115 1 A prayer of the faithful oppressed by idolatrous tyrants, against whom they desire that God would succor them, 9 trusting most constantly that God will preserve them in this their need, seeing, that he hath adopted and received them into his favor. 13 Promising finally that they will not be unmindful of so great a benefit if it would please God to hear their prayer, and deliver them by his omnipotent power.
1 Not [a]unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy Name give the glory for thy loving mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.
2 Wherefore shall the heathen say, [b]Where is now their God?
3 But our God is in heaven: he doeth whatsoever he [c]will.
4 Their idols are [d]silver and gold, even the work of men’s hands.
5 They have a mouth, and speak not: they have eyes, and see not.
6 They have ears, and hear not: they have noses and smell not.
7 They have [e]hands, and touch not: they have feet, and walk not: neither make they a sound with their throat.
8 They that make them are [f]like unto them: so are all that trust in them.
9 O Israel, trust thou in the Lord: for he is their help, and their shield.
10 [g]O house of Aaron trust ye in the Lord, for he is their help, and their shield.
11 Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: for he is their helper, and their shield.
12 The Lord hath been mindful of us, he will bless, he [h]will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron.
13 He will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.
14 The Lord will increase his graces toward you, even toward you, and toward your children.
15 Ye are blessed of the Lord, which [i]made the heaven and the earth.
16 The [j]heavens, even the heavens are the Lord’s: but he hath given the earth to the sons of men.
17 The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that [k]go down into the place of silence.
18 But we will praise the Lord from henceforth and forever. Praise ye the Lord.
Footnotes
- Psalm 115:1 Because God promised to deliver them, not for their sakes, but for his Name, Isa. 48:11, therefore they ground their prayer upon this promise.
- Psalm 115:2 When the wicked see that God accomplisheth not his promise as they imagine, they think there is no God.
- Psalm 115:3 No impediments can let his work, but he useth even the impediments to serve his will.
- Psalm 115:4 Seeing that neither the matter nor the form can commend their idols, it followeth that there is nothing why they should be esteemed.
- Psalm 115:7 He showeth what great vanity it is to ask help of them, which not only have no help in them, but lack sense and reason.
- Psalm 115:8 As much without sense, as blocks and stones.
- Psalm 115:10 For they were appointed by God as instructors and teachers of faith and religion for others to follow.
- Psalm 115:12 That is, he will continue his graces toward his people.
- Psalm 115:15 And therefore doth still govern and continue all things therein.
- Psalm 115:16 And they declare enough his sufficiency, so that the world serveth him nothing, but to show his fatherly care toward men.
- Psalm 115:17 Though the dead set forth God’s glory, yet he meaneth here, that they praise him not in his Church and Congregation.