embedded sql and object_statistics

I'm doing an embedded rpgle sql select on qsys2.object_statistics, and my
where clause contains...
where objname in (:l_objects)

l_objects = char(2048) and will contain a comma delimited string of
objects, just as sql "IN" would want to see... ie. 'OBJECT1', 'OBJECT2'

in debug it looks fine... I even tried (trim(:l_objects))

However when I run it, I get sqlcode 100.

But if I convert the thing to dynamic sql, i can get it to work. (but I
really don't want to have to do that)...

any suggestions to make it work without dynamic?

tia
Jay