Welcome to a year in the Bible with daily grace.

From even to eternity, the Bible tells one big story of redemption.

My name is Tiffany and I want to spend a few minutes with you every day walking through the Bible chronologically.

Together, we will explore God's sovereign plan as the events of Scripture unfold and point to Jesus.

Hey, you're in the Bible family. Tiffany here and I'm excited to continue our journey through the Psalms today.

As we mentioned yesterday, we don't know specifically when these Psalms were written, but as the building of the temple approaches,

these hymns of Thanksgiving were likely written in anticipation of the temple or at its completion.

We also don't know the authors of these Psalms, but we do know David appointed many gifted musicians from the tribe of Levi to worship the Lord once the temple was built.

It is likely these hymns were written by these musicians and that Psalms 113 through 118 in particular were sung during the Passover.

As we study Psalms 115 through 118 today, we will see many facets of God's character, but his faithful love and salvation will lead us to Thanksgiving, just like the Psalmists.

Psalm 115 is a hymn of worship and Thanksgiving. The Psalmist begins by giving all glory to God and not to man.

He then shares the futleness and hopelessness of worshiping idols.

Idols are made by human hands and they have no ability to see, smell, taste, feel, or even move.

The prophet Jeremiah describes their worthlessness as well in Jeremiah 10, 14 through 15, which says,

Every goldsmith is put to shame by his carved image. For his cast images are a lie. There is no breath in them. They are worthless, a work to be mocked.

The Psalmist even says that those who make idols are just like them.

Idol worship is detestable to the Lord. And lest we think we no longer worship idols today, we must think again.

We may not create physical statues, but we do bow down to the idol of culture and self. We do place our selfish desires on the throne of our hearts.

Whatever our little G God is, money, status, possessions, a person, they all take our eyes off the Lord and place them on ourselves.

The Psalmist shows us how to combat idol worship. He says three times and verses nine through eleven, trust in the Lord. He is their help and shield.

There refers to Israel, the house of Aaron, and all who fear the Lord. In other words, Jews and Gentiles who love the Lord, trust him as their help and shield.

Something no idol will ever do. We turn our eyes to the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.

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