The Book of Psalms

Psalm 115

Psalm CXV · Vol. II, p. 1061

1 Because God is truly glorious, 4 and idols are vanity, 9 the psalmist exhorteth to confidence in God. 12 God is to be praised for his blessings.

Margin referencesNotes ↓

1 Not unto^a us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name¹ give glory, for thy mercy,² and for thy truth's sake.

a Is.48.11. Eze.36.32. 1 Co.15.10. Mi.7.20. Ep.2.1-7. Tit.3.3-7.

1 See note on Ex. 34.6.—C.

2 For thy mercy—and not for our merit. And for thy truth—that has fulfilled all thy gracious promises.—C.

2 Wherefore should the heathen say, ^bWhere is now their God?

b Ps.42.3,10;79.10. Joel 2.17. Mi.7.9,10.

3 But^c our God is in the heavens; he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.³

c Ps.135.6. Is.46.10. 1 Ch.16.26. Da.4.35. Mat.6.9,14. Ep.1.11. Re.4.11.

3 Not in the heavens, as exclusive of the earth; but in the heavens, in opposition to idols, which are exclusively confined to their sinful temples.—C.

4 Their^d idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.

d Ps.135.15-18. De.4.28. Re.9.20. Is.46.6,7; 44.9-20;40.19,20. Je.10.3-9. Hab.2.18,19. Ho.8.6.

5 They^e have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;

e Hab.2.18. Je.10.5. 1 Ki.18.26,29. Da.5.23. De.4.28.

6 They have ears, but they hear not; noses have they, but they smell not;

7 They have hands, but they handle not; feet have they, but they walk not; neither speak they through their throat.

8 They^g that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

g Is.44.10,11,18-20. Hab.2.18,19. Ps.97.7.

9 O^h Israel, trust thou in the LORD: ⁱhe is their help and their shield.

h Ps.118.2-4;135.19,20. Ex.19.5,6. Je.10.16. De.4.1;26.17.

i De.33.27,29. Ps.33.20; 91.2,4; 5.12; 18.35. Pr.30.5. ver.10,11.

10 O^j house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

j Mal.2.7. Ex.xxviii. xxix. Le.viii. Ps.84.11. Pr.30.5.

11 Ye^k that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

k Ac.2.5; 10.35. Ep.6.16. Is.59.21.

12 The^l LORD hath been mindful of us: ⁿhe will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.

l Ps.25.7;136.23. Ne.13.14,22,30. Is.44.21; 49.14-16.

n Ps.72.17;67.7. Ep.1.3. Phi.4.19. 1 Ti.4.8.

13 He^o will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and⁴ great.

o Ps.29.11.

4 Heb. with, Ga.3.28. Col.3.11. Re.11.18.

14 The^p LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.⁵

p Ge.13.16;15.5;22.17. Is.49.16-23. Zec.8.20-23;10.6,8. 2 Pe.1.2,3. Jude 2.

5 This was counted one of the greatest blessings, whether applied to the nation or to separate families. 'Be fruitful and multiply' was the first blessing pronounced on man. A posterity like the sand of the sea for multitude was part of Abraham's great blessing. The nation had, at the time of the composition of this psalm, been greatly diminished by the captivity and its attendant evils, and now the Abrahamic blessing was renewed that the people might be cheered.—P.

15 Ye^q are blessed of the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

q Ps.3.8. Ep.1.3,4. Ge.14.19;27.33.

16 The^r heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but ^sthe earth hath he given to the children of men.

r Is.57.15;66.1. Mat.13.43. Jn.14.2.

s De.32.8. Ac.17.26.

17 The^t dead praise not⁶ the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

t Ps.6.5;88.10-12;30.9;94.17. Is.38.18,19. Ec.9.4-6.

6 The dead praise not. That is, with their voice and testimony, as the living do.—C.

18 But^u we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

u Da.2.20. Ps.145.2,10;72.17.

Notes

Ver. 8. As really destitute of the use of eyes, &c., as the idols are of the possession of these organs. No man can have the use of his eyes who looks up to the heavens and attributes their formation to unintelligible and unintelligent chance, or a carved block of marble or wood. Indeed, did idolatry live merely in history, and were it not still an extensive and powerful system, it would be scarcely possible to conceive it ever had existed as described. But it lives, while Satan, its inventor, rules; and will not fall till his kingdom is overturned. C.

Reflections.—Let us be always nothing in our own eyes, and let Christ be all and in all. To his grace every good thing in us, or done by us, must be ascribed. But disgracing to human nature, as well as dishonouring to God, is the worshipping of idols. And how absurd it is for idolaters to upbraid the saints with their all-present, all-creating, and all-governing Jehovah. Great is their encouragement to trust in a God, who is so much, and gives so much to his people; nay, gives so much to men! They can never fail whose faith stands firm. And greatly then should we exert ourselves in praising and serving God here, as in death we shall have no such opportunities for it.