Psa 115:1-3 | Clarke | STEP | God alone is to be glorified, . The vanity of idols, . Israel, the house of Aaron, and all that fear God, are exhorted to trust it the Lord, . The Lord's goodness to his people, and his gracious promises, . As the dead cannot praise him, the living should, , . This Psalm is written as a part of the preceding by eighteen of Kennicott's and fifty-three of De Rossi's MSS.; by some ancient editions the Septuagint, the Syriac, the Vulgate, the Ethiopic, the Arabic, and the Anglo-Saxon. The old Anglo-Scottish Psalter reads it consecutively with the foregoing. Who the author of both was, we know not, nor on what occasion it was written. It seems to be an epinikion or triumphal song, in which the victory gained is entirely ascribed to Jehovah. Verse 1 Not unto us, O Lord - We take no merit to ourselves; as thine is the kingdom, and the power in that kingdom, so is thy glory. For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake - Thy mercy gave thy promise, thy truth fulfilled it.

Psalms 115:1-3

Introduction

God alone is to be glorified, Psa 115:1-3. The vanity of idols, Psa 115:4-8. Israel, the house of Aaron, and all that fear God, are exhorted to trust it the Lord, Psa 115:9-11. The Lord's goodness to his people, and his gracious promises, Psa 115:12-16. As the dead cannot praise him, the living should, Psa 115:17, Psa 115:18.

This Psalm is written as a part of the preceding by eighteen of Kennicott's and fifty-three of De Rossi's MSS.; by some ancient editions the Septuagint, the Syriac, the Vulgate, the Ethiopic, the Arabic, and the Anglo-Saxon. The old Anglo-Scottish Psalter reads it consecutively with the foregoing. Who the author of both was, we know not, nor on what occasion it was written. It seems to be an epinikion or triumphal song, in which the victory gained is entirely ascribed to Jehovah.

Verse 1

Not unto us, O Lord - We take no merit to ourselves; as thine is the kingdom, and the power in that kingdom, so is thy glory.

For thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake - Thy mercy gave thy promise, thy truth fulfilled it. Verse 2

Wherefore should the heathen say - This appears to refer to a time in which the Israelites had suffered some sad reverses, so as to be brought very low, and to be marked by the heathen. Verse 3

He hath done whatsover he hath pleased - There was too much cause for his abandoning us to our enemies; yet he still lives and rules in heaven and in earth.