Heart of a Psalmist - Worshipping Christ Through The Psalms

“Why let the nations say, ‘ Where is their God?’ For our God is in the heavens, and he does as he wishes.” (2, 3)

Spurgeon says: the unbelievers ‘are very apt to speak as if they had triumphed over God himself, or as if he had altogether left the field of action and deserted his saints. When the prayers and tears of the godly seem to be unregarded,…then do the wicked multiply their taunts and jeers, and even argue that their own wretched irreligion is better than the faith of Christians 1 ,…’ Although the returning Jews were few in number and short on resources, they perceived that their struggle was a spiritual contest between Yahweh and the idol-worshiping nations around them as they rebuilt their city and temple of praise. The 70 years of chastisement had the desired effect upon the Jews; they were living the 2nd com- mandment “Do not make idols of any kind”(Ex. 20:4) , and were trusting in the ‘One, who is able to do all things with a freedom that is conditioned only by himself 2 .’ ‘’’

“Their idols are merely things of silver and gold, shaped by human hands. They cannot talk, though they have mouths, or see though they have eyes! They cannot hear with their ears, or smell with their noses, Or feel with their hands, or walk with their feet, or utter sounds with their throats!

And those who make them are just like them, as are all who trust in them.” (4-8)

In the ancient world the idols were literally made of silver and gold or carved wood that was cov- ered by these precious medals. Matthew Henry says: ‘silver and gold are proper things to make money of, but not to make gods of 3 .’ They were representations of demon entities and delusions of the human heart. Although there are literal idols today, ‘silver and gold’ or the lust for money becomes the idol of the human heart that gives birth to all other forms of idolatry; “You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is really an idolater who worships the things of this world.” (Eph. 5:5) As in Old Testament times, who or what we worship is the key factor of our lives. The Jewish nation had collapsed under the weight of idolatry and God exiled them to an idolatrous foreign land. The defining, liberating moment for the Jews was when Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow down to Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image, forever breaking the spirit of idolatry from the Jewish people. “…Your majesty can be sure that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.” (Dan. 3:18) Now the small nation that returned to the land of Israel sings a song that mocks the false gods of the heathen. The five human senses are absent from the idol: 1.) speech 2.) sight 3.) hearing, 4.) smell, 5.) feel- ing as well as the ability to walk around. ‘ …there is no more life in silver and gold than in brass or iron, an infants hand excels them in power 4 .’ Idols do not have a throat; the statues have no ability to talk like the living God who communicates with us through his word and Spirit. Isaiah the prophet addresses the stupidity of worshiping them: “Such stupidity and ignorance! Their eyes are closed, and they cannot see. Their minds are shut, and they cannot think. The person who made the idol never stops to reflect, ‘ Why, its just a block of wood! I burned half of it for heat and used it to bake my bread and roast my meat. How can the rest of it be a god? Should I bow down to worship a chunk of wood?’ The poor deluded fool feeds on ashes. He is trusting something that can give him no help at all.” (Isa. 44:18-20) Idols of the heart make no sense; money, other people, fame, selfish worldly goals, nothing but God himself de- serves our praise and worship. The greatest tragedy of idolatry is: ‘men make gods after their own image, and, when made, the gods make men after theirs 5 .’

II RESOLVE TO TRUST - 9-11

“O Israel, trust the Lord! He is your helper; he is your shield. O priests of Aaron, trust the Lord! He is your helper; he is your shield.

All you who fear the Lord, trust the Lord! He is your helper; he is your shield.” (9-11)

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