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Psalm 115
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 115
New Catholic Bible
Psalm 115[a]
Hymn to the Lord, the One God
1 [b]Not to us,[c] O Lord, not to us,
but to your name give glory
because of your kindness and faithfulness.
2 Why should the nations ask,
“Where is their God?”[d]
3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever he pleases.[e]
4 Their idols are merely silver and gold,
the work of human hands.[f]
5 They have mouths but they cannot speak;
they have eyes but they cannot see.
6 They have ears but they cannot hear;
they have noses but they cannot smell.
7 They have hands but they cannot feel;
they have feet but they cannot walk;
their throats can emit no sound.
8 Those who make them end up like them,
as do all who place their trust in them.
9 [g]The house of Israel trusts in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
10 The house of Aaron trusts in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
11 Those who fear the Lord trust in the Lord;
he is their help and their shield.
12 [h]The Lord will be mindful of us and 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,
the small no less than the great.[i]
14 [j]May the Lord cause you to increase,
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
16 [k]The heavens belong to the Lord,
but he has given the earth to humanity.
17 It is not the dead who praise the Lord,
those who sink into silence.[l]
18 It is we who bless the Lord
from this time forward and forevermore.[m]
Alleluia.
Footnotes
- Psalm 115:1 This psalm was probably used in the course of a celebration of the covenant, with choir and soloists in turn voicing their confidence in the Lord. Ridiculing the jerry-built gods venerated by the pagans, the community professes its attachment to the one true God, from whom it hopes to receive prosperity. The formulas are brief and striking, with a captivating rhythm; the satire against idols has the flavor of a popular caricature. This simple prayer is at the service of a deep and demanding religious thought and turns into praise. After the Exile, such a clear credo was needed for the community of Jerusalem and for the communities of the dispersion who all coexisted with pagan civilizations that welcomed countless gods. Today, it is still necessary for us to depart from idols fashioned according to our tastes and desires and to turn to the one true God.
We can pray this psalm for the Church, the new Israel, who often experiences profound misfortunes and oppressions that seem to proclaim her inferiority and impotence before earthly powers and their satanic idol. We can beg Christ the Lord to intervene to restore the renown of the Church and especially his own in the world. - Psalm 115:1 A song in praise of the living God who is faithful to his people and in derision of the pagan idols who are lifeless.
- Psalm 115:1 Not to us: God alone is responsible for Israel’s covenant blessings. Name: see note on Ps 5:12. Kindness: see note on Ps 6:5.
- Psalm 115:2 Where is their God?: implying that God does not help his people (see Pss 42:4, 11; 79:10; Joel 2:17; Mic 7:10).
- Psalm 115:3 The community expresses the belief that God is supreme and present; everything that happens to Israel, good or bad, is his doing.
- Psalm 115:4 The theme of this verse is one that is often found in the Old Testament: idols, unlike the God of Israel, do not speak, reveal, promise, or utter any spoken word; ultimately, divine revelation is the difference between the religions made by humans and the true religion of the Lord (see Ps 135:15-18; Deut 4:16; Isa 44:9ff; Jer 10:1ff; Bar 6:7ff).
- Psalm 115:9 In a litany, the various classes of people express their confidence in the Lord. The threefold division (house of Israel, house of Aaron, those who fear the Lord) occurs elsewhere (see Pss 118:2-4; 135:19f, refers to Aaron and Levi). It is unclear whether the phrase “those who fear the Lord” is a synonym for “house of Israel” (see Pss 34:8, 10; 85:10) or all of Israel (laity as well as priests) or whether it identifies a separate class from the house of Israel, namely the “God-fearers” known as the proselytes in the Old Testament (see 1 Ki 8:41; Isa 56:6) and in the New (see Acts 13:16, 26; 16:14).
- Psalm 115:12 Utilizing the same group of worshipers as in verses 9-11, the thought moves forward from God’s power to save to his power to enrich. The Lord does not discriminate among his people—all will be the recipients of his blessing. Although they may be put to the test by afflictions of various kinds, the Lord remembers those with whom he has made a covenant (see Pss 98:3; 136:23; Isa 49:14f) and delivers them, bringing to fulfillment the promises he has made.
- Psalm 115:13 The small no less than the great: the outcasts and the powerful. All will be treated alike by the Lord (see Jer 6:13; 16:6; 31:34; Rev 19:5).
- Psalm 115:14 Through these words of blessing, the Lord renews his promise that Abraham’s descendants will increase without end (see Ps 127:3-5; Deut 1:11; Isa 54:1-3; Zec 10:8-10).
- Psalm 115:16 The psalmist concludes with a short hymn of praise. In so doing, he reminds his people that they have been given the earth to enjoy and care for, while praising the Lord.
- Psalm 115:17 The psalmist stresses that the dead cannot praise the Lord; for, according to the idea of the ancients, in the netherworld the souls of the dead had a kind of shadowy existence with no activity or lofty emotion and could not offer praise to God. Silence: a euphemism for the grave (see Ps 94:17; see also notes on Pss 6:6 and 30:2).
- Psalm 115:18 Forevermore: some view this as saying that those who serve the living God will themselves live on, unlike the worshipers of lifeless idols (v. 8). This would then add its witness to an afterlife to such passages as Pss 11:7; 16:8-11; 17:15; 23:6; 49:16; 73:23ff; 139:18. Alleluia: i.e., “Hallelujah” or “Bless [or praise] the Lord”; the Septuagint and Vulgate add this line as the opening of Ps 116.
Psalm 115
King James Version
Psalm 115
King James Version
115 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
2 Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
3 But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
9 O Israel, trust thou 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 Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
12 The Lord hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
14 The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
15 Ye are blessed of the Lord which made heaven and earth.
16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
17 The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.
18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the Lord.
Psalm 115
New International Version
Psalm 115
New International Version
Psalm 115(A)
1 Not to us, Lord, not to us
but to your name be the glory,(B)
because of your love and faithfulness.(C)
2 Why do the nations say,
“Where is their God?”(D)
3 Our God is in heaven;(E)
he does whatever pleases him.(F)
4 But their idols are silver and gold,(G)
made by human hands.(H)
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,(I)
eyes, but cannot see.
6 They have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell.
7 They have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but cannot walk,
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them.
9 All you Israelites, trust(J) in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
10 House of Aaron,(K) trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
11 You who fear him,(L) trust in the Lord—
he is their help and shield.
12 The Lord remembers(M) us and will bless us:(N)
He will bless his people Israel,
he will bless the house of Aaron,
13 he will bless those who fear(O) the Lord—
small and great alike.
14 May the Lord cause you to flourish,(P)
both you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by the Lord,
the Maker of heaven(Q) and earth.
Footnotes
- Psalm 115:18 Hebrew Hallelu Yah
Psalm 115
English Standard Version
Psalm 115
English Standard Version
To Your Name Give Glory
115 (A)Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
(B)for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
2 Why should the nations say,
(C)“Where is their God?”
3 (D)Our God is in the heavens;
(E)he does all that he pleases.
4 (F)Their idols are silver and gold,
(G)the work of human hands.
5 They have mouths, (H)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 (I)Those who make them become like them;
so do all who trust in them.
9 O (J)Israel,[a] (K)trust in the Lord!
He is their (L)help and their shield.
10 O (M)house of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their help and (N)their shield.
11 You (O)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 (P)the house of Israel;
he will bless (Q)the house of Aaron;
13 he will (R)bless those who fear the Lord,
(S)both the small and the great.
14 May the Lord (T)give you increase,
you and your children!
15 May (U)you be blessed by the Lord,
(V)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 (W)The dead do not praise the Lord,
nor do any who go down into (X)silence.
18 But (Y)we will bless the Lord
from this time forth and forevermore.
(Z)Praise the Lord!
Footnotes
- Psalm 115:9 Masoretic Text; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint, Syriac O house of Israel
New International Version (NIV) 
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English Standard Version (ESV) 
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