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548_Glory belongs to the Lord

Psalm 115 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!

2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
3 Our God is in the heavens;
he does all that he pleases.

4 Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, but do not speak;
eyes, but do not see.
6 They have ears, but do not hear;
noses, but do not smell.
7 They have hands, but do not feel;
feet, but do not walk;
and they do not make a sound in their throat.
8 Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.

9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and their shield.

12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us;
he will bless the house of Israel;
he will bless the house of Aaron;
13 he will bless those who fear the Lord,
both the small and the great.

14 May the Lord give you increase,
you and your children!
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

16 The heavens are the Lord’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17 The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
Praise the Lord!

Some years ago, a missionary doctor serving in a remote African village was honored by his home country for his decades of service. One journalist travelled thousands of miles to interview him. Puzzled at the simplicity, even poverty, of the man he met, he asked, “Doctor, you’ve saved hundreds of lives and trained countless young people. Why live like this? Don’t you feel you deserve some recognition?” The old man answered quietly, “I am only a servant. If anyone must be honored, let it be the One who gave me strength to serve.”

That moment captures the spirit of Psalm 115, which rebukes all human pride:
“Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.”

Our worship is not about us. It is about God—His name, His love, and His faithfulness.

This psalm, by an unknown author, may have been written after Israel’s return from exile in Babylon. The people were weak, few, and struggling to rebuild their ruined temple and city. Their efforts looked small and the result pitiable. The neighboring nations mocked: “Where is their God?” To them, Israel’s God appeared powerless.

But the psalmist’s answer comes with quiet, unshakable conviction:
“Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.”

He did not mean that God is unpredictable or indifferent. Rather, it is a declaration that He is sovereign—that He rules and acts according to His perfect wisdom and purpose. Israel’s captivity was not because of God’s weakness or failure. Israel’s exile was not the triumph of Babylon’s idols—it was the hand of the living God purifying his people and preparing them to return and be restored.

During those seventy years in Babylon, God was very much at work. He humbled kings like Nebuchadnezzar, who exalted themselves. He preserved those who trusted in Him—Daniel in the lions’ den, and the three young men in the fiery furnace. He foretold the coming of the Persian king Cyrus, who would send the Jews home to rebuild the temple. God is not bound to act as we expect, but He always acts in perfect faithfulness to His promises.

In contrast, the gods of the nations are lifeless and powerless.
“They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see; ears, but do not hear… Those who make them become like them, and so do all who trust in them.”

Scripture reiterates this sobering truth: we become like what we worship. Those who bow before idols—whether of wood or metal or stone, or the idols of wealth, fame, and self—become unable to hear the voice of God or respond to the needs of others. They exchange the glory of the Creator for the emptiness of their own creation. But those who worship the living God are transformed by His life.

To all God’s people, who trust in the Lord, the psalmist repeats:
“He is their help and their shield.”

This is not a general statement. In times of rebuilding and uncertainty, amid mocking and frustration with our own weakness, we are anchored in the truth that God remembers, helps, and protects those who trust him, both great and small, without partiality.

For the truth is that:
“The heavens are the Lord’s heavens, but the earth He has given to the children of man.”

The earth is God’s footstool—He rules over it, yet He has entrusted it to humankind as stewards. We do not own it; we manage it on His behalf. Its air and water and soil, its living forms, our own talents, our possessions, are all gifts. We are not entitled to any of them. Those who forget this court pride. Those who remember it know that grateful humility is their rightful response.

And therefore, “Not to us, O Lord, but to your name be the glory.” The greatest danger in any success—spiritual, material, or professional—is the temptation to take pride in it. Even in ministry or acts of service, our hearts can quietly whisper, “Look at what I’ve done.” But God alone is worthy of praise, as Isaiah records, in God’s own words:
“I am the Lord, that is my name; my glory I will not give to another.”
“For my own sake, for my own sake, I act… My glory I will not give to another.”

Knowing this, the psalmist cried out, not for recognition but for God’s name to be exalted. Whatever he did—whether rebuilding a wall or offering a sacrifice—was to stand as a monument to God’s steadfast love and faithfulness.

For every one of us, our genuine faith will reflect God’s glory, not our own, through our lives, our work, our families, and our ministries. The fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—is not a badge of personal achievement. They are evidence of God’s divine work within us. When others see these fruits, they glorify our Father in heaven.

The psalm then draws a sharp contrast between the living and the dead:
“The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence.”

This can refer both to physical death and to spiritual deadness. Those who are separated from God cannot truly praise Him. They may have breath in their lungs and words on their lips, but without the knowledge of God there is no life in their spirit. To be spiritually dead is to exist without meaning—to live for self and yet never be satisfied. But those who know the Lord are alive to His presence. They find joy in his goodness continually.

That’s why the psalm concludes with a triumphant declaration:
“But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord!”

The psalm that began with “Not to us” ends with “Praise the Lord.” The beginning and the end of a life that glorifies God are the same: humility and worship. To glorify God is not merely to sing songs about Him—it is to live for his glory, pointing to his goodness with every word and every deed. It is to trust Him when others mock us for doing so. It is to obey Him, though others rebel. It is to thank Him for success.

When we place ourselves at the center of our lives, we fall apart. When he is at the center, his glory our delight, our lives fall into divine order.

In every sphere of life—family, career, ministry, or hobby—let us examine whose glory we seek. Are our achievements a platform for our own reputation or a testimony to God’s faithfulness? If our lives do not lead others to glorify God, we have missed the point. Eternal worth lies in the smallest act done for His glory.

Perhaps the most beautiful thing about Psalm 115 is that it turns our attention away from self altogether. It reminds us that God is sovereign, loving, and faithful—and that our greatest joy is found in giving Him all the glory. Let the psalmist’s words then be our own: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to Your name be the glory.” Let all we do be for his glory alone. God bless.