Psalms 115:4-14

4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

5 They have mouths, but they shall never speak; they have eyes, but they shall never see:

6 They have ears, but they shall never hear; they have noses, but they shall never smell;

7 they have hands, but they shall never touch; they have feet, but they shall never walk; they shall never speak through their throat.

8 Let those that make them become like unto them, and every one that trusts in them.

9 O Israel, trust thou in the LORD; he is your help and your shield.

10 O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; he is your help and your shield.

11 Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; he is your help and your shield.

12 The LORD has been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will greatly bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.

13 He will bless those that fear the LORD, both small and great.

14 The LORD shall increase his blessing upon you more and more, upon you and 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.