Psalms 115:3

3. God's providence governs all And truly God claims omnipotence to himself, and would have us to acknowledge it, - not the vain, indolent, slumbering omnipotence which sophists feign, but vigilant, efficacious, energetic, and ever active, - not an omnipotence which may only act as a general principle of confused motion, as in ordering a stream to keep within the channel once prescribed to it, but one which is intent on individual and special movements. God is deemed omnipotent, not because he can act though he may cease or be idle, or because by a general instinct he continues the order of nature previously appointed; but because, governing heaven and earth by his providence, he so overrules all things that nothing happens without his counsel. For when it is said in the Psalms, "He has done whatsoever he has pleased," (Psalms 115:3 cf. Ps. 113(b):3) the thing meant is his sure and deliberate purpose. It were insipid to interpret the Psalmist's words in philosophic fashion, to mean that God is the primary agent, because the beginning and cause of all motion. This rather is the solace of the faithful, in their adversity, that every thing which they endure is by the ordination and command of God, that they are under his hand.

. Wherefore should the Heathen say,.... The nations about Israel, the nations of the world; the Gentiles in any age; the Papists in ours, sometimes called the Heathen, Psalms 10:16. The church expostulates with the Lord why those should be suffered to say, in a reproachful, insulting, manner, and by way of triumph, where is now their God? that they have boasted of would help them; in whom they have put their trust and confidence; why does not he help them, as he has promised, and they expect? Thus the church suggests, that if the Lord did not appear for them, his own glory lay at stake. Such language is generally used by their enemies, when the people of God were in any distress; see Psalms 42:10. Psalms 115:3 Ver. 3. But our God is in the heavens,.... His habitation is in the heavens, as the Targum; the Septuagint and Arabic versions add, "and in earth": he is in both, and fills both with his presence; and cannot be contained in either. He is the Maker and Possessor of heaven and earth; the one is his throne, and the other is his footstool: he dwells in the highest heaven, and overlooks all persons and things on earth, and overrules all; he is higher than the highest, and his kingdom ruleth over all.

As the dead cannot praise him, the living should, Psalms 115:17, Psalms 115:18. This Psalm is written as a part of the preceding by eighteen of Kennicott's and fifty-three of De Rossi's MSS.; by some ancient editions the Septuagint, the Syriac, the Vulgate, the Ethiopic, the Arabic, and the Anglo-Saxon. The old Anglo-Scottish Psalter reads it consecutively with the foregoing. Who the author of both was, we know not, nor on what occasion it was written. It seems to be an epinikion or triumphal song, in which the victory gained is entirely ascribed to Jehovah. Verse 1 Not unto us, O Lord - We take no merit to ourselves; as thine is the kingdom, and the power in that kingdom, so is thy glory. For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake - Thy mercy gave thy promise, thy truth fulfilled it. PSALM 115: 2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God, now?” Verse 2 Wherefore should the heathen say - This appears to refer to a time in which the Israelites had suffered some sad reverses, so as to be brought very low, and to be marked by the heathen. PSALM 115: 3 But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases. Verse 3 He hath done whatsover he hath pleased - There was too much cause for his abandoning us to our enemies; yet he still lives and rules in heaven and in earth. PSALM 115: 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. Verse 4 Their idols are silver, etc. - They are metal, stone, and wood.

As we entreat thy favour and aid, and that thou wouldst work gloriously on our behalf to bring us out of our present straits and extremities; so we do not desire this out of a vain-glorious humour, as usually men do in such cases, that we may get renown by the conquest of our proud and mighty enemies, but that thy honour may be vindicated from all their contempts and blasphemies; and if thou wilt deliver us, we will not arrogate the praise and glory of it to our own worth or valour, but only to thy mercy and truth. ## Psalms 115:2 Wherefore should the heathen say? why dost thou suffer them, or give them any colour or occasion, to say or think so, by conniving at their wickedness, and by giving thy people into their hands? ## Where is now their God? he is no where; he is lost, or at a loss, either unable, or unwilling, or not at leisure to save them. ## Their God; who hath undertaken to be their God and Saviour, and whom they only worship, and of whom they use to boast and insult over us and over our gods. ## Psalms 115:3 Our God; whom, notwithstanding your reproaches, we are not ashamed to own for our God.

[Bible] The wicked seeth, and hath been angry, His teeth he gnasheth, and hath melted, The desire of the wicked doth perish! Chapter 113 Praise ye Jah! Praise, ye servants of Jehovah. Praise the name of Jehovah. The name of Jehovah is blessed, From henceforth, and unto the age. From the rising of the sun unto its going in, Praised [is] the name of Jehovah. High above all nations [is] Jehovah, Above the heavens [is] his honour. Who [is] as Jehovah our God, He is exalting [Himself] to sit? He is humbling [Himself] to look On the heavens and on the earth. He is raising up from the dust the poor, From a dunghill He exalteth the needy. To cause to sit with princes, With the princes of His people. Causing the barren one of the house to sit, A joyful mother of sons; praise ye Jah! Chapter 114 In the going out of Israel from Egypt, The house of Jacob from a strange people, Judah became His sanctuary, Israel his dominion. The sea hath seen, and fleeth, The Jordan turneth backward. The mountains have skipped as rams, Heights as sons of a flock. What — to thee, O sea, that thou fleest? O Jordan, thou turnest back! O mountains, ye skip as rams! O heights, as sons of a flock! From before the Lord be afraid, O earth, From before the God of Jacob, He is turning the rock to a pool of waters, The flint to a fountain of waters! Chapter 115 Not to us, O Jehovah, not to us, But to Thy name give honour, For Thy kindness, for Thy truth. Why do the nations say, `Where, pray, [is] their God. And our God [is] in the heavens, All that He hath pleased He hath done. Their idols [are] silver and gold, work of man`s hands, A mouth they have, and they speak not, Eyes they have, and they see not, Ears they have, and they hear not, A nose they have, and they smell not, Their hands, but they handle not, Their feet, and they walk not; Nor do they mutter through their throat, Like them are their makers, Every one who is trusting in them. O Israel, trust in Jehovah, `Their help and their shield [is] He.`

[Hymns] 6 Ye mountains great, wherefore was it that ye did skip like rams? And wherefore was it, little hills, that ye did leap like lambs? 7 O at the presence of the Lord, earth, tremble thou for fear, While as the presence of the God of Jacob doth appear: 8 Who from the hard and stony rock did standing water bring; And by his pow'r did turn the flint into a water-spring. Psalm 115 1 Not unto us, Lord, not to us, but do thou glory take Unto thy name, ev'n for thy truth, and for thy mercy's sake. 2 O wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God now gone? 3 But our God in the heavens is, what pleas'd him he hath done. 4 Their idols silver are and gold, work of men's hands they be. 5 Mouths have they, but they do not speak; and eyes, but do not see; 6 Ears have they, but they do not hear; noses, but savour not; 7 Hands, feet, but handle not, nor walk; nor speak they through their throat. 8 Like them their makers are, and all on them their trust that build. 9 O Isr'el, trust thou in the Lord, he is their help and shield. 10 O Aaron's house, trust in the Lord, their help and shield is he. 11 Ye that fear God, trust in the Lord, their help and shield he'll be. 12 The Lord of us hath mindful been, and he will bless us still: He will the house of Isr'el bless, bless Aaron's house he will. 13 Both small and great, that fear the Lord, he will them surely bless. 14 The Lord will you, you and your seed, aye more and more increase.

II. The second part of the preface is, Which art in heaven.' God is said to be in heaven, not because he is so included there as if he were nowhere else; for the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee.' 1 Kings 8:27. But the meaning is, that he is chiefly resident in what the apostle calls the third heaven,' where he reveals his glory most to saints and angels. 2 Corinthians 12:2. What may we learn from God being in heaven? (1) That we are to raise our minds in prayer above the earth. God is nowhere to be spoken with but in heaven. He never denied that soul its suit that went as far as heaven to ask it. (2) We learn his sovereign power. Hoc vocabulo intelligitur omnia subesse ejus imperio [By this word we learn that all things are under his rule]. Calvin. Our God is in the heavens: he has done whatsoever he has pleased.' Psalms 115:3. In heaven he governs the universe, and orders all occurrences here below for the good of his children. When the saints are in straits and dangers, and see no way of relief, he sends from heaven and helps them. He shall send from heaven, and save me.' Psalms 57:3. (3) We learn his glory and majesty. He is in heaven; therefore he is covered with light. Psalms 104:2. He is clothed with honour.' Psalms 104:1: He is far above all worldly princes, as heaven is above earth.

Further, he is a great King. A great King above all gods.' Psalms 95:3. He is great in and of himself; and not like other kings, who are made great by their subjects. That he is so great a King appears by the immensity of his being. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.' Jeremiah 23:24. His centre is everywhere; he is nowhere included, yet nowhere excluded, he is so immensely great, that the heaven of heavens cannot contain him'. 1 Kings 8:27. His greatness appears by the effects of his power. He made heaven and earth,' and can unmake it. Psalms 124:8. With a breath he can crumble us to dust; with a word he can unpin the world, and break the axle-tree of it in pieces. He poureth contempt upon princes.' Job 12:21. He shall cut off the spirit of princes.' Psalms 76:12. He is Lord paramount, who does whatever he will. Psalms 115:3. He weigheth the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance.' Psalms 40:12.

counsel of God is of such a nature, that in its time it necessarily brings about the execution. It is efficacious, Jes. 14:27, Psalms 115:3, 135:6, unchangeable, Jes. 46:10, Psalms 33:11, Hebr. 6:17, Jak. 1:17, independent, Matthew 11:26, Ef. 1:9, Romans 9:11, 20, 21. Yet there is between the decree and the execution a distinction just as between God’s being and his works outward. The decree of God is an opus ad intra, immanent in the Divine being, eternal and standing outside time. Indeed it has been objected against this, that eternity cannot and may not be thought of as a time before time, and that the counsel of God and his election therefore also may not be understood as a decree that was taken ages beforehand. This remark is also correct in itself. Eternity is essentially distinct from time. The counsel of God is no more than generation an act of God in the past; it is an eternal act of God, eternally completed and eternally continuing, outside and above time, Martyr, Loci Comm. p. 230b. It is no fruit of all kinds of reasoning and consideration, so that God would first for a time have been without decree, undecided, without will, as Scaliger rightly remarked, Moor, Comm. in Marck. I 900. Vitringa II 13. Heppe, S. 101-102. And it is just as little to be conceived as a plan that lies ready somewhere and now waits for execution. But the counsel of God is the eternally active will of God, the willing, decreeing God himself, not something accidental in God but one

From hence is stirred up in the soul a restless desire, that God would discover himself so to it, as he doth to those that are his, that he would 'visit our souls with the salvation of his chosen,' Psalms 106:4. 3. Hence follows a putting of the soul upon God, an adventuring itself on his mercy. 4. Upon this, God, when he seeth fit, discovers by his Spirit that he is ours. 5. Whence followeth a dependence on him as ours, for all things that may carry us on in the way to heaven. 6. Courage and boldness in setting ourselves against whatsoever may oppose us in the way, as the three young men in Daniel, 'Our God can deliver us if he will,' Daniel 3:17. 'Our God is in heaven,' &c., Psalms 115:3. 7. After which springs a sweet spiritual security, whereby the soul is freed from slavish fears, and glorieth in God as ours in all conditions. And this is termed by the apostle, not only assurance, but the 'riches of assurance,' Colossians 2:2. Yet this is not so clear and full as it shall be in heaven, because some clouds may after arise out of the remainder of corruption, which may something overcast this assurance, until the light of God's countenance in heaven for ever scatters all. There being so great happiness in this nearness betwixt God and us, no wonder if Satan labour to hinder the same, by interposing the guilt and heinousness of our sins, which he knows of themselves will work a separation; but these, upon our first serious thought of returning, will be removed