07:27.959 --> 00:07:29.000 Feet, but do not walk. 00:07:29.000 --> 00:07:31.379 And they do not make a sound in their throat. 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:34.620 So, obviously, just mocking the idols 00:07:34.620 --> 00:07:36.500 because they're work of human hands. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:37.959 And then it says in verse 8, 00:07:38.019 --> 00:07:40.740 those who make them become like them. 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:43.160 So do all who trust in them. 00:07:43.220 --> 00:07:46.160 These idols have eyes, but they cannot see. 00:07:46.339 --> 00:07:48.120 They have ears, but they cannot hear. 00:07:49.740 --> 00:07:53.019 And those who worship idols become, 00:07:53.899 --> 00:07:55.379 like later when Jesus says, 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:57.379 people who have ears, but do not hear. 00:07:57.379 --> 00:07:59.600 People who have eyes, but cannot see. 00:08:01.659 --> 00:08:02.360 It's the, 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:05.139 we become like what we worship. 00:08:05.899 --> 00:08:08.459 And so the contrast with that begins, 00:08:08.560 --> 00:08:09.759 so that's the entreaty to God 00:08:09.759 --> 00:08:10.800 to vindicate his glory. 00:08:11.319 --> 00:08:12.579 And then now it's the exhortation 00:08:12.579 --> 00:08:14.219 to God's people to trust in God. 00:08:14.920 --> 00:08:17.939 And it starts in verse 9. 00:08:18.100 --> 00:08:19.259 In contrast to verse 8, 00:08:19.360 --> 00:08:20.620 those who make them become like them, 00:08:20.659 --> 00:08:21.699 so do all who trust in them. 00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:24.139 O Israel, you trust in the Lord. 00:08:24.620 --> 00:08:25.980 He is their help and shield. 00:08:25.980 --> 00:08:28.020 So instead of trusting in idols 00:08:28.020 --> 00:08:29.200 and becoming like them, 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:30.140 deaf and mute, 00:08:30.520 --> 00:08:32.620 unable to perceive the word of God, 00:08:33.300 --> 00:08:34.840 we are to trust in the Lord 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:35.700 because he is their, 00:08:35.820 --> 00:08:36.800 he is our help and shield. 00:08:37.060 --> 00:08:39.560 And then he repeats that in three verses, 00:08:40.320 --> 00:08:41.300 addresses Israel, 00:08:41.519 --> 00:08:42.159 house of Aaron, 00:08:42.600 --> 00:08:43.680 and those who fear the Lord, 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:45.039 really all parallel statements 00:08:45.039 --> 00:08:46.639 referring to the same group of people, 00:08:46.779 --> 00:08:47.320 God's people. 00:08:48.460 --> 00:08:49.300 Trust in the Lord, 00:08:49.379 --> 00:08:50.519 he is their help and their shield. 00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:52.860 The Lord has remembered us, 00:08:53.060 --> 00:08:54.180 he will bless us, 00:08:54.179 --> 00:08:55.779 he will bless the house of Israel, 00:08:55.899 --> 00:08:57.159 he will bless the house of Aaron, 00:08:57.259 --> 00:08:58.620 he will bless those who fear the Lord, 00:08:59.079 --> 00:09:01.139 both the small and the great. 00:09:01.899 --> 00:09:04.399 And then the promise of increase, 00:09:05.439 --> 00:09:06.459 may the Lord give you, 00:09:06.579 --> 00:09:07.659 increase you and your children, 00:09:07.779 --> 00:09:09.059 may you be blessed by the Lord 00:09:09.059 --> 00:09:10.219 who made heaven and earth. 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:12.439 So there's a contrast here in verse 15. 00:09:12.939 --> 00:09:14.459 God's the one who made heaven and earth, 00:09:15.019 --> 00:09:17.219 but the idols that were mocked 00:09:17.219 --> 00:09:18.839 in verses 4 to 8 00:09:18.839 --> 00:09:20.819 are those who were made by human hands. 00:09:20.820 --> 00:09:24.860 So why do we worship the things that we make? 00:09:26.040 --> 00:09:32.300 And that happens not just with these obvious images 00:09:32.300 --> 00:09:34.260 or idols that people worship, 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:37.379 but also things that we prop up in our own lives, 00:09:37.580 --> 00:09:39.379 whether it's wealth, 00:09:40.140 --> 00:09:41.300 whether it's success, 00:09:42.020 --> 00:09:43.460 whether it's beauty. 00:09:44.400 --> 00:09:46.720 We create things with our own hands 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:47.840 and then we worship them. 00:09:48.060 --> 00:09:48.760 We live for them. 00:09:48.759 --> 00:09:49.960 We enslave ourselves to them. 00:09:51.179 --> 00:09:53.000 And the Lord says, 00:09:53.139 --> 00:09:53.899 don't do that. 00:09:54.019 --> 00:09:57.539 Worship the Lord who alone created the heavens and the earth. 00:09:58.539 --> 00:09:59.360 And then he says, 00:09:59.500 --> 00:10:00.480 verse 17 to 18, 00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:01.939 the dead do not praise the Lord, 00:10:02.019 --> 00:10:03.639 nor do any who go down into silence, 00:10:04.039 --> 00:10:06.039 but we will bless the Lord from this time forth 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:06.879 and forevermore. 00:10:07.659 --> 00:10:08.379 Praise the Lord. 00:10:09.000 --> 00:10:11.240 This is not saying that there's no life after death. 00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:16.560 It's just saying that God ordains praise for those who are living. 00:10:17.659 --> 00:10:22.560 So instead of waiting and dying, 00:10:22.680 --> 00:10:23.039 we have to, 00:10:23.159 --> 00:10:24.560 in our life together, 00:10:24.740 --> 00:10:27.000 seek to glorify God and live for Him and praise Him. 00:10:27.000 --> 00:10:33.700 And the reason why the psalmist can say this 00:10:33.700 --> 00:10:36.220 and assure God's people that God will bless them 00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:37.679 and be with them, 00:10:37.779 --> 00:10:38.759 it's because of, 00:10:39.179 --> 00:10:40.059 for the sake of, 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:40.919 on account of, 00:10:41.039 --> 00:10:41.919 it says in verse 1, 00:10:42.919 --> 00:10:45.120 God's steadfast love and faithfulness. 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:49.820 And that's really fulfilled ultimately 00:10:49.820 --> 00:10:51.340 in the coming of Jesus 00:10:51.340 --> 00:10:52.759 in John 1, 00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:54.440 when He's described as the one 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:56.120 who is full of grace and truth. 00:10:56.700 --> 00:10:58.919 Grace and truth are the New Testament equivalents 00:10:58.919 --> 00:11:00.899 of steadfast love and faithfulness. 00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:02.879 That we can approach God to, 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:05.340 and pray to Him and seek Him, 00:11:05.919 --> 00:11:07.879 seek His help in this way, 00:11:08.179 --> 00:11:09.919 not because we deserve it, 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:11.840 not because we are worthy 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:14.220 or because we are so great, 00:11:14.220 --> 00:11:16.360 but because of God's steadfast love, 00:11:16.399 --> 00:11:17.460 because of His namesake, 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:20.080 because when we are unfaithful, 00:11:20.139 --> 00:11:21.320 He's still faithful to us. 00:11:22.180 --> 00:11:24.220 And so that's really kind of the response 00:11:24.920 --> 00:11:27.240 when we hear the taunting of people. 00:11:28.100 --> 00:11:29.060 We should pray to God, 00:11:29.240 --> 00:11:30.960 Lord, vindicate Your honor and Your glory, 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:33.920 and we should exhort one another to trust in Him, 00:11:34.460 --> 00:11:36.279 to know that He is the one that can bless us. 00:11:36.440 --> 00:11:37.800 He is the one that's the sovereign God, 00:11:37.920 --> 00:11:39.160 the creator of the heavens and the earth. 00:11:41.399 --> 00:11:42.160 So with that, 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:46.899 let's sing a song. 00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:48.139 Can we sing Without My Vision? 00:11:48.139 --> 00:11:48.860 No. 00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:49.139 No.