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Psalm 115[a]

The Greatness of the True God

I

Not to us, Lord, not to us
    but to your name give glory
    because of your mercy and faithfulness.(A)
Why should the nations say,
    “Where is their God?”[b](B)

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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 (Ps 115:1–3) ridicules the lifeless idols of the nations (Ps 115:4–8), expresses in a litany the trust of the various classes of the people in God (Ps 115:9–11), invokes God’s blessing on them as they invoke the divine name (Ps 115:12–15), and concludes as it began with praise of God. Ps 135:15–18 similarly mocks the Gentile gods and has a similar litany and hymn (Ps 135:19–21).
  2. 115:2 Where is their God?: implies that God cannot help them.

Our God is in heaven
    and does whatever he wills.(A)

II

Their idols are silver and gold,(B)
    the work of human hands.(C)

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They have mouths but do not speak,
    eyes but do not see.
They have ears but do not hear,
    noses but do not smell.

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Their makers will be like them,
    and anyone who trusts in them.

III

[a]The house of Israel trusts in the Lord,(A)
    who is their help and shield.(B)

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Footnotes

  1. 115:9–11 The house of Israel…the house of Aaron…those who fear the Lord: the laity of Israelite birth, the priests, and the converts to Judaism, cf. Ps 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).