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Dead Idols and the Living God

115 Not to us, O Yahweh, not to us,
but to your name give glory,
because of your loyal love,
because of your faithfulness.
Why should the nations say,
“Where, pray tell,[a] is their God?”
But our God is in the heavens;
all that he desires, he does.
Their idols are silver and gold,
the work of 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 their hands, but they cannot feel,
their feet, but they cannot walk;
they cannot utter a sound in their throats.
Those who make them become like them,
as does everyone who trusts in them.
O Israel, trust Yahweh;
he is their help and their shield.
10 O house of Aaron, trust in Yahweh;
he is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh;
he is their help and their shield.
12 Yahweh remembers 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 Yahweh,
the small with the great.
14 May Yahweh give you increase,
you and your children.
15 May you be blessed by Yahweh,
who made heaven and earth.
16 The heavens are Yahweh’s heavens,
but the earth he has given to the children of humankind.
17 The dead do not praise Yah,[b]
nor any descending into silence.
18 It is we, we will bless Yah[c]
from now until forever.
Praise Yah![d]

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 115:2 Literally “please”
  2. Psalm 115:17 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  3. Psalm 115:18 A shortened form of “Yahweh”
  4. Psalm 115:18 Hebrew hallelujah

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