God Above All Gods

Psa 135:5, 6 For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.

For most of us, this verse holds kind of a "Duh!" quality.

We know that God is God, that He alone sits in the heavens as Creator, Sovereign Lord, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We know that He has no equal, He is unmatched in power, knowledge, ability and presence.

But in the world and to the people to which this was written, these verses were greatly important. In that world of idolatrous practices, everyone had their householk, local and regional deities. People paid homage to gods of battle, peace, fertility, water, gods of the mountains and gods of the plains. Common were the taunts of "my god is greater than your god!"

So the Psalmist proclaims what he knows from experience, "Ain't no God like my God! He does what He pleases in heaven, on earth, and even in the seas."

But we are so advanced in our society, so assured that our contemporary times have no room for such foolish, backward, barbaric thinking of the ancient idolaters. But are we really so wise?

Just look around and note the idolatrous practice of 21st century America.

On an average Sunday morning in the good old U.S. of A, how many are bowing at an altar to Jehovah and how many are bowing at altars of the lesser gods?

Many are passionately worshiping the lord of the lawn, the rector of recreation, the czar of the car, the sovereign of sleep, the sultan of sex, and the greatest idol of all, the master called me!

To be blunt, most people make contortionists look stiff and unyielding as they easily and with much practice bend the knee to self. "I did it my way" is the hymn of praise of these modern heathen. God, they serve with their lips, but with their hearts, they serve the trinity of id, ego and super ego, me myself and I, body, soul and spirit.

And though my flesh tries to revert to this same heathen practice on a daily basis, I know the abject failure that ensues with each act of idolatry, whether the statue I bow to is self or any other of the lesser gods.

I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods.