Psalms 115:4-14

4 Their idols [are] silver and gold, work of man's hands,

5 A mouth they have, and they speak not, Eyes they have, and they see not,

6 Ears they have, and they hear not, A nose they have, and they smell not,

7 Their hands, but they handle not, Their feet, and they walk not;

8 Nor do they mutter through their throat, Like them are their makers, Every one who is trusting in them.

9 O Israel, trust in Jehovah, `Their help and their shield [is] He.'

10 O house of Aaron, trust in Jehovah, `Their help and their shield [is] He.'

11 Ye fearing Jehovah, trust in Jehovah, `Their help and their shield [is] He.'

12 Jehovah hath remembered us, He blesseth, He blesseth the house of Israel, He blesseth the house of Aaron,

13 He blesseth those fearing Jehovah, The small with the great.

14 Jehovah addeth to you, to you, and to your sons.

Psalms 115:4-14 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.