Study

a Bible passage

Click a verse to see commentary
Select a resource above

Psalm 115

The Impotence of Idols and the Greatness of God

1

Not to us, O L ord, not to us, but to your name give glory,

for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.

2

Why should the nations say,

“Where is their God?”

 

3

Our God is in the heavens;

he does whatever he pleases.

4

Their idols are silver and gold,

the work of human hands.

5

They have mouths, but do not speak;

eyes, but do not see.

6

They have ears, but do not hear;

noses, but do not smell.

7

They have hands, but do not feel;

feet, but do not walk;

they make no sound in their throats.

8

Those who make them are like them;

so are all who trust in them.

 

9

O Israel, trust in the L ord!

He is their help and their shield.

10

O house of Aaron, trust in the L ord!

He is their help and their shield.

11

You who fear the L ord, trust in the L ord!

He is their help and their shield.

 

12

The L ord has been mindful of us; he will bless us;

he will bless the house of Israel;

he will bless the house of Aaron;

13

he will bless those who fear the L ord,

both small and great.

 

14

May the L ord give you increase,

both you and your children.

15

May you be blessed by the L ord,

who made heaven and earth.

 

16

The heavens are the L ord’s heavens,

but the earth he has given to human beings.

17

The dead do not praise the L ord,

nor do any that go down into silence.

18

But we will bless the L ord

from this time on and forevermore.

Praise the L ord!


16 The heavens, the heavens are Jehovah’s In this passage the prophet extols the bounty of God, and his paternal regard for the human race, in that, though he stood in need of nothing himself, he yet created the world, with all its fullness, for their use. How comes it to pass that the earth is every where covered with such a great variety of good things, meeting our eye in all directions, unless that God, as a provident father of a family, had designed to make provision for our wants? In proportion, therefore, to the comforts which we here enjoy, are the tokens of his fatherly care. This is the prophet’s meaning, which I am astonished is so little attended to by the most of interpreters. The amount is, that God, satisfied with his own glory, has enriched the earth with abundance of good things, that mankind may not lack any thing. At the same time he demonstrates, that, as God has his dwelling-place in the heavens, he must be independent of all worldly riches; for, assuredly, neither wine, nor corn, nor any thing requisite for the support of the present life is produced there. Consequently, God has every resource in himself. To this circumstance the repetition of the, term heavens refers, The heavens, the heavens are enough for God; and as he is superior to all aid, he is to himself instead of a hundred worlds. It remains, therefore, as another consequence from this, that all the riches with which the world abounds proclaim aloud what a beneficent father God is to mankind. It is indeed surprising that there should be no relish for this doctrine, considering that the Holy Spirit spoke of the inestimable goodness of God. Under the papacy, they chanted this psalm in their churches, and they continue the practice still; but is there one among a hundred of them who reflects that God, in bestowing all good things upon us, reserves nothing for himself, except a grateful acknowledgment of them? And not only in this matter does the ingratitude of the world appear, but the wicked wretches have conducted themselves most vilely, in open and infamous blasphemy; perverting this verse, and making a jest of it, saying that God remains unconcerned in heaven, and pays no regard to the affairs of men. The prophet here expressly declares that the world is employed by God, for the sole purpose of testifying his paternal solicitude towards mankind; and yet these swine and dogs have made these words a laughing-stock, as if God, by reason of his vast distance from men, totally disregarded them. And here I am induced to relate a memorable story. While we were supping in a certain inn, and speaking of the hope of the heavenly life, a profane despiser of God happening to be present, treated our discourse with derision, and now and then mockingly exclaimed, “The heaven of heavens is the Lord’s.” Instantly afterwards he was seized with dreadful pain, and began to vociferate, “O God! O God!” and, having a powerful voice, he filled the whole apartment with his cries. Then I, who had felt indignant at his conduct, proceeded, in my own way, to tell him warmly, that now at least he perceived that they who mocked God were not permitted to escape with impunity. One of the guests, an honest and pious man, yet alive, but withal facetious, employed the occasion thus, “Do you invoke God? Have you forgotten your philosophy? Why do you not permit him to remain at ease in his own heaven?” And as often as the one bawled out, “O God!” the other, mocking him, retorted, “Where is now thy Coelum coeli Domino?” At that time his pain indeed was mitigated; nevertheless, the remainder of his life was spent in impunity.


VIEWNAME is study