115:1 Not to us, O Lord, not to us!
But to your name bring honor, 2
for the sake of your loyal love and faithfulness. 3
115:2 Why should the nations say,
“Where is their God?”
115:3 Our God is in heaven!
He does whatever he pleases! 4
115:4 Their 5 idols are made of silver and gold –
they are man-made. 6
115:5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
115:6 ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell,
115:7 hands, but cannot touch,
feet, but cannot walk.
They cannot even clear their throats. 7
115:8 Those who make them will end up 8 like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
115:9 O Israel, trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer 9 and protector. 10
115:10 O family 11 of Aaron, trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer 12 and protector. 13
115:11 You loyal followers of the Lord, 14 trust in the Lord!
He is their deliverer 15 and protector. 16
115:12 The Lord takes notice of us, 17 he will bless 18 –
he will bless the family 19 of Israel,
he will bless the family of Aaron.
1 sn Psalm 115. The psalmist affirms that Israel’s God is superior to pagan idols and urges Israel to place their confidence in him.
2 tn Or “give glory.”
3 sn The psalmist asks the
4 sn He does whatever he pleases. Such sovereignty is characteristic of kings (see Eccl 8:3).
5 tn The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2).
6 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
7 tn Heb “they cannot mutter in their throats.” Verse 5a refers to speaking, v. 7c to inarticulate sounds made in the throat (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:140-41).
8 tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”
9 tn Or “[source of] help.”
10 tn Heb “and their shield.”
11 tn Heb “house.”
12 tn Or “[source of] help.”
13 tn Heb “and their shield.”
14 tn Heb “[you] fearers of the
15 tn Or “[source of] help.”
16 tn Heb “and their shield.”
17 tn Or “remembers us.”
18 tn Another option is to translate the prefixed form of the verb “bless” in vv. 12-13 as a jussive, “may he bless” (see v. 14).
19 tn Heb “house.”