Psalms 114 and 115
Psalms 114 is a poem of high quality, as are many of the psalms we have been studying. This short one attracts our close attention. Why is God not named early in the psalm? Is it not because the hearts of these saints will be full of His praise, and He so much the subject of conversation among them, that the personal pronoun as in verse 2 is appropriate?
What hath God wrought? will be the theme of His earthly saints, as well as of His heavenly people, eternally. In Psalm 114, redeemed Israel looks back over the centuries to God’s power and goodness exercised in the exodus from Egypt’s land of slavery to Canaan’s land of liberty and blessing. The redemption yet to be wrought for Israel will be eternal in value, for then all will know Jehovah; all Israel will be twice-born souls at the beginning of the millennium.
In Psalm 115 the glory of Israel’s new found blessing is ascribed wholly to God. During the perilous times, before the appearing of the Lord Jesus for their deliverance, the Jewish believers, feeble and few, were derided by their unbelieving kinsmen who said, “Where then is their God?” See in this connection Psalms 42 and 79, though other psalms tell of the bitter taunts of the enemies.
The trial of faith establishes the saint in God, leads to growth in a spiritual way, and so verses 3 to 8 give the answer of confidence in Him:
“Our God is in the heavens; He hath clone whatsoever He pleased; their idols are ... .the work of men’s hands ... .They that make them are like unto them—every one that confideth in them.” This high level is faith’s position, supplied by God.
Verses 11 and 13 bring in the believers among the Gentiles in the future day, and verse 16 again makes plain that the psalms, and the blessing of Israel are connected with the earth.
Those who receive the Word of God in the present dispensation of grace, are being formed into a body, the assembly or Church of God, the bride of Christ, to share His heavenly glory. So there will be a heavenly people, and an earthly people, eternally to the praise of the Iamb. Hallelujah!
ML 10/18/1931