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Scripture Mapping

Psalms 115

World English Bible

WEB

1Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake. 2Why should the nations say, “Where is their God, now?” 3But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases. 4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands. 5They have mouths, but they don’t speak. They have eyes, but they don’t see. 6They have ears, but they don’t hear. They have noses, but they don’t smell. 7They have hands, but they don’t feel. They have feet, but they don’t walk, neither do they speak through their throat. 8Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them. 9Israel, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield. 10House of Aaron, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield. 11You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield. 12Yahweh remembers us. He will bless us. He will bless the house of Israel. He will bless the house of Aaron. 13He will bless those who fear Yahweh, both small and great. 14May Yahweh increase you more and more, you and your children. 15Blessed are you by Yahweh, who made heaven and earth. 16The heavens are Yahweh’s heavens, but he has given the earth to the children of men. 17The dead don’t praise Yah, nor any who go down into silence, 18but we will bless Yah, from this time forward and forever more. Praise Yah!

World English Bible, 2020 stable text edition. Public domain; “World English Bible” is a trademark of eBible.org. eBible.org

Overview

Psalms 115 is a powerful declaration of faith and a contrast between the living God and the idols of the nations. The psalm begins with a plea for God's glory, emphasizing that it is not for our sake but for His name that we seek His help and deliverance. The psalmist acknowledges that the true God is in the heavens and does whatever He pleases, while the idols made by human hands are powerless and lifeless, unable to speak, see, or hear (#idols). This stark contrast serves to remind the faithful of the futility of trusting in anything other than the one true God (#Yahweh).

The psalm continues by encouraging the people of Israel to trust in the Lord, who is their help and shield. It reassures them that those who trust in the Lord will be blessed, and it calls upon the house of Aaron and all who fear the Lord to place their confidence in Him. The psalmist emphasizes that God will remember His people and bless them abundantly, both in their personal lives and in their offspring. The chapter concludes with a declaration of praise, affirming that the dead cannot praise the Lord, but those who are alive and trust in Him will continue to bless His name from this time forth and forevermore. This psalm serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness and the blessings that come from trusting in God alone.

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Referenced by

  1. Job 42:2v3Job 42:2 acknowledges God's omnipotence and that no purpose of His can be thwarted, which is echoed in Psalm 115:3, affirming that God does whatever pleases Him.
  2. Jeremiah 10:5v4Jeremiah 10:5 describes idols as powerless and lifeless, paralleling Psalm 115:4-8, which mocks the impotence of idols made by human hands and contrasts them with the living God.

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