EGW → Biblical Foundation
Select an Ellen White book from the sidebar to see each passage mapped to the Bible verses it amplifies, cites, or echoes.
Scripture Index
Ellen White & Bible Cross-Reference
Psalms 115:1
"Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake."
“Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory, for Thy mercy, and for Thy truth's sake.” Psalm 115:1 . Such was the spirit that pervaded Israel's song of deliverance, and it is the spirit that should dwell in the hearts of all who love and fear God. In freeing our souls from the bondage of sin, God has wrought for us a deliverance greater than that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Like the Hebrew host, we should praise the Lord with heart and soul and voice for His “wonderful works to the children of men.” Those who dwell upon God's great mercies, and are not unmindful of His lesser gifts, will put on the girdle of gladness and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. The daily blessings that we receive from the hand of God, and above all else the death of Jesus to bring happiness and heaven within our reach, should be a theme for constant gratitude. What compassion, what matchless love, has God shown to us, lost sinners, in connecting us with Himself, to be to Him a pe…
EGW directly quotes Psalm 115:1 and uses it as a basis for her discussion on giving glory to God.
Psalms 115:3
"But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased."
"“Which art in heaven.” He to whom Christ bids us look as “our Father” “is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.” In His care we may safely rest, saying, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” Psalm 115:3 ; 56:3 . MB 106.1"
Ellen White directly references Psalms 115:3 in this passage.
Psalms 115:8
"They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them."
Men put God out of their knowledge and worshiped the creatures of their own imagination; and as the result, they became more and more debased. The psalmist describes the effect produced upon the worshiper by the adoration of idols. He says, “They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.” Psalm 115:8 . It is a law of the human mind that by beholding we become changed. Man will rise no higher than his conceptions of truth, purity, and holiness. If the mind is never exalted above the level of humanity, if it is not uplifted by faith to contemplate infinite wisdom and love, the man will be constantly sinking lower and lower. The worshipers of false gods clothed their deities with human attributes and passions, and thus their standard of character was degraded to the likeness of sinful humanity. They were defiled in consequence. “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil c…
EGW directly quotes Psalm 115:8.
Psalms 115:17
"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence."
"Deceived mortals are worshiping evil angels, believing them to be the spirits of their dead friends. The word of God expressly declares that the dead have no more a portion in anything done under the sun. Spiritualists say that the dead know everything that is done under the sun, that they communicate to their friends on earth, give valuable information, and perform wonders. Psalm 115:17 : “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.” Satan, transformed into an angel of light, works with all deceivableness of unrighteousness. He who could take up the Son of God, who was made a little lower than the angels, and place Him upon a pinnacle of the temple, and take Him up into an exceeding high mountain to present before Him the kingdoms of the world, can exercise his power upon the human family, who are far inferior in strength and wisdom to the Son of God, even after He had taken upon Himself man's nature. 1T 298.2"
Ellen White directly references Psalms 115:17 in this passage.
"She answered: “The Bible gives us no proof that there is an eternally burning hell. If there is such a place, it should be mentioned in the Sacred Book.” 1T 39.4"
Both passages touch on the state of the dead. EGW argues against an eternally burning hell by stating the Bible doesn't mention it. Psalm 115:17 states the dead do not praise the Lord, which is used to support the idea that the dead are not conscious and therefore not in a state of eternal torment. The connection is thematic, as it relates to the condition of the dead.
Psalms 115:17-18
"The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence. But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord."
"“The living, the living, he shall praise Thee, As I do this day: The father to the children shall make known Thy truth. PK 344.1"
The passage echoes the sentiment of praising God while alive, contrasting it with the silence of death. While Psalms 115:17-18 is not a perfect match, it captures the essence of the contrast between the living and the dead in relation to praising God.