Psa 115:3-8 | KingComments | STEP | As for the inner restoration of Israel, the people must confess two sins: murder and adultery (cf. ). The murder is that of Christ (Psalm 109). The adultery is their idolatry with the antichrist. This second we find in this psalm (Psalm 115). The first sin is the transgression against which is warned on the second tablet of the law and the second sin is the transgression, mentioned on the first tablet of the law. Israel eradicated idolatry after the exile ( ). However, because the house is empty, swept and ordered, a new occupant can take up residence there. That occupant will come in enhanced numbers in the end time ( ). There will be no more idolatry of images, but the idolatry of man, the antichrist ( ). In Psalm 115, and also in Psalm 135, we find a description of idolatry in the past as the reason for the exile. This idolatry is a type of the idolatry with the antichrist in the future. From this, Israel must be cleansed. This is prophetically also the subject of Isaiah 40-48. The previous psalm recalls the deliverance from Egypt and the entry into the promised land. For this, and for all that God has given His people, in no way does any man deserve any credit ( ). That is why it says “not to us” twice. The Only One to whom glory is due is the LORD. His Name must be glorified, for He has done everything for the benefit of His people. He will not give His glory to another ( ). The antichrist is a man. He is the coming false king of Israel, the beast from the earth ( ). He is going to present himself as God in the new temple in Jerusalem. Satan’s lie that man will be like God ( ) now seems to have come true. The image of man demanding worship ( ) is becoming a reality ( ). This is the abomination of destruction, which is the abomination that causes destruction ( ). As a result, the measure of man’s sin becomes full and the LORD begins to intervene (cf. ). We must also be aware that all that we have, we have received from Him ( ), for which He deserves all glory. It is theft if we boast of what He has given us and let ourselves be glorified for it as if it were our merit. Everything we do, we should do to His glory ( ). To Him all glory is due “because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth”. ‘Lovingkindness’ means that the LORD acts according to His covenant and His promise. ‘Truth’ means that God is reliable in this. These two attributes of God are the reason for glorifying the LORD in this psalm. They have not deserved any of His benefits and blessings that they have received. But He has acted in lovingkindness toward them. Also for His truth He is worthy of being honored. His faithfulness to His promises has brought Him to this act in lovingkindness. The opponents, the nations, who are idolaters, by asking where their God may be anyway when they are so distressed, want to cast doubt on the presence of God ( ; cf. ; ; ). After all, His place has been taken by a man, the antichrist. The nations also make their mocking remarks about the absence of God ( ; ). What the psalmist and in him the remnant says to the LORD about this is an expression of their boldness toward God. Surely, He will reveal Himself and put an end to such unfounded questions, wouldn’t He? Moses also said something similar ( ). The nations have often said it, but they will be silenced when God has taken care of His people, redeemed them and brought them into the blessing of the realm of peace. As boldly as they speak to God to act against the nations because of their mocking question, as boldly they also speak to the people who ask the question. It is not a question to them. Their answer is that their God is in heaven ( ), exalted far above man and his blasphemies. They confess Him as “our God”. It may seem that He is absent, but He is there and He is there for them. That is what faith knows. Faith also knows that He is supreme, that “He does whatever He pleases”. It means that He will send the Son in Whom He has found all His pleasure. We see a type of this in Cyrus, the man of His counsel from a far country, who will deliver His people from their exile ( ). He acts righteous toward all and in doing so in love toward His people.

‏ Psalms 115:3-8

Introduction

As for the inner restoration of Israel, the people must confess two sins: murder and adultery (cf. Jn 5:43). The murder is that of Christ (Psalm 109). The adultery is their idolatry with the antichrist. This second we find in this psalm (Psalm 115). The first sin is the transgression against which is warned on the second tablet of the law and the second sin is the transgression, mentioned on the first tablet of the law.

Israel eradicated idolatry after the exile (Hos 3:4). However, because the house is empty, swept and ordered, a new occupant can take up residence there. That occupant will come in enhanced numbers in the end time (Mt 12:43-45). There will be no more idolatry of images, but the idolatry of man, the antichrist (2Thes 2:3-4).

In Psalm 115, and also in Psalm 135, we find a description of idolatry in the past as the reason for the exile. This idolatry is a type of the idolatry with the antichrist in the future. From this, Israel must be cleansed. This is prophetically also the subject of Isaiah 40-48.

All Glory to the LORD Alone

The previous psalm recalls the deliverance from Egypt and the entry into the promised land. For this, and for all that God has given His people, in no way does any man deserve any credit (Psa 115:1). That is why it says “not to us” twice. The Only One to whom glory is due is the LORD. His Name must be glorified, for He has done everything for the benefit of His people. He will not give His glory to another (Isa 42:8 ; Isa 48:11).

The antichrist is a man. He is the coming false king of Israel, the beast from the earth (Rev 13:11-18). He is going to present himself as God in the new temple in Jerusalem. Satan’s lie that man will be like God (Gen 3:5) now seems to have come true. The image of man demanding worship (Dan 3:1-7) is becoming a reality (Rev 13:15). This is the abomination of destruction, which is the abomination that causes destruction (Mt 24:15). As a result, the measure of man’s sin becomes full and the LORD begins to intervene (cf. Acts 12:21-23).

We must also be aware that all that we have, we have received from Him (1Cor 4:7), for which He deserves all glory. It is theft if we boast of what He has given us and let ourselves be glorified for it as if it were our merit. Everything we do, we should do to His glory (1Cor 10:31).

To Him all glory is due “because of Your lovingkindness, because of Your truth”. ‘Lovingkindness’ means that the LORD acts according to His covenant and His promise. ‘Truth’ means that God is reliable in this. These two attributes of God are the reason for glorifying the LORD in this psalm.

They have not deserved any of His benefits and blessings that they have received. But He has acted in lovingkindness toward them. Also for His truth He is worthy of being honored. His faithfulness to His promises has brought Him to this act in lovingkindness.

The opponents, the nations, who are idolaters, by asking where their God may be anyway when they are so distressed, want to cast doubt on the presence of God (Psa 115:2; cf. Psa 42:3 ; 10 ; Psa 79:10; Joel 2:17; Mic 7:10). After all, His place has been taken by a man, the antichrist. The nations also make their mocking remarks about the absence of God (Isa 36:15 ; 18-20 ; Isa 37:10-13; Joel 2:17).

What the psalmist and in him the remnant says to the LORD about this is an expression of their boldness toward God. Surely, He will reveal Himself and put an end to such unfounded questions, wouldn’t He? Moses also said something similar (Num 14:13-16). The nations have often said it, but they will be silenced when God has taken care of His people, redeemed them and brought them into the blessing of the realm of peace.

As boldly as they speak to God to act against the nations because of their mocking question, as boldly they also speak to the people who ask the question. It is not a question to them. Their answer is that their God is in heaven (Psa 115:3), exalted far above man and his blasphemies.

They confess Him as “our God”. It may seem that He is absent, but He is there and He is there for them. That is what faith knows. Faith also knows that He is supreme, that “He does whatever He pleases”. It means that He will send the Son in Whom He has found all His pleasure. We see a type of this in Cyrus, the man of His counsel from a far country, who will deliver His people from their exile (Isa 46:10-11). He acts righteous toward all and in doing so in love toward His people.

The Worthlessness of the Idols

Opposed to the trust in the exalted, almighty God, they now mock in these verses the idols of the nations (Psa 135:15-18; cf. 1Kgs 18:25-29; Isa 44:9-20 ; Isa 46:6-7; Jer 10:1-9; Hab 2:18-19). Prophetically, we see this in what happens to Herod, who is a type of the antichrist: God judges him by having worms eat him alive (Acts 12:18-23). Normally corpses are eaten by worms only after someone’s death. God also mocks the antichrist by casting him alive into the lake of fire in the future, without first killing him (Rev 19:20).

The people eventually learned that idols are nothing. Those idols may be worth something in terms of the material they are made of, but they are merely “the work of man’s hands” (Psa 115:4). By definition, that means they are worthless in terms of their ability to do anything at all. They look human, but are totally inhuman.

They do have a mouth because the maker of the image engraved it himself (Psa 115:5). But these mute images cannot get their lips to part. Not a word comes out of them, neither to comfort nor to judge. The maker has been able to give the images eyes, but no light in their eyes. There is no vision of the present or of the future. They notice nothing of any human being approaching them. The images are blind as a bat (cf. Gen 16:13; 2Chr 16:9).

And look at their ears (Psa 115:6) They are firmly attached to their head. Sure, they are artfully shaped by human hands. But there is no working eardrum in them. They are stone deaf. You can talk or even shout all you want, but there is no response (cf. Psa 116:2 ; Psa 65:2 ; Psa 120:1). There is also a nose put on the head of the image. But whatever incense they bring to the image, it doesn’t sniff it and certainly doesn’t get intoxicated by it.

They also have hands, but they cannot reach them out to help someone (Psa 115:7; cf. Psa 18:17; Jn 10:28). They can’t even feel with them to find something to hold on to. The hands remain motionless at the place where the maker placed them. The same is true of their feet. They cannot move a step to go ahead of someone on a certain path. They remain motionless where the maker has placed them (Isa 46:1-7). They can’t even clear their throats; not a sound comes out.

It cannot be otherwise that those who have made them become equal to these idols (Psa 115:8). Thus Israel, the failing servant of the LORD, became deaf and dumb, just like the deaf and dumb idols they have come to serve (Isa 42:18-19; cf. Mt 12:22-27). Idols are the product of the foolishness of the makers and therefore the makers become fools.

He who relies on images becomes a prisoner of his own foolish, impure, wicked thoughts. He follows his own foolish insights and lapses into greater and greater absurdities. False worship is not harmless, but demoralizes. The worshiper thereby works his own destruction. The end of those who worship dead idols is eternal death.