Single lesson
Psalm 115: To Your Name Be the Glory
Psalms 115:1–18
Psalm 115 is a prayer-poem that begins by giving glory to Yahweh alone. It moves from a challenge about God’s honour, to a contrast with idols, and ends with a strong call to trust, blessing and praise.
Before you teach
In these verses, the speakers say that the nations ask, “Where is their God, now?” The psalm answers that God is in the heavens and does whatever he pleases. It then contrasts lifeless idols with Yahweh, calls Israel and others who fear Yahweh to trust him, and ends with blessing and praise.
Students will identify how Psalm 115 moves from giving glory to Yahweh, to rejecting idols, to calling God’s people to trust and bless him.
Welcome: Who gets the glory?
5 minWrite the words “Not to us ... but to your name give glory” where everyone can see them. Invite the children to listen for who is speaking, who is being addressed, and what the first request is. Explain that this psalm begins by turning attention away from people and toward Yahweh’s name, loving kindness and truth.
Psalms 115:1
Read and explain: Where is God and what are idols like?
8 minRead verses 1 to 8 aloud. Point out the question from the nations, then the answer: “Our God is in the heavens” and “He does whatever he pleases.” Next, list the body parts named for idols: mouths, eyes, ears, noses, hands and feet. Explain that these idols are made by human hands and cannot speak, see, hear, smell, feel, walk or speak through their throat.
Psalms 115:1, Psalms 115:2, Psalms 115:3, Psalms 115:4, Psalms 115:5, Psalms 115:6, Psalms 115:7, Psalms 115:8
Discuss: Who is called to trust Yahweh?
6 minRead verses 9 to 13. Ask the group to notice the repeated words “trust in Yahweh” and “help and shield”. Identify the three groups named: Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear Yahweh. Then notice the promise that Yahweh remembers and blesses, including both small and great.
Psalms 115:9, Psalms 115:10, Psalms 115:11, Psalms 115:12, Psalms 115:13
Make and respond: Illustrated prayer card
7 minChildren make a simple card with two halves. On one side, they write a line of praise or trust from the psalm. On the other, they draw one image from the psalm such as a shield, the heavens, or hands that cannot act. Encourage them to choose words that match the psalm’s movement from glory to trust to praise.
Psalms 115:3, Psalms 115:7, Psalms 115:9, Psalms 115:18
Closing: From blessing to praise
4 minRead verses 14 to 18 together. Highlight that Yahweh made heaven and earth, blesses those who fear him, and is praised by “we” from now on and for evermore. Finish by having the group say the last line together, noticing that the psalm ends with active praise rather than silence.
Psalms 115:14, Psalms 115:15, Psalms 115:16, Psalms 115:17, Psalms 115:18
Questions to explore
In verse 1, who is meant to receive glory, and what reasons are given?
Look carefully at the repeated words “not to us” and then find the two reasons named at the end of the verse: God’s loving kindness and truth.
Psalms 115:1
How does the psalm answer the question, “Where is their God, now?”
Use verses 2 and 3 together. The answer does not describe an idol or image. It says where God is and what he does.
Psalms 115:2, Psalms 115:3
Which groups are told to trust Yahweh, and what same description is repeated for him?
Read verses 9 to 11 slowly and list each group. Then listen for the repeated words after each command to trust.
Psalms 115:9, Psalms 115:10, Psalms 115:11
Make, think or respond
Illustrated Prayer or Image Card
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils
- coloured pencils or markers
- Bible text written where children can see it
Try it together
- Fold or divide a sheet into two parts.
- In one part, copy a short line from the psalm such as “to your name give glory”, “trust in Yahweh”, or “we will bless Yah”.
- In the other part, draw one matching image from the psalm, such as the heavens, a shield, or an idol with eyes that do not see.
- Invite each child to show how their chosen words and picture connect.
- Finish by reading verse 18 together.
This activity helps children notice the wording and images of Psalm 115 and how the poem moves from giving glory, to rejecting idols, to trusting and praising Yahweh.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, offer three short phrase choices from the psalm to copy and let them draw one matching picture.
- For older children, ask them to arrange three chosen lines in order to show the psalm’s movement: glory, trust and praise.
An optional closing prayer
Proposed words: “Yahweh, help us give glory to your name, trust you as our help and shield, and bless you with our words. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Psalms 115
1 Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth’s sake.
2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God, now?”
3 But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
5 They have mouths, but they don’t speak. They have eyes, but they don’t see.
6 They have ears, but they don’t hear. They have noses, but they don’t smell.
7 They have hands, but they don’t feel. They have feet, but they don’t walk, neither do they speak through their throat.
8 Those who make them will be like them; yes, everyone who trusts in them.
9 Israel, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield.
10 House of Aaron, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield.
11 You who fear Yahweh, trust in Yahweh! He is their help and their shield.
12 Yahweh remembers 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 Yahweh, both small and great.
14 May Yahweh increase you more and more, you and your children.
15 Blessed are you by Yahweh, who made heaven and earth.
16 The heavens are Yahweh’s heavens, but he has given the earth to the children of men.
17 The dead don’t praise Yah, nor any who go down into silence,
18 but we will bless Yah, from this time forward and forever more. Praise Yah!
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.