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To Your Name Be the Glory
Psalm 115 is a song that turns attention away from human credit and towards Yahweh’s name. It answers the nations’ question about God, describes idols made by human hands, and calls people to trust and bless Yahweh.
Understanding the passage
Read these words in context
Within this psalm, the singers begin by giving glory to Yahweh’s name for his loving kindness and truth. They answer the nations’ question by saying Yahweh is in the heavens. The song then describes idols, calls three groups to trust Yahweh, and ends with blessing and praise.
Psalms 115:1–18Main takeaway
Psalm 115 gives glory to Yahweh’s name, describes idols as human-made objects that cannot use their body parts, and calls Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear Yahweh to trust and bless Yahweh.
Explore the poem and its images
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Glory belongs to Yahweh’s nameThe psalm opens by saying, “Not to us”, twice, so the focus is clearly not on human honour.
Explanation
The psalm opens by saying, “Not to us”, twice, so the focus is clearly not on human honour. Glory is to be given to Yahweh’s name because of his loving kindness and truth. When the nations ask, “Where is their God, now?”, the psalm answers that God is in the heavens and does whatever he pleases.
02Idols are made by human handsThe song describes idols as silver and gold, made by people. Then it lists the parts idols appear to have: mouths, eyes, ears, noses, hands and feet.
Explanation
The song describes idols as silver and gold, made by people. Then it lists the parts idols appear to have: mouths, eyes, ears, noses, hands and feet. Yet each part is useless in the description. They do not speak, see, hear, smell, feel, walk, or speak through their throat. The psalm presents a sharp contrast between Yahweh and these crafted objects.
03Those who trust idols and those who trust YahwehAfter describing idols, the psalm gives a warning: those who make them, and everyone who trusts in them, will be like them.
Explanation
After describing idols, the psalm gives a warning: those who make them, and everyone who trusts in them, will be like them. Then the song turns to three groups, Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear Yahweh. Each group receives the same command to trust Yahweh and the same reason: “He is their help and their shield.”
04Remembered, blessed and praising YahThe final verses say Yahweh remembers and will bless his people, including the house of Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear him, both small and great.
Explanation
The final verses say Yahweh remembers and will bless his people, including the house of Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear him, both small and great. The people are called “Blessed ... by Yahweh, who made heaven and earth.” The psalm ends by saying the dead do not praise Yah, but “we will bless Yah” from now on and forever.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What reasons does Psalm 115 give for saying, “Not to us ... but to your name give glory”?
The opening verse names two reasons connected to Yahweh’s character: his loving kindness and his truth.
02How does the psalm describe idols in a way that shows what they are like?
Follow the repeated pattern about their mouths, eyes, ears, noses, hands and feet, and notice what each one cannot do.
03Which groups are called to trust Yahweh, and what exact words are repeated for each group?
Look for the three direct addresses and the repeated line after each one.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Psalms 115:1–18
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!