Psalms 115:1-7

1 Not to us, LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.

2 Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?”

3 Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.

4 But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.

5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, 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.

Psalms 115:1-7 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.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 29:2; Psalms 66:2; Psalms 96:8; Isaiah 48:11; Ezekiel 36:32
• 2. S Exodus 34:6
• 3. S Psalms 42:3; Psalms 79:10
• 4. Ezra 5:11; Nehemiah 1:4; Psalms 103:19; Psalms 136:26; Matthew 6:9
• 5. Psalms 135:6; Daniel 4:35
• 6. Revelation 9:20
• 7. Deuteronomy 4:28; S 2 Kings 19:18; S 2 Chronicles 32:19; Jeremiah 10:3-5; Acts 19:26
• 8. Jeremiah 10:5