Psalm 115

Glory to God Alone

Not to us, Yahweh, not to us,
but to Your name give glory
because of Your faithful love, because of Your truth.(A)
Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”(B)
Our God is in heaven
and does whatever He pleases.(C)

Their idols are silver and gold,
made by human hands.(D)
They have mouths but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.(E)
They have hands but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk.(F)
They cannot make a sound with their throats.(G)
Those who make them are[a] just like them,
as are all who trust in them.(H)

Israel,[b] trust in the Lord!(I)
He is their help and shield.(J)
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord!(K)
He is their help and shield.(L)
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!(M)
He is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers us and will bless us.
He will bless the house of Israel;
He will bless the house of Aaron;(N)
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord
small and great alike.(O)

14 May the Lord add to your numbers,
both yours and your children’s.(P)
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.(Q)
16 The heavens are the Lord’s,[c]
but the earth He has given to the human race.(R)
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
nor any of those descending into the silence of death.(S)
18 But we will praise the Lord,
both now and forever.(T)
Hallelujah!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 115:8 Or May those who make them become
  2. Psalm 115:9 Some Hb mss, LXX, Syr read House of Israel
  3. Psalm 115:16 Lit Lord’s heavens

The Impotence of Idols

115 Not to us, Lord, not to us,
    but to your name be given glory
    on account of your gracious love and faithfulness.
Why should the nations ask
    “Where now is their God?”
when our God is in the heavens
    and he does whatever he desires?

Their idols are silver and gold,
    crafted by human hands.
They have mouths, but cannot speak;
    they have eyes, but cannot see.
They have ears, but cannot hear;
    they have noses, but cannot smell.
They have hands, but cannot touch;
    feet, but cannot walk;
        they cannot even groan with their throats.
Those who craft them will become like them,
    as will all those who trust in them.

Israel, trust in the Lord!
    He is their helper and shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
    He is their helper and shield.
11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord!
    He is their helper and shield.

12 The Lord remembers and blesses us.
    He will indeed bless the house of Israel;
        he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless those who fear the Lord,
    both the important and the insignificant together.

14 May the Lord add to your numbers—
    to you and to your descendants.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
    who made the heavens and the earth.
16 The highest heavens[a] belong to the Lord,
    but he gave the earth to human beings.
17 Neither can the dead praise the Lord,
    nor those who go down into the silence of death.[b]
18 But we will bless the Lord
    from now to eternity.

Hallelujah!

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 115:16 Lit. heaven of heaven
  2. Psalm 115:17 The Heb. lacks of death