We turn to the 115th psalm. I hope every psalm that I'm trying
to deal with is my favorite psalm, but this has always been one
of my favorite psalms, Psalm 115. Not unto us, O Lord, not unto
us, but unto thy name, give glory for thy mercy and for thy truth's
sake. Wherefore should the heathen
then say, where is now their God? But our God is in the heavens. he hath done whatsoever he hath
pleased. Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak
not. Eyes have they, but they see
not. They have ears, but they hear not. Noses have they, but
they smell not. They have hands, but they handle
not. Feet have they, but they walk not. Neither speak they
through their throat. They that make them are likened
to them. So is everyone that trusteth
in them. O Israel, trust thou in the Lord. He is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the
Lord. He is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the Lord, trust
in the Lord. He is their help and their shield. The Lord hath been mindful of
us. He will bless us. He will bless
the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron. He will bless them that fear
the Lord, both small and great. The Lord shall increase you more
and more, you and your children. You're blessed of the Lord, which
made heaven and earth. The heaven, even the heavens
are the Lord's, but the earth hath he given to the children
of men. The dead praise not the Lord,
neither any that go down into silence, but we will bless the
Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord. Let's pray. Lord, how we. Desire through
Christ, by your grace. By your spirit. To praise you. Lord, we ask in Christ's name
that you would speak to our hearts in power from your word and reveal
the gospel of your grace to our hearts. We pray that we might
be enabled to worship in spirit and truth. We pray that we might hear from hearts that you've
prepared. Lord, we give thanks for all
your blessings this coming year. Lord, we ask that. According to your will, you would
hasten your return. We pray that you would give us
the grace to walk with you by faith. Lord, we ask that you would give
us the grace to never worry. We ask that you would forgive
us of our sins. We ask that you would give us
the grace to love you more and love one another more. Bless
us for the Lord's sake. Be with all your people wherever
they meet together. In Christ's name we pray, amen. If someone wants to know what
is meant by God being sovereign, I don't think there's a clearer
statement than verse three in this psalm. This is the answer of the psalmist
to the question, where's your God now? He's where he's always been in
the heavens doing exactly as he pleases. That's what's meant
by the sovereignty of God. He does exactly all the time
as He pleases. His will is always done. Everything that takes place on
this planet, every event, He controls. That's what is meant
by the sovereignty of God. That's who he is. Now let's look at this psalm
together. Whoever wrote this psalm begins
with this statement, not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but
unto thy name, give glory for thy mercy and for thy truth's
sake. Now let me say three things about
this opening statement, not unto us, not unto us, but unto thy
name give glory. Number one, he deserves the glory. Every aspect of our salvation
is what he does. What did you have to do with
your election that God chose you before time began? What part
did you play in that? What about your redemption? What
about the fact that he redeemed you and put away your sins? What
part did you have in that other than the sin? What part do you
have in being justified before God? Do you stand before God
without guilt? What part do you have in your
regeneration? Did you do something in order to cause God to give
you the new birth? What about your preservation?
Can you pat yourself on the back because you've persevered up
to this point? What about your glorification?
Who gets the glory in that? Who gets the glory in the fact
that you believe, that you repent? Who gets the glory in the fact
that you love God, that you believe the gospel? Oh, he gets the glory
in everything, doesn't he? Here's a second statement I'd
like to make with regard to that. We love it that way because we
love Him. That's why we, not only is it
just true, we love Him getting all the glory. And here's the
third reason, and I say to my embarrassment, I guess, this
is the main reason. I love those other two reasons,
but this is the main reason I love this. is because if he doesn't
get the glory in everything, that means there's something
I need to do to save myself. There's something I get the glory
in. And if that's the case, I will not be saved, nor will you. We love him getting the glory
in all things, because that means he does everything. And that
means salvation's not by works. It's by what he does. Not into
us. Can you say that? Not into us,
but into thy name, give glory for thy mercy. Salvation is by
the mercy of God. It's not by merit. That's the
truth. That's for the truth's sake. Then he says in verse two, wherefore
should the heathen say, where is now their God? Where's your
God now when this terrible thing's happening? I thought you thought
God was for you. Evidently, he's gone AWOL now.
Where's your God now? I love the psalmist's reply.
He's where he's always been, in the heavens, ruling and reigning,
doing as he pleases. You know, I didn't say that right.
He's not doing as he pleases. Look what it says. He hath done whatsoever he hath pleased. Not he's doing. He has done whatsoever
he hath pleased. Only as he has pleased and always
as he has pleased. Where's your God, David? Where
isn't he? Can you go anywhere where he's
not? I've even heard people say the only place where God's presence
is not there is hell. No, no. His wrath is there. You cannot go anywhere where
he is not. Where's your God? He's in the
heavens doing as he has pleased. And God has a will. He has a
good pleasure. He has the power to do whatsoever
He is pleased, and He has always done exactly as He has pleased. That's true with regard to everything,
every event, every circumstance. We trust his character. I don't
understand what he's doing when I think of what's going on in
Israel right now. That just troubles me. I pray
for him. But God is in control. And he's the first cause. Wars,
circumstances, difficult things, God rules. And I trust his character. How could God let that happen?
I don't know. But he does. And whatever he
does is good. Amen. Because he does it. That's
what makes it good. He does it. And we rest in his
character. He hath done whatsoever he hath
pleased. You know, turn to Psalm 135. This says pretty much the same thing. Verse five, for I know that the
Lord is great and that our Lord is above all gods whatsoever
the Lord please that did he in heaven and in earth and the sea
and all deep places. You see, the reason these are
all spoken of as things that have already been done is because
God's eternal. Known unto God are all his works
from the beginning. They're already done. You know,
that's one of the reasons why worry is so completely unreasonable. How often do you worry, fret?
Stupid, isn't it? That's all you can call it. God
rules. He reigns. He's the first cause
of everything. He says, he declares the end
from the beginning and from ancient times, the things that are not
yet done saying, my counsel shall stand. I will do all my pleasure."
What's there to worry about? Nothing. Verse 4 of Psalm 115, they're
idols. Anything that is not the God
of verse 3 is nothing more than an idol. A figment of men's depraved
imagination. An attempt to bring the name
of God down to human level. It's an idol. Nothing more. Their idols are silver and gold. The work of men's hands. Now I love the description. the psalmist gives of them, and
there's some sarcasm, humor. I don't know what you want to
call it, but I like it. They have mouths, these man-made gods. They have mouths, but they speak
not. Eyes have they, but they see not. They have ears, but
they hear not. Noses have they, but they smell
not. They have hands, but they handle not. Feet have they, but
they walk not. Neither speak they through their
throat." Now, what kind of good will a God like that do for you? He can't speak to you. He can't
see you. He can't hear you. He can't smell
the sweet savor of Christ. He can't embrace you. He can't
come to you. He's no good. He's worthless.
He can't do anything. Turn with me for a moment to
Isaiah 45. Verse 20. Assemble yourselves and come.
Draw near together, Isaiah 45 20. Assemble yourselves and come,
draw near together, ye that are escaped of the nations. They
have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image."
Just what he's been speaking of in Isaiah, I mean, in Psalm
115. And they pray unto a God that
cannot save. This God cannot save. The only God that can save is
the God who has done all that he has pleased. He can save. He can save. Any God short of
this God cannot save. And they that pray to this God
that cannot save, the scripture says, have no knowledge, no understanding. Now back to Psalm 115. Look what he now says in verse
eight. They that make them, these man-made gods, these gods that
are made in the likeness of men, they're like them, dead, lifeless. So is everyone that trusteth
in them. Would you trust in a God like
this that can't see, that can't hear, that can't come to you,
an idol? Verse nine, O Israel, Israel is every one of God's
people. Who are the Jews? Every believer. He is a Jew, which is not one
outwardly. Neither is that circumcision that's in flesh. He's a Jew that's
one inwardly. whose circumcision is that of
the heart and of the spirit, not the letter, whose praise
is not of men, but of God." That's the Jew, that's Israel. Oh Israel,
this is speaking of every believer. Every believer makes up Israel. Oh Israel, trust thou in the
Lord. Now I like the way he says trust
in the Lord. He doesn't just say trust the
Lord, that's a good thing. Trust the Lord, that's what we
ought to do, trust the Lord. But I love the way he says trust
in the Lord. All of my salvation is in Him. All of God's acceptance of me
is in Him. Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ who has blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in the heavenlies in Christ. These things have I spoken unto
you, that in me you might have peace. In the world you'll have
tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the world." You
see, my trust is in Him. Outside of Him, I don't have
any confidence. Simply being found in Him. You know, that's the greatest
desire every believer has. I want to be found in Christ.
So that all God sees when he sees me is Jesus Christ, his
son. Trust in the Lord. Oh, house of Israel, trust in
the Lord. He is their help and their shield. And this is one of three times
this has said. Oh, house of Aaron, who represents the intercession
of Christ, the priesthood. O house of Aaron, trust in the
Lord. He is their help and their shield. Ye that fear the Lord." Doesn't
that describe every believer? We fear, we respect, we reverence,
we have awe toward the Lord. We find confidence only in Christ,
and the only way you prove and demonstrate true fear of the
Lord is by looking to Christ. Anything else is disrespect.
You look to him only as everything in your salvation. You that fear
the Lord, trust the Lord. He is their help and their shield.
And I love this word, he is their help. The Lord's my helper. You
know, the Lord said, I've laid help on one that is mighty in
the book of Isaiah. Oh, how he helped me when he
stood as my surety before time began. How he helped me when
he became flesh and kept the law for me. How he helped me
when he went to the cross and put away my sin. How he helped
me when he was raised from the dead for my justification. How
he helped me when he ascended back to the Father with my name,
with me in him. How he helps me even right now
as he makes intercession for me. How he'll help me when he
returns and I'm made just like him. The Lord is my helper. He is their help and their shield
and everything that means, our protection. He took the blows
for me on the cross. Look in verse 12. The Lord hath
been mindful of us. Now, this is the most incredible
thing to think of the Lord thinking about me. He who created the
universe, he who holds the universe in his hand, thinks about me. David said, when I consider the
heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon, the stars, which thou
has ordained, what is man? That thou art mindful of him. Believer, there's never a time
when the Lord is not mindful of you. And remember who he is. He is the one who is absolutely
sovereign, all powerful. And you say, well, why would
he be mindful of me? Because he is. I love that scripture
in Deuteronomy chapter 7, the Lord loved you because he loved
you. No other reason is needed. I don't see why the Lord loves
me. Well, he does it because he does. It's not because of you. It's
because of who he is. The Lord loves you. He's mindful
of all of his people. He says, I know the thoughts
that I have toward you, thoughts of peace and not of evil to bring
to you an expected end. Lord already knows your end and
it's going to take place. He's been mindful of us to think
of the creator of the universe being mindful of me, remembering You know, when the thief said,
Lord, remember me, Lord already did. Never a time when he didn't. The Lord has been mindful of
us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel.
He will bless the house of Aaron. There's no, there's nothing we
can do to mess this up. He will bless because he has
blessed. And if he has blessed, obviously he will bless. And
these blessings that he's talking about, somebody says, well, those
are, are those material blessings? Well, I'm sure it's included.
Blessings of health, I'm sure it's included. Blessings of sickness,
that's a blessing from him too. Everything's a blessing. Everything,
without exception, is a blessing that comes from Him. Every trial,
it's all good. He will bless, because He hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings and heavenly blessings
in Christ Jesus. He will bless them that fear
the Lord, both small and great. Now, I think it's interesting
that we get this messed up. We think of the great as the
important, the people who are visible, and then there's the
small. What did the Lord say? The one that's great in the kingdom
of heaven is the servant. I don't know what Martin Luther,
I don't know if he knew anything, not Martin Luther, Martin Luther
King Jr., in his sermon, I Had a Dream, or I can't remember
what the name of it is, but he did make this statement that
I've always liked. You don't have to be rich or famous or
have great talent to be great. All you have to do is be a servant.
That's what the Lord said. All you have to do, he that's
least among you, he's the servant of all, shall be great in the
kingdom of heaven. He will bless them that fear
the Lord, both small and great. The Lord shall increase you more
and more, you and your children. Now that's the promise of every
believer of growth and grace. You know, when I was talking
about how he gets the glory in all things, if you grow, who
gets the glory? You know it's Him. It's Him increasing
you. And there is such a thing as
growth in grace. Grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Isn't that encouraging?
Grow in grace. He shall increase you. Lord,
increase me in growth in grace. Cause me to grow in graciousness
and forgiveness and humility. Cause me to grow. That's every
believer's desire. The Lord shall increase you more
and more, you and your children. You are blessed of the Lord,
which made heaven and earth. This is the Lord that's blessed
you, the creator. Don't you love just to think of his power that's
involved in creation? That's it, bow down. He created
the universe as an act of his will. He's the one. who blesses you, oh, His power
to bless. Verse 16, the heaven, even the
heavens are the Lord's, but the earth hath He given to the children
of men. His people. And one of these
days, He's gonna burn this place up and there's gonna be a new
heaven. and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness." Verse
17, the dead praise not the Lord. Now that's not talking about
the physically dead. That's talking about the dead
in sins. The dead in sins can't praise the Lord. They don't know
who he is. They see no beauty in his person. They see no glory
in his person. They can't praise the Lord. It's
impossible for them. Neither they that go down into
silence, which is talking about physical death. They're not praising
the Lord, but we, every believer without exception, we will bless
the Lord. Now that doesn't mean we can
confer blessing on him, you know that, but we ascribe blessedness
to him. It's what Paul said when he said,
blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who
hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places
in Christ Jesus. We will bless the Lord from this
time forth by his grace and for eternity. Do you know that eternity
will be spent in praising him? That's all you do. And you like
it that way. And if you don't like it now,
you won't like it then. I want to be enabled by the grace
of God to praise the Lord for who he is and for what he's done. Praise the Lord. Amen.