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Many ancient translations join this psalm to that which goes next before it, the Septuagint particularly, and the vulgar Latin; but it is, in the Hebrew, a distinct psalm. In it we are taught to give glory, I. To God, and not to ourselves, Ps 115:1. II. To God, and not to idols, Ps 115:2-8. We must give glory to God, 1. By trusting in him, and in his promise and blessing, Ps 115:9-15. 2. By blessing him, Ps 115:16-18. Some think this psalm was penned upon occasion of some great distress and trouble that the church of God was in, when the enemies were in insolent and threatening, in which case the church does not so much pour out her complaint to God as place her confidence in God, and triumph in doing so; and with such a holy triumph we ought to sing this psalm.
1-8
The Absurdity of Idolatry
繁體中文
拜偶像的荒謬
¹ 耶和華啊，榮耀不要歸與我們，不要歸與我們；要因祢的慈愛和誠實歸在祢的名下！ ² 為何容外邦人說：他們的神在哪裏呢？ ³ 然而，我們的神在天上，都隨自己的意旨而行。 ⁴ 他們的偶像是金的，是銀的，是人手所造的， ⁵ 有口卻不能言，有眼卻不能看， ⁶ 有耳卻不能聽，有鼻卻不能聞， ⁷ 有手卻不能摸，有腳卻不能走，有喉嚨也不能出聲。 ⁸ 造他的要和他一樣；凡靠他的也是如此。
此處已作了充足的工夫，足以回答自我的虛妄與拜偶像之人的辱罵。
一、在此誇口永遠被排除了（詩一一五1）。無論在我們的禱告中、還是在我們的讚美中，都不可讓我們對自己功勞的任何意見有立足之地，倒要讓兩者都歸於神的榮耀。1. 我們是否領受了任何憐憫、完成了任何事奉、或取得了任何成功？我們必不可將其榮耀歸與自己，倒要全然歸與神。我們不可妄想憑自己的力量為神作了什麼，或憑自己的義從神配得什麼；我們所行的一切善，都是藉祂恩典的能力作的；我們所得的一切善，都是祂白白憐憫的恩賜；因此祂必須得著一切的讚美。不要說：我的力量為我得了這財富（申八17）。不要說：因我的義，主為我作了這些大而恩慈的事（申九4）。不；我們一切的歌都必須唱成這謙卑的調子：耶和華啊，不要歸與我們！又：不要歸與我們，要歸與祢的名——願一切的榮耀都歸給它；因為無論在我們裏面所成就的善、或為我們所成就的善，都是為祂的憐憫與祂的誠實的緣故——因為祂要榮耀祂的憐憫，並成就祂的應許。我們一切的冠冕都必須擲於那坐在寶座上的腳前，因為那才是它們當在之處。2. 我們是否在追求任何憐憫、並與神摔跤以求？我們在禱告中必須單從神得著鼓勵，並且眼目要看祂的榮耀過於看自己的利益。「主啊，為我們如此而行，不是為叫我們得尊榮與安慰，而是為叫祢的憐憫與誠實得榮耀。」這必須是我們禱告中最高、最終的目的，因此它被設為主禱文的第一個祈求——作為引導其餘一切的——*願祢的名為聖；*並為了那緣故，賜給我們日用的飲食云云。這也必須滿足我們——即使我們的禱告未按字面蒙應允。無論我們遭遇何事，*願榮耀歸與祢的名。*參約十二27–28。
二、外邦人的辱罵在此永遠被制止、並公道地反過來歸給他們。
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詩人抱怨外邦人的辱罵（詩一一五2）：為何容他們說：他們的神在哪裏呢？（1）「他們為何這樣說？他們豈不知道我們的神藉祂的護理無所不在，又藉祂的應許與恩典常與我們相近嗎？」（2）「神為何容他們這樣說？不，為何以色列被降得如此低微，以致他們有某種借口這樣說？主啊，為我們的解救顯現，好使祢得以辯白自己，並榮耀祢自己的名。」
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他對他們的問題給予直接的回答（詩一一五3）。「他們問我們的神在哪裏嗎？我們能告訴他們祂在哪裏。」（1）「在上面的世界裏，有祂榮耀的同在：我們的神在天上——外邦人的神從未在那裏——在天上，因此在視野之外；然而，雖然祂的威嚴無法接近，卻不能因此推論祂的存在可疑。」（2）「在下面的世界裏，有祂大能的作為：祂都隨自己的意旨而行——按著祂旨意的計謀；祂有主權的統治與普世無可攔阻的影響力。你們問祂在哪裏嗎？祂在每一件事的起頭與末了，離我們各人不遠。」
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他把他們的問題反過來還給他們。他們問：以色列的神在哪裏？因為祂看不見。他實際上在問：外邦人的神是什麼？因為它們看得見。（1）他表明他們的神明雖不是無形狀之物，卻是無知覺之物。拜偶像的人起初敬拜日月（伯三十一26），這已經夠壞了，但還不如他們如今所行的壞（因為惡人越久越壞）——就是敬拜偶像（詩一一五4）。它們的質料是金和銀——從地裏掘出來的（人發現它們時，在礦中貧窮而骯髒，（Herbert 語），適於作錢幣，卻不適於作神明。它們的造法出自匠人之手；它們是人虛妄想像的產物、又是人手所作的工，因此其中不可能有神性。人若是神手所作的工（誠然如此，而他的尊榮正是在於他是照著神的形像造的），那麼以為人手所作的工可以是神、或以人的形像造神可以不是對神的羞辱，就是荒謬的。這論據無可反駁：匠人製造它，所以它不是神（何八6）。這些偶像在此被描述為最可笑的東西——純粹的兒戲，看似有點什麼，其實一無所有，更適於放在玩具店而非放在廟中，更適於給孩童玩耍而非供人禱告。畫家、雕刻匠、塑像師盡了他們的那一份；他們給它們造了口與眼、耳與鼻、手與腳，卻不能把生命放進去，因此也沒有知覺。他們不如敬拜一具死屍（因為那曾經有過生命），總比敬拜一個死的偶像好——偶像既無生命，也不能有。它們不能言語，不能回答求問它們的人；必須由詭詐的祭司替它們說話。巴力的像沒有聲音，也沒有回答的。它們不能看見伏在它們面前的敬拜者，更看不見他們的重擔與需要。它們不聽他們的禱告，無論喊得多響；它們不聞它們的香，無論多濃、多香；它們不能摸獻給它們的禮物，更無任何禮物可賜給敬拜者；它們不能向困苦人伸出手。它們不能行走，不能為求告它們的人挪動一步救濟他們。不，它們甚至不用喉嚨出氣；它們沒有生命最起碼的記號或徵狀——在祭司假裝獻它們為聖、召喚神明進入其中之後，它們仍如之前一樣是死的。（2）他由此推論其敬拜者的愚頑（詩一一五8）：造他們的偶像的人顯出他們的巧藝，無疑是靈巧的人；但造它們為神的人則顯出他們的麻木與愚妄，並且要和他們一樣——如同無知覺的木石；他們不能看見真實永活之神那看不見的事，就是在創造之工中的；他們不能聽見白晝與黑夜的聲音——那聲音在各種言語中述說祂的榮耀（詩十九2–3）。藉著敬拜這些愚拙的偶像，他們使自己越來越像它們一樣愚拙，並使自己與一切屬靈之事更加疏遠，更深深沉入感官的泥沼中；同時他們又惹動神任憑他們存邪僻的心——就是無判斷力的心（羅一28）。那些靠它們的人行事極其荒謬、極其不合理，像它們一樣無知覺、無助、無用；他們自己也必發現如此，自取混亂。我們必知道我們的神在哪裏，他們也必知道——卻是付代價而知道的——當他們的神消逝之時（耶十3–11，賽四十四9等）。
在此歌唱詩一一五1–8時，我們當為拜偶像之愚妄、為唯獨神配得一切榮耀而受感動，並將一切讚美歸於祂的名，且在禱告中專心仰望祂的榮耀過於自己的利益。
英文原文
The Absurdity of Idolatry
¹ Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
² Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
³ But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
⁴ Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
⁵ They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
⁶ They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
⁷ They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
⁸ They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
Sufficient care is here taken to answer both the pretensions of self and the reproaches of idolaters.
I. Boasting is here for ever excluded, Ps 115:1. Let no opinion of our own merits have any room either in our prayers or in our praises, but let both centre in God's glory. 1. Have we received any mercy, gone through any service, or gained any success? We must not assume the glory of it to ourselves, but ascribe it wholly to God. We must not imagine that we do any thing for God by our own strength, or deserve any thing from God by our own righteousness; but all the good we do is done by the power of his grace, and all the good we have is the gift of his mere mercy, and therefore he must have all the praise. Say not, The power of my hand has gotten me this wealth, De 8:17. Say not, For my righteousness the Lord has done these great and kind things for me, De 9:4. No; all our songs must be sung to this humble tune, Not unto us, O Lord! and again, Not unto us, but to thy name, let all the glory be given; for whatever good is wrought in us, or wrought for us, it is for his mercy and his truth's sake, because he will glorify his mercy and fulfil his promise. All our crowns must be cast at the feet of him that sits upon the throne, for that is the proper place for them. 2. Are we in pursuit of any mercy and wrestling with God for it? We must take our encouragement, in prayer, from God only, and have an eye to his glory more than to our own benefit in it. "Lord, do so and so for us, not that we may have the credit and comfort of it, but that thy mercy and truth may have the glory of it." This must be our highest and ultimate end in our prayers, and therefore it is made the first petition in the Lord's prayer, as that which guides all the rest, Hallowed be thy name; and, in order to that, Give us our daily bread, etc. This also must satisfy us, if our prayers be not answered in the letter of them. Whatever becomes of us, unto thy name give glory. See Joh 12:27,28.
II. The reproach of the heathen is here for ever silenced and justly retorted.
1. The psalmist complains of the reproach of the heathen (Ps 115:2): Wherefore should they say, Where is now their God? (1.) "Why do they say so? Do they not know that our God is every where by his providence, and always nigh to us by his promise and grace?" (2.) "Why does God permit them to say so? Nay, why is Israel brought so low that they have some colour for saying so? Lord, appear for our relief, that thou mayest vindicate thyself, and glorify thy own name."
2. He gives a direct answer to their question, Ps 115:3. "Do they ask where is our God? We can tell where he is." (1.) "In the upper world is the presence of his glory: Our God is in the heavens, where the gods of the heathen never were, in the heavens, and therefore out of sight; but, though his majesty be unapproachable, it does not therefore follow that his being is questionable." (2.) "In the lower world are the products of his power: He has done whatsoever he pleased, according to the counsel of his will; he has a sovereign dominion and a universal uncontrollable influence. Do you ask where he is? He is at the beginning and end of every thing, and not far from any of us."
3. He returns their question upon themselves. They asked, Where is the God of Israel? because he is not seen. He does in effect ask, What are the gods of the heathen? because they are seen. (1.) He shows that their gods, though they are not shapeless things, are senseless things. Idolaters, at first, worshipped the sun and moon (Job 31:26), which was bad enough, but not so bad as that which they were now come to (for evil men grow worse and worse), which was the worshipping of images, Ps 115:4. The matter of them was silver and gold, dug out of the earth (man found them poor and dirty in a mine, Herbert), proper things to make money of, but not to make gods of. The make of them was from the artificer; they are creatures of men's vain imaginations and the works of men's hands, and therefore can have no divinity in them. If man is the work of God's hands (as certainly he is, and it was his honour that he was made in the image of God) it is absurd to think that that can be God which is the work of men's hands, or that it can be any other than a dishonour to God to make him in the image of man. The argument is irrefragable: The workmen made it, therefore it is not God, Ho 8:6. These idols are represented here as the most ridiculous things, a mere jest, that would seem to be something, but were really nothing, fitter for a toy shop than a temple, for children to play with than for men to pray to. The painter, the carver, the statuary, did their part well enough; they made them with mouths and eyes, ears and noses, hands and feet, but they could put no life into them and therefore no sense. They had better have worshipped a dead carcase (for that had life in it once) than a dead image, which neither has life nor can have. They speak not, in answer to those that consult them; the crafty priest must speak for them. In Baal's image there was no voice, neither any that answered. They see not the prostrations of their worshippers before them, much less their burdens and wants. They hear not their prayers, though ever so loud; they smell not their incense, though ever so strong, ever so sweet; they handle not the gifts presented to them, much less have they any gifts to bestow on their worshippers; they cannot stretch forth their hands to the needy. They walk not, they cannot stir a step for the relief of those that apply to them. Nay, they do not so much as breathe through their throat; they have not the least sign of symptom of life, but are as dead, after the priest has pretended to consecrate them and call a deity into them, as they were before. (2.) He thence infers the sottishness of their worshippers (Ps 115:8): Those that make them images show their ingenuity, and doubtless are sensible men; but those that make them gods show their stupidity and folly, and are like unto them, as senseless blockish things; they see not the invisible things of the true and living God in the works of creation; they hear not the voice of the day and the night, which in every speech and language declare his glory, Ps 19:2,3. By worshipping these foolish puppets, they make themselves more and more foolish like them, and set themselves at a greater distance from every thing that is spiritual, sinking themselves deeper into the mire of sense; and withal they provoke God to give them up to a reprobate mind, a mind void of judgment, Ro 1:28. Those that trust in them act very absurdly and very unreasonably, are senseless, helpless, useless, like them; and they will find it so themselves, to their own confusion. We shall know where our God is, and so shall they, to their cost, when their gods are gone, Jer 10:3-11, Isa 44:9, etc.
9-18
Confidence in God
繁體中文
對神的信靠
⁹ 以色列啊，你要倚靠耶和華；祂是他們的幫助，他們的盾牌。 ¹⁰ 亞倫家啊，你們要倚靠耶和華；祂是他們的幫助，他們的盾牌。 ¹¹ 你們敬畏耶和華的，當倚靠耶和華；祂是他們的幫助，他們的盾牌。 ¹² 耶和華向來眷顧我們；祂必賜福給我們；祂必賜福給以色列家；祂必賜福給亞倫家。 ¹³ 祂必賜福給敬畏耶和華的人，無論大小。 ¹⁴ 願耶和華使你們和你們的兒女日漸增多。 ¹⁵ 你們蒙了造天地之耶和華的福。 ¹⁶ 天，和天上的天，是耶和華的；但祂把地賜給了世人。 ¹⁷ 死人不能讚美耶和華；下到寂靜之中的，也不能。 ¹⁸ 但我們從今時直到永遠，要稱頌耶和華。你們要讚美耶和華。
在這幾節裏，
一、我們都受懇切勸勉，當把我們的信靠寄託於神，並不因外邦人因我們現今的苦難而辱罵我們，就任我們對祂的信靠被動搖。倚靠死的偶像是愚妄，倚靠永生的神卻是智慧，因為對那些倚靠祂的人，祂是幫助和盾牌——是幫助，以供應他們美善的事物並推進他們在其中；是盾牌，以堅固他們抵擋並保護他們免受一切邪惡。所以，1. 願以色列倚靠耶和華；願全體百姓，為著他們公眾的權益，並每一個個別的以色列人，為著他自己私人的事，都把一切的安排交託給神，相信祂必為他們安排一切，且必安排到最好，並要作他們的幫助和盾牌。2. 願祭司——主的使者，並亞倫家的一切家族——倚靠耶和華（詩 115:10）；他們最被仇敵所誣蔑和攻擊，所以神對他們格外看顧。他們當在別人面前作對神喜樂信靠、在最壞的時候也忠心跟從祂的榜樣。3. 願那些歸信的人——他們不是以色列的後裔，卻敬畏耶和華、敬拜祂並良心上盡對祂的本分的人——倚靠祂，因為祂必不離棄他們，也不丟棄他們（詩 115:11）。請注意，凡有對神敬畏之處，就可能有對神的喜樂信心：那些敬畏祂話語的人，可以信靠祂的話語。
二、我們大得鼓勵來信靠神，也有好理由叫我們以全然的滿足倚靠祂。請思想，1. 我們所經歷過的（詩 115:12）：「耶和華向來眷顧我們」——從不遺忘我們，常常如此，又在特別的場合顯著地如此。祂記念我們的境況、我們的需要和重擔，記念我們向祂的禱告、祂對我們的應許，以及祂與我們之間立約的關係。我們一切的安慰都是從神向我們所懷的意念而來；祂*「眷顧我們」，雖然我們忘了祂。願這激發我們信靠祂——我們既已發現祂是信實的。2. 我們所可期望的。從祂為我們所作過的，我們可以推論：「祂必賜福給我們」；那作過我們幫助和盾牌的，必繼續如此；那在我們卑微時記念我們的，必不忘記我們；因為祂仍是一樣，祂的權能和良善仍是一樣，祂的應許不可違反；這樣我們有理由盼望，那曾拯救、如今仍拯救的，將來還要拯救（林後 1:10）。然而這還不是全部：「祂必賜福給我們」——祂已應許如此行；祂已對祂一切百姓宣告了祝福。神賜福我們，不僅是對我們說好話，更是為我們行善事；祂所賜福的，是實在蒙福的。這裏特別應許：「祂必賜福給以色列家」——這就是說，祂必賜福給國家，在民事的權益上賜福祂的百姓。「祂必賜福給亞倫家」——這就是說，教會、聖職人員，在宗教的事上賜福祂的百姓。祭司當祝福百姓；這是他們的職任（民 6:23）；但神賜福他們，這樣就賜福了他們的祝福。不但如此（詩 115:13），祂必賜福敬畏耶和華的人，即使他們不屬於以色列家或亞倫家；因為在彼得看出來之前，這已是真理——「在各國中，那敬畏祂、行義的人都為祂所悅納」，並蒙賜福（徒 10:34-35）。祂必賜福他們，無論大小，無論少長。神為那早早行善的人，也為作老門徒的人，都預備了福氣——無論是在世上貧窮的人，還是顯赫的人。最大的需要祂的福，而敬畏祂的最微小者也必不至被拒。無論在恩典上軟弱的，還是剛強的，都必蒙神賜福——祂羊群中的羊羔和羊。這裏應許（詩 115:14）：「願耶和華使你們……增多。」神所賜福的，祂必使之增多；那是最早、最古老的祝福之一——「要生養眾多」（創 1:28）。神的賜福帶來增長——人數上的增長，建立家室；財富上的增長，增添產業和尊榮；特別是屬靈福氣上的增長，就是神的增長（西 2:19）。祂要以知識和智慧、恩典、聖潔和喜樂的增長來賜福你們；神這樣使之增多的人實在是有福的——他們變得更明智、更善良，更適合於神和天。這裏應許這將是，（1）持續不斷的增長：「祂使你們日漸增多」；這樣，只要你們活著，就必繼續增多，直到完全，如同「越照越亮的光」（箴 4:18）。（2）世襲的增長：「你們和你們的兒女」——你們在你們的兒女裏。父母看見兒女在智慧和身量上增多，這是安慰。敬畏神之人的後裔，甚至在嬰孩時期，就有福氣隨之而來。因為（詩 115:15）「你們蒙了……耶和華的福」——你們和你們的兒女都是如此；「凡看見他們的，必承認他們是耶和華所賜福的後裔」（賽 44:3）。那些蒙主賜福的人，有足夠的理由倚靠耶和華作他們的幫助和盾牌*，因為祂就是那*「造天……地」的；所以祂的福氣是白白的，因為祂自己一無所缺；所以又是豐厚的，因為只要我們敬畏祂、信靠祂，祂就有一切為我們所吩咐而來。那「造天地」*的，無疑能使信靠祂的人快樂，並且必如此行。
三、我們受詩人榜樣的激勵來讚美神，他以繼續讚美的決志結束本詩。1. 神當受讚美（詩 115:16）。祂大當受讚美；因為（1）祂的榮耀極高。請看祂的宮殿何等莊嚴，祂在天上所預備的寶座：「天，和天上的天，是耶和華的」；祂是上面更美好之世界中一切光明和福樂寶藏的正當所有者，並全然擁有它們，因為祂自己是無限光明、無限福樂的。（2）祂的良善極廣，因為祂把地賜給了世人——當祂造地之時就定了意，要為人使用，為人供備糧食、飲料和住處。這並非說祂不再是首席的所有者；「地和其中所充滿的，都屬耶和華」（詩 24:1）；但祂已把那葡萄園租給這些忘恩的園戶，並指望從他們得著當納的出產和當盡的本分；因為祂雖把地賜給了他們，祂的眼目卻仍在他們身上，祂必召他們交代如何使用它。加爾文抱怨在他那個時代，不敬虔的惡人曲解了這處經文，並拿來開玩笑——我們這個時代也有人如此；他們戲謔地辯稱：神既已把地賜給世人，就不再過問它，也不過問其上的人，他們可以隨己意對待它，並把它當作自己的份而善自利用；它彷彿像獵物一樣被丟在他們中間，誰能奪取就讓誰奪取。神這樣向人顯示祂豐厚的恩慈，以及由此而來證明人對神當盡義務的明證，竟如此被濫用，實在可惜。從最高的天上，神確實鑒察一切世人；祂已把地賜給他們；但神卻把天賜給神的兒女。2. 死人不能讚美祂（詩 115:17），下到寂靜之中的也不能。靈魂在與身體分離的狀態中確實存活，並能讚美神；信實之人的靈魂，既從肉體的重擔中得了釋放，確實讚美神，且不斷讚美祂；因為他們升到完全光明和不住事奉的境地。但死去的身體不能讚美神；死亡結束了我們在這試煉和爭戰的世界中榮耀神的事，結束了我們在陣上的一切事奉；墳墓是黑暗和寂靜之地，在那裏*「沒有工作，沒有謀算」（傳 9:10）。他們以此向神求從仇敵手中蒙拯救：「主啊，他們若勝過來把我們剪除，偶像就要得勝了，就沒有人來讚美你、稱你的名、並為反對敬拜偶像者作見證了。」「死人不能讚美耶和華」——不能像我們在今生的本分和為其中的安慰那樣。見詩 30:9，88:10。3. 所以我們理當讚美祂（詩 115:18）：「但我們」——我們這些活著的人——「要稱頌耶和華」；我們和我們以後的人，要這樣行，「從今時直到永遠」，直到時間的末了；我們和我們將要遷往之處的人，從今時到永恆。「死人不能讚美耶和華，所以我們更要殷勤如此行。」（1）別人死了，他們的事奉因而終止了，所以我們要更加竭力為神而活，好填補這空缺。「我的僕人摩西死了；現在你要起來，約書亞。」（書 1:2）（2）我們自己不久也要到寂靜之地去；但我們活著的時候，要稱頌耶和華，要善用我們的時間，作那差我們到世上來讚美祂之主的工作，趁著白晝——又因為黑夜將到，沒有人能作工*（約 9:4）。「耶和華必賜福給我們」（詩 115:12）；祂要善待我們，所以我們要稱頌祂，我們要述說祂的美善。對這樣的領受，這是何等微薄的回報！不但如此，我們不但自己要如此行，還要帶動別人也如此行。「你們要讚美耶和華」——要與我們一同讚美祂；要在你們的所在讚美祂，正如我們在我們的所在一樣；我們離去之後也要讚美祂，使祂永遠受讚美。哈利路亞。
英文原文
Confidence in God
⁹ O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
¹⁰ O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
¹¹ Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
¹² The LORD hath 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 them that fear the LORD, both small and great.
¹⁴ The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
¹⁵ Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.
¹⁶ The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
¹⁷ The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
¹⁸ But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.
In these verses,
I. We are earnestly exhorted, all of us, to repose our confidence in God, and not suffer our confidence in him to be shaken by the heathens' insulting over us upon the account of our present distresses. It is folly to trust in dead images, but it is wisdom to trust in the living God, for he is a help and a shield to those that do trust in them, a help to furnish them with and forward them in that which is good, and a shield to fortify them against and protect them from every thing that is evil. Therefore, 1. Let Israel trust in the Lord; the body of the people, as to their public interests, and every particular Israelite, as to his own private concerns, let them leave it to God to dispose of all for them, and believe it will dispose of all for the best and will be their help and shield. 2. Let the priests, the Lord's ministers, and all the families of the house of Aaron, trust in the Lord, (Ps 115:10); they are most maligned and struck at by the enemies and therefore of them God takes particular care. They ought to be examples to others of a cheerful confidence in God, and a faithful adherence to him in the worst of times. 3. Let the proselytes, who are not of the seed of Israel, but fear the Lord, who worship him and make conscience of their duty to him, let them trust in him, for he will not fail nor forsake them, Ps 115:11. Note, Wherever there is an awful fear of God, there may be a cheerful faith in him: those that reverence his word may rely upon it.
II. We are greatly encouraged to trust in God, and good reason is given us why we should stay ourselves upon him with an entire satisfaction. Consider, 1. What we have experienced (Ps 115:12): The Lord has been mindful of us, and never unmindful, has been so constantly, has been so remarkably upon special occasions. He has been mindful of our case, our wants and burdens, mindful of our prayers to him, his promises to us, and the covenant-relation between him and us. All our comforts are derived from God's thoughts to us-ward; he has been mindful of us, though we have forgotten him. Let this engage us to trust in him, that we have found him faithful. 2. What we may expect. From what he has done for us we may infer, He will bless us; he that has been our help and our shield will be so; he that has remembered us in our low estate will not forget us; for he is still the same, his power and goodness the same, and his promise inviolable; so that we have reason to hope that he who has delivered, and does, will yet deliver. Yet this is not all: He will bless us; he has promised that he will; he has pronounced a blessing upon all his people. God's blessing us is not only speaking good to us, but doing well for us; those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. It is particularly promised that he will bless the house of Israel, that is, he will bless the commonwealth, will bless his people in their civil interests. He will bless the house of Aaron, that is, the church, the ministry, will bless his people in their religious concerns. The priests were to bless the people; it was their office (Nu 6:23); but God blessed them, and so blessed their blessings. Nay (Ps 115:13), he will bless those that fear the Lord, though they be not of the house of Israel or the house of Aaron; for it was a truth, before Peter perceived it, That in every nation he that fears God is accepted or him, and blessed, Ac 10:34,35. He will bless them both small and great, both young and old. God has blessings in store for those that are good betimes and for those that are old disciples, both those that are poor in the world and those that make a figure. The greatest need his blessing, and it shall not be denied to the meanest that fear him. Both the weak in grace and the strong shall be blessed of God, the lambs and the sheep of his flock. It is promised (Ps 115:14), The Lord shall increase you. Whom God blesses he increases; that was one of the earliest and most ancient blessings, Be fruitful and multiply. God's blessing gives an increase—increase in number, building up the family—increase in wealth, adding to the estate and honour—especially an increase in spiritual blessings, with the increasings of God. He will bless you with the increase of knowledge and wisdom, of grace, holiness, and joy; those are blessed indeed whom God thus increases, who are made wiser and better, and fitter for God and heaven. It is promised that this shall be, (1.) A constant continual increase: "He shall increase you more and more; so that, as long as you live, you shall be still increasing, till you come to perfection, as the shining light," Pr 4:18. (2.) An hereditary increase: "You and your children; you in your children." It is a comfort to parents to see their children increasing in wisdom and strength. There is a blessing entailed upon the seed of those that fear God even in their infancy. For (Ps 115:15), You are blessed of the Lord, you and your children are so; all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they are the seed which the Lord has blessed, Isa 59:9. Those that are the blessed of the Lord have encouragement enough to trust in the Lord, as their help and shield, for it is he that made heaven and earth; therefore his blessings are free, for he needs not any thing himself; and therefore they are rich, for he has all things at command for us if we fear him and trust in him. He that made heaven and earth can doubtless make those happy that trust in him, and will do it.
III. We are stirred up to praise God by the psalmist's example, who concludes the psalm with a resolution to persevere in his praises. 1. God is to be praised, Ps 115:16. He is greatly to be praised; for, (1.) His glory is high. See how stately his palace is, and the throne he has prepared in the heavens: The heaven, even the heavens are the Lord's; he is the rightful owner of all the treasures of light and bliss in the upper and better world, and is in the full possession of them, for he is himself infinitely bright and happy. (2.) His goodness is large, for the earth he has given to the children of men, having designed it, when he made it, for their use, to find them with meat, drink, and lodging. Not but that still he is proprietor in chief; the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; but he has let out that vineyard to these unthankful husbandmen, and from them he expects the rents and services; for, though he has given them the earth, his eye is upon them, and he will call them to render an account how they use it. Calvin complains that profane wicked people, in his days, perverted this scripture, and made a jest of it, which some in our days do, arguing, in banter, that God, having given the earth to the children of men, will no more look after it, nor after them upon it, but they may do what they will with it, and make the best of it as their portion; it is as it were thrown like a prey among them, Let him seize it that can. It is a pity that such an instance as this gives of God's bounty to man, and such a proof as arises from it of man's obligation to God, should be thus abused. From the highest heavens, it is certain, God beholds all the children of men; to them he has given the earth; but to the children of God heaven is given. 2. The dead are not capable of praising him (Ps 115:17), nor any that go into silence. The soul indeed lives in a state of separation from the body and is capable of praising God; and the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burdens of the flesh, do praise God, are still praising him; for they go up to the land of perfect light and constant business. But the dead body cannot praise God; death puts an end to our glorifying God in this world of trial and conflict, to all our services in the field; the grave is a land of darkness and silence, where there is no work or device. This they plead with God for deliverance out of the hand of their enemies, "Lord, if they prevail to cut us off, the idols will carry the day, and there will be none to praise thee, to bear thy name, and to bear a testimony against the worshippers of idols." The dead praise not the Lord, so as we do in the business and for the comforts of this life. See Ps 30:9,88:10. 3. Therefore it concerns us to praise him (Ps 115:18): "But we, we that are alive, will bless the Lord; we and those that shall come after us, will do it, from this time forth and for evermore, to the end of time; we and those we shall remove to, from this time forth and to eternity. The dead praise not the Lord, therefore we will do it the more diligently." (1.) Others are dead, and an end is thereby put to their service, and therefore we will lay out ourselves to do so much the more for God, that we may fill up the gap. Moses my servant is dead, now therefore, Joshua, arise. (2.) We ourselves must shortly go to the land of silence; but, while we do live, we will bless the Lord, will improve our time and work that work of him that sent us into the world to praise him before the night comes, and because the night comes, wherein no man can work. The Lord will bless us (Ps 115:12); he will do well for us, and therefore we will bless him, we will speak well of him. Poor returns for such receivings! Nay, we will not only do it ourselves, but will engage others to do it. Praise the Lord; praise him with us; praise him in your places, as we in ours; praise him when we are gone, that he may be praised for evermore. Hallelujah.
許多古譯本，尤其是《七十士譯本》與《武加大譯本》，將本篇與前一篇相連；但在希伯來文聖經中，它是一篇獨立的詩篇。在其中我們受教將榮耀：一、歸給神，不歸給我們自己（詩 115:1）。二、歸給神，不歸給偶像（詩 115:2-8）。我們當將榮耀歸給神：1. 藉著信靠祂、信靠祂的應許與賜福（詩 115:9-15）。2. 藉著稱頌祂（詩 115:16-18）。有人認為本篇是在神的教會遭遇某大危難、仇敵囂張威脅之時所寫；在這種情形下，教會不是向神傾吐訴苦，而是將信靠安放於神，並在如此行時誇勝；我們也當以這樣聖潔的誇勝來歌唱本篇。