Psalm 115:1-9

1 Nicht uns, HERR, nicht uns, sondern deinem Namen gib Ehre um deine Gnade und Wahrheit!

2 Warum sollen die Heiden sagen: Wo ist nun ihr Gott?

3 Aber unser Gott ist im Himmel; er kann schaffen, was er will.

4 Jener Götzen aber sind Silber und Gold, von Menschenhänden gemacht.

5 Sie haben Mäuler, und reden nicht; sie haben Augen, und sehen nicht;

6 sie haben Ohren, und hören nicht; sie heben Nasen, und riechen nicht;

7 sie haben Hände, und greifen nicht; Füße haben sie, und gehen nicht; sie reden nicht durch ihren Hals.

8 Die solche machen, sind ihnen gleich, und alle, die auf sie hoffen.

9 Aber Israel hoffe auf den HERRN! Der ist ihre Hilfe und Schild.

Psalm 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.