Psalms
Chapter 115
1
1 Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name give glory because of your faithfulness and love.
2
2 Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?"
3
Our God is in heaven; whatever God wills is done.
4
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
5
They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see.
6
They have ears but do not hear, noses but do not smell.
7
They have hands but do not feel, feet but do not walk, and no sound rises from their throats.
8
Their makers shall be like them, all who trust in them.
9
3 The house of Israel trusts in the LORD, who is their help and shield.
10
The house of Aaron trusts in the LORD, who is their help and shield.
11
Those who fear the LORD trust in the LORD, who is their help and shield.
12
The LORD remembers us and will bless us, will bless the house of Israel, will bless the house of Aaron,
13
Will bless those who fear the LORD, small and great alike.
14
May the LORD increase your number, you and your descendants.
15
May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth.
16
4 The heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth is given to us.
17
5 The dead do not praise the LORD, all those gone down into silence.
18
It is we who bless the LORD, both now and forever. Hallelujah!
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Footnotes

1 [Psalm 115] A response to the enemy taunt, "Where is your God?" This hymn to the glory of Israel's God (Psalm 115:1-3) ridicules the lifeless idols of the nations (Psalm 115:4-8), expresses in a litany the trust of the various classes of the people in God (Psalm 115:9-11), invokes God's blessing on them as they invoke the divine name (Psalm 115:12-15), and concludes as it began with praise of God. Psalm 135:15-18 similarly mocks the Gentile gods and has a similar litany and hymn (Psalm 135:19-21).

2 [2] Where is their God?: implies that God cannot help them.

3 [9-11] The house of Israel . . . the house of Aaron . . . those fear the LORD: the laity of Israelite birth, the priests, and the converts to Judaism. Cf Psalm 118:2-4; 135:19-21. In the New Testament likewise "those who fear the Lord" means converts to Judaism (cf Acts 10:2, 22, 35; 13:16, 26).

4 [16] The heavens: literally "the heaven of heavens" or "the highest heavens," i.e., above the firmament. See note on Psalm 148:4.

5 [17] See note on Psalm 6:5.


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