There are two things that jump out at me in this Psalm.
“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. O Israel, trust 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. You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!” (v4-11,17-18)
Idols (gods) of human invention are lifeless, inanimate entities with no natural ability. What struck me is that “Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” (v8) Yikes. Who wants to become a lifeless, inanimate being? Nobody, but that does seem like an apt description of some people who are fully immersed in the world. Their “life” lacks the true meaning and purpose that only God provides. They are figuratively the walking dead, with no breath of life that the Spirit provides. (Note: my statement does not reference fictional “zombies”. I am referring to Mt 8:21-22: “Another of the disciples said to him, ‘Lord, let me first go and bury my father.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead.’ ” Jesus described non-believers as “dead” people, in the spiritual sense.)
“You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield.” (v11) is a hard-hitting truth, even for me. How often do I find myself distrusting God? Not on purpose, of course, but I my trust can naturally wander. It’s far too easy to become confident in our own skills, abilities or financial success (all of which are gifts from God, by the way) and lose our reliance on God. I can’t change my past mistakes, but I can decide where my trust will lie today. The phrase “in God we trust” should be more than words on a coin, they should be stamped on our hearts as well.
My challenge for us today is to be fully rooted in God, and alive in Christ – He paid our death penalty from sin. Our spiritual death was solved on the cross, so that we may now be spiritually alive. Let’s live as if that’s true, and put our trust in God who is not fashioned by human hands, who hears our prayers and guides our paths. Let’s bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord! (v18)
Father God, all honor, glory, and praise are due You, for You are the one true God. We recognize that You created us, not the other way around. We acknowledge our fallibility, and praise You for Your grace, forgiveness and mercy when we fail You. Father may we fully trust You, leaning not on ourselves, and may we live as if Christ has died in our place. May we experience Your love and joy, so we may convey that to those around us. May those around us see You through us, so they too may be saved from sin and death. Amen.
~ Conqueror in Training