Spring Break / Psalm 115

I'm officially on Spring Break now, and it's been going well. I've been spending a lot of good time with my family, and I got to hang out with my high school friends a bit before they went back to their schools this weekend.

Yesterday was Easter -- the day on which we celebrate the resurrection of Christ Jesus, who was dead and buried for the sake of our sins. When I think about it, it's so unbelievable and exciting to realize the magnitude of this miracle. It's easy to live as if the world were a boring, insignificant, and uninteresting place, but if you really take a look at the wonders of Creation, life, and the incredible things that happen in every day life (let alone the big miracles), there is an overwhelming beauty here.

I'll come right out and say it -- I'm in love with the Psalms. This blog is quickly becoming overtaken with them, and that's fine by me. Today I want to read and study Psalm 115. It's a song of praise to the living God. I think it's fitting for the day after Easter, having just celebrated the Christ who defeated Death.

Psalm 115

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.

2 Why do the nations say,
"Where is their God?"

3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.

4 But their idols are silver and gold,
made by the hands of men.

5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but they cannot see;

6 they have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but they cannot smell;

7 they have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but they cannot walk;
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.

8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.

9 O house of Israel, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.

11 You who fear him, trust in the LORD—
he is their help and shield.

12 The LORD remembers us and 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—
small and great alike.

14 May the LORD make you increase,
both you and your children.

15 May you be blessed by the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

16 The highest heavens belong to the LORD,
but the earth he has given to man.

17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD,
those who go down to silence;

18 it is we who extol the LORD,
both now and forevermore.
Praise the LORD.

I love the poetry in this psalm- the rhythm and repetition are strong, and carry an urgency to the message of praise. We must realize the Greatness of our God! He is not made in our image -- we are made in His. He is not bound by the limitations of physicality or time. He is limitless and powerful beyond compare.

It's silly to think that we should deserve any sort of glory or honor. All that is good is His, not ours! Let us thank our Mighty Lord each day for the blessings and gifts he so freely bestows to us. Had he given us life and nothing more, it would have been enough, yet he gives so much more!

Praise the Lord on High, that he may use you for His purposes and grant you His greatest fruits of Love! "May you be blessed by the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."