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Silent Idols, Speaking Hearts: Mental Wellness in Psalm 115

Reclaiming Trust and Identity in a World of Noise

“Their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands. They have mouths, but cannot speak… Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.”
— Psalm 115:4–5, 8

I once sat with a client who whispered through tears, “I know God loves me, but I feel numb. I pray, but it’s like I’m talking to a wall.”

If you’ve ever felt that way—distant from God, disoriented in your faith, or emotionally paralyzed—Psalm 115 has a strange but beautiful message: It’s not you. Sometimes, we’ve placed our trust in the wrong voices. And sometimes, those voices silence us from the inside out.

Let’s explore how this passage offers wisdom for the soul, especially when our faith feels flat and our mental health strained.



1. When What We Trust Fails to Speak Back

“Their idols… have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see…”
— Psalm 115:4–5

The psalmist paints a biting picture of idols—not just wooden statues, but anything we trust in more than God. They’re described as silent, blind, unfeeling. And here’s the stunning part:

“Those who make them will be like them.”

Clinically, this is familiar. When we place our trust in systems, relationships, or achievements that cannot nourish our spirit, we become emotionally numbed—detached, anxious, self-critical. We can lose our sense of who we are. Like the idols, we stop “seeing” or “speaking” in a meaningful way.

Think about what you may be trusting today:

  • The need to be productive 24/7

  • Social media affirmation

  • A toxic relationship

  • Financial security

  • Your own ability to “handle it”

None of these are inherently bad—but they make terrible gods. They demand much and give little in return.

Mental Wellness Insight: When we anchor our identity in something that cannot love us back, we begin to hollow out emotionally. The result? Exhaustion, numbness, and spiritual confusion.

2. The Trauma of Powerlessness and the Hope of Sovereignty

“Not to us, Lord, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.”
— Psalm 115:1

This Psalm begins with surrender. Not our name, not our success, but God’s faithful love. Why does that matter for mental health?

Because when life spins out of control—when depression clouds your mind or anxiety grips your chest—you need to know Someone bigger is holding it all together. The first step in trauma recovery is restoring a felt sense of safety.

The idols of the world offer illusion: control, independence, performance.
But the God of Psalm 115 offers reality: presence, stability, and relational love.

Mental Wellness Insight: True healing begins when we stop trying to be our own savior and let God carry the weight. You don’t have to hold everything together. That’s His job.

3. The Power of Voice and Emotional Reconnection

Idols don’t speak. They don’t feel. They don’t respond.

But God?

“The Lord remembers us and will bless us.”
— Psalm 115:12

God remembers. He speaks. He blesses. That one phrase—“The Lord remembers us”—is a balm for the emotionally weary. If you’ve felt forgotten, bypassed, or emotionally frozen, this is where your healing can begin: God sees. God speaks. And He invites you to speak, too.

In therapy, one of the primary goals is to restore voice—helping people express what they’ve long been silenced in saying. Spiritually, it mirrors the act of prayer. The enemy’s greatest tactic is often not to tempt us to sin, but to get us to shut down.
Stop praying.
Stop feeling.
Stop speaking.

Psalm 115 reminds us that the Living God speaks—and listens.

Mental Wellness Insight: Silence in suffering is suffocating. Recovery often begins with naming what hurts—whether to God, a counselor, or a trusted friend. Use your voice; it’s how we reclaim life.

4. Trust Is a Muscle—And It Grows in Relationship

“You who fear him, trust in the Lord—he is their help and shield.”
— Psalm 115:11

Trust is not an abstract idea. It’s a practiced, relational muscle. The psalm calls different groups—Israel, Aaron’s house, those who fear the Lord—to trust God. Why? Because trust is a choice, often made when we don’t feel safe, but we decide to step into it anyway.

If mental illness has shaken your ability to trust—even in God—that doesn’t make you a bad Christian. It makes you human.

Rebuilding trust, like trauma healing, is a slow, relational process. And God is patient.

Mental Wellness Insight: Trust grows through safe experiences. Whether in therapy or your walk with God, allow small, consistent steps of trust to replace your fear responses. It’s not about perfect faith—it’s about persistent connection.

5. You Are Not Forgotten—You Are Blessed

“May the Lord cause you to flourish, both you and your children.”
— Psalm 115:14

God isn’t interested in superficial spirituality. He desires flourishing—emotional, relational, and spiritual growth. Even when we feel stuck, barren, or broken, God promises to cause us to flourish.

That word, “flourish,” in Hebrew implies more than surface success. It suggests deep-rooted growth, like a tree by living waters. It means recovery is possible. Joy is possible. Peace is possible.

Even now. Even here.

Mental Wellness Insight: Your current season of struggle does not define your future. God’s promise to flourish you is active, even if you can’t feel it yet. Stay connected to life-giving sources—therapy, community, worship, and His Word.

Final Thought: Living with Voice and Vision

The psalm ends not in fear, but in praise:

“It is we who extol the Lord, both now and forevermore. Praise the Lord.”
— Psalm 115:18

Those who once trusted in silent idols now speak aloud. They praise. They bless. They remember.

That’s the trajectory of healing—moving from silence to sound, numbness to praise.
You were made to feel. To speak. To be whole.

So if your mind is weary or your faith is fragile today, take heart:

  • You’re not alone.

  • You’re not broken beyond repair.

  • You’re not forgotten.

The God who speaks still calls to you—through Scripture, through your breath, through His Spirit. And He’s calling you back to life. 

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