HERE’S A TRIVIA question for you: what motto appears on all United States currency, both bills and coins? I don’t mean the phrase “United States of America.” And no, it’s not E pluribus unum, the Latin phrase meaning, “Out of many, one.” That motto — which contains thirteen letters — was a nod to the one nation that arose from the union of the original thirteen colonies, and did appear on most American currency for a time. But in 1955, Congress passed a resolution that all U.S. currency would henceforth carry the phrase, “In God We Trust.” The following year, Congress also declared that “In God We Trust” would be the official national motto.

What does that mean today in our pluralistic, religiously diverse society? Over the years, different groups have brought lawsuits claiming that the motto violates the Constitutionally-based principle of the separation of church and state. But so far, such lawsuits have been unsuccessful, and the reasons are telling. “In God We Trust,” it’s argued, is neither the state’s favoring or establishment of a particular religion nor a declaration of faith in a specific god. In legalese, it’s an instance of “ceremonial deism.” In other words, Relax, everybody. It’s not a theological commitment. It’s tradition and ritual, nothing more.

That may be an argument a lawyer would love, but I think it would make the psalmists turn in their graves.

AS WE’VE SEEN, Psalm 115 responds forcefully to the question asked by the nations that surround God’s people: “Where is their God?” Not only is our God in heaven, the psalmist answers, but he is sovereign, especially as compared with the idols you worship. Our God can do as he pleases, but your gods can do nothing. It’s useless to put your trust in them.

By contrast, then, the psalmist insists that God’s people can and should put their trust in God:

All you Israelites, trust in the LORD—
    he is their help and shield.
House of Aaron, trust in the LORD—
    he is their help and shield.
You who fear him, trust in the LORD—
    he is their help and shield. (Ps 115:9-11, NIV)

The Hebrew word translated here as “trust” suggests going to a secure place of refuge. Instead of relying on one’s own strength — or the false and impotent gods of other nations! — God’s people are to trust in him as their “help and shield,” their provider and protector.

It’s said three times, addressed to three overlapping groups. I imagine this being done as a liturgical call and response, with each exchange deepening the solemnity of the words. “All you Israelites, trust in the LORD,” cries the worship leader to the entire congregation. “He is their help and shield,” the people answer. “House of Aaron, trust in the LORD,” the leader calls out, turning to those with priestly duties. “He is their help and shield,” they respond. Turning again to the congregation as a whole, the worship leader intones, “You who fear him, trust in the LORD,” and again the people reply, “He is their help and shield.”

Against the background of the scorn of the nations, therefore, God’s people are reminded to trust the one God who alone is trustworthy. The call goes first to the entire assembly, then specifically to the priests — for if those who represent God to the people and the people to God don’t put their trust in him, how can the people be expected to remain faithful? The third call then reminds the congregation that a proper fear of and trust in the LORD go hand in hand, for as the opening verse declares, the God of glory is also the God of covenant love and faithfulness.

The liturgy continues as the same three groups are encouraged to wait for God’s blessing:

The LORD remembers us and will bless us:
    He will bless his people Israel,
    he will bless the house of Aaron,
he will bless those who fear the LORD—
    small and great alike. (vss. 12-13)

To say that the LORD “remembers” us, is not to say that God temporarily forgot his people and then suddenly remembered: Oh, wait, I need to bless them! The people may feel like they’ve been forgotten when they hear what the other nations say about them. But the psalmist’s wording suggests that God is “mindful” of his people, as the New American Standard translates it. God is paying attention, even if the people aren’t aware of it. He can be counted on to bless them. That’s not a promise that God will give the people whatever they want. In context, the psalmist is probably repeating in different words the idea that God can be depended upon as the people’s help and shield.

In addition, the psalmist also reminds the people that God is no respecter of persons; he doesn’t favor people according to their social status. Rather, he blesses all those who fear him, “small and great alike.” Even if the people as a whole feel small in the eyes of their neighbors, that doesn’t erase the social distinctions within the group between higher and lower, insider and outsider, somebody and nobody. What matters to God, however, is the proper reverence that he is due from all of his people, wherever they are on the social ladder. And hopefully, each time the assembly gathers again to hear that God blesses both great and small, the distinctions between the people will evaporate in the warmth of their shared praise and worship.

TO THE PSALMIST, the phrase “In God We Trust” must be more than mere ceremonial deism. The people are surrounded on every side by false worship, and they themselves have a history of falling into idolatry. There is but one God in heaven, the psalmist therefore insists; one God to be feared and trusted, one God whose name is to be glorified. Will all the people trust him, whether they are high or low status, priests or laity? Will they believe in his attentive care and protection? Will they rely on his love and faithfulness?

Will we?