Psalms 115:1-9

1 Lord, may glory be given to you, not to us. You are loving and faithful.

2 Why do the nations ask, "Where is their God?"

3 Our God is in heaven. He does anything he wants to do.

4 But the statues of their gods are made out of silver and gold. They are made by the hands of men.

5 They have mouths, but they can't speak. They have eyes, but they can't see.

6 They have ears, but they can't hear. They have noses, but they can't smell.

7 They have hands, but they can't feel. They have feet, but they can't walk. They have throats, but they can't say anything.

8 Those who make statues of gods will be like them. So will all those who trust in them.

9 People of Israel, trust in the Lord. He helps you. He is like a shield that keeps you safe.

Psalms 115:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 115

This psalm is by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, joined to the former, and makes one psalm with it: and Kimchi says, that in some books the psalm does not begin here; but in the best and correct copies of the Hebrew, and in the Targum, it stands a distinct psalm; and the different subject matter or argument shows it to be so. It is ascribed to various persons; by some to Moses and the Israelites, when pursued by Pharaoh: by others to the three companions of Daniel, cast into the fiery furnace: by others to Mordecai and Esther, when Haman distressed the Jews: by others to the heroes at the times of Antiochus and the Maccabees; so Theodoret: by some to Jehoshaphat, when a numerous army came against him; and by others to David, which is more probable; though on what occasion is not easy to say: some have thought it was written by him, when insulted by the Jebusites, 2Sa 5:6. The occasion of it seems to be some distress the church of God was in from the Heathens; and the design of it is to encourage trust and confidence in the Lord; and to excite the saints to give him the glory of all their mercies, and to expose the vanity of idols.