Psalms 115:1-8

Psalm 115 ¹ 

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.

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 Lord to demonstrate his loyal love and faithfulness, not simply so Israel may benefit, but primarily so that the Lord will receive honor among the nations, who will recognize, contrary to their present view (see v. 2), that Israel’s God is committed to his people.

⁴ sn He does whatever he pleases. Such sovereignty is characteristic of kings (see Eccl 8:3).

⁷ tn The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2).

⁸ tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”

¹⁰ 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).

¹³ 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.”