Psalms 115 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Psalm 115

To Your Name Give Glory

115:1   Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory,
    for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2   Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”
3   Our God is in the heavens;
    he does all that he pleases.
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 they do not make a sound in their throat.
8   Those who make them become like them;
    so do all who trust in them.
9   O Israel,¹ trust in the LORD!
    He is their help and their shield.
10   O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD!
    He is their help and their shield.
11   You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD!
    He is their help and their shield.
12   The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us;
    he will bless the house of Israel;
    he will bless the house of Aaron;
13   he will bless those who fear the LORD,
    both the small and the great.
14   May the LORD give you increase,
    you and your children!
15   May you be blessed by the LORD,
    who made heaven and earth!
16   The heavens are the LORD’s heavens,
    but the earth he has given to the children of man.
17   The dead do not praise the LORD,
    nor do any who go down into silence.
18   But we will bless the LORD
    from this time forth and forevermore.
  Praise the LORD!

Footnotes

[1] 115:9 Masoretic Text; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac O house of Israel

Commentary

God is greater than any idol; a real distinction to be made between true and false.

v1-3: The Lord is worthy of all glory; we pray that He may demonstrate His power and vindicate His name, for His own glory first and foremost. Human ignorance of God may be widespread, but God is not dependent upon man.

v3: God is not answerable to anyone.

v4-7: Contrast of God with idols, the work of men's hands. God is alive, active, listening, speaking, working; an idol can do none of these things.

v8: Idolatry degrades man; it makes man concerned with the physical rather than the spiritual, it promotes ignorance and depravity, Acts 17.24-25. True religion exalts man, giving him dignity, and blessing and power from God.

v9-11: The repeated command to trust in the Lord God.

v12-13: The repeated promise of blessing from the Lord. His blessing is upon His people (Ps 3.8).

v14-15: Fruitfulness in our lives; this is God's blessing for us.

v16-18: God is exalted through our praise.