Whom to Trust | Psalm 115

As we stand at the threshold of a new year, Psalm 115 confronts us with the most fundamental question of faith: whom will we trust? This ancient psalm, likely written during Israel's Babylonian captivity, speaks directly to our modern struggles with faithfulness when circumstances turn difficult. The text opens with a powerful declaration that strips away our tendency toward self-glorification—'not unto us, not unto us, but to Your name give glory.' We're reminded that God deserves glory not because our lives are comfortable or successful, but because of His unchanging attributes: His mercy and His truth. These aren't abstract concepts but the very foundation of our relationship with the Almighty. God's mercy means we don't receive the judgment we deserve, and His truth makes Him supremely trustworthy. The psalm then contrasts the living God with lifeless idols—those things we're tempted to trust instead of Him. While we may not bow to physical statues, we face our own modern idols: wealth, security, political solutions, or material comforts. The sobering warning is clear: we become like what we worship. Those who trust in empty things become empty themselves. But here's the hope: the Lord has been mindful of us. He remembers us. He blesses those who fear Him. As we enter 2026, we're challenged to covenant our hearts to trust the Lord alone, recognizing that He holds our eternal inheritance and works all things together for good for those who love Him.