Psalm 115
1Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake. 2Why should the nations say, “Where is their God, now?” 3But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases. 4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 5They have mouths, but they don’t speak. They have eyes, but they don’t see. 6They have ears, but they don’t hear. They have noses, but they don’t smell. 7They have hands, but they don’t feel. They have feet, but they don’t walk, neither do they speak through their throat. 8Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them. 9Israel, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield. 10House of Aaron, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield. 11You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield. 12Yahweh remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron. 13He will bless those who fear Yahweh, both small and great. 14May Yahweh increase you more and more, you and your children. 15Blessed are you by Yahweh, who made heaven and earth. 16The heavens are Yahweh’s heavens, but he has given the earth to the children of men. 17The dead don’t praise Yah, nor any who go down into silence, 18but we will bless Yah, from this time forward and forever more. Praise Yah!
Introduction
Psalms 115
Many ancient translations join this psalm to that which goes next before it, the Septuagint particularly, and the vulgar Latin; but it is, in the Hebrew, a distinct psalm. In it we are taught to give glory, I. To God, and not to ourselves (Psa 115:1). II. To God, and not to idols (Psa 115:2-8). We must give glory to God, 1. By trusting in him, and in his promise and blessing (Psa 115:9-15). 2. By blessing him (Psa 115:16-18). Some think this psalm was penned upon occasion of some great distress and trouble that the church of God was in, when the enemies were in insolent and threatening, in which case the church does not so much pour out her complaint to God as place her confidence in God, and triumph in doing so; and with such a holy triumph we ought to sing this psalm.
Cross-references: Ps 115:1 · Ps 115:2 · Ps 115:9 · Ps 115:16