You alone are God. There is no other. Sure, there’s gods of our making but, even then, we didn’t create them…we just corrupted a good thing.
What we elevate to godlike status is adulterated purity. Remove anything from its connection with the creator and author of life, and it’s only a short time before it’s glorifying itself…or you’re glorifying it. Money, stuff, position, power, praise, sex, food, talent…doesn’t matter much what it is, when we begin to seek the gift over the giver, it all goes awry.
But He alone is God. An ultimate and absolute truth that David declares in Psalm 86. Far and high above all else stands God the Father: reigning and ruling with grace and truth, justice and mercy and steadfast love.
That’s the truth I cling to as I read Psalm 86 right now. Whether I’m David, or Simon, or you (ok, I’m not you), I’m poor and needy. Perhaps right now I feel poorer and needier that the rest of you, but it’s for that reason that we plead for a grace that he so willingly gives. And it’s for that reason that we lift up our souls—the deepest part of us that needs the calm assurance of the One who IS God—and proclaim that He alone is God.
The great and glorious news is that the One living God pours out His steadfast love towards us—love that is merciful, gracious, slow to anger and always faithful. And He’s plenty big enough to put the pieces of my heart back together (v11) so that I can do what I was created to do: glorify His name.
You alone are God and we declare the glory of Your name.
– Simon Elliott