서론
無標題
简体中文
英文原文
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
简体中文
拜偶像的荒谬
¹ 耶和华啊，荣耀不要归与我们，不要归与我们，要因你的慈爱和诚实归在你的名下。
² 为何容外邦人说：他们的神在哪里呢？
³ 然而我们的神在天上，都随自己的意旨行事。
⁴ 他们的偶像 是金的银的，是人手所造的，
⁵ 有口却不能言，有眼却不能看，
⁶ 有耳却不能听，有鼻却不能闻，
⁷ 有手却不能摸，有脚却不能走，有喉咙也不能出声。
⁸ 造他的要和他一样，凡靠他的也是如此。
此处已充分作出安排，以同时回应自我的矜夸与拜偶像者的毁谤。
一、此处永远排除了矜夸（诗115:1）。在我们祷告或赞美中，都不可给我们对自己功劳的任何看法留下余地，二者都当以神的荣耀为中心。1. 我们是否领受了任何怜悯，尽过了任何本分，或得着了任何成就？我们不可将荣耀归于自己，而当完全归与神。我们不可想象我们是靠自己的力量为神作了什么，或是靠自己的义从神配得什么；我们一切所行的善，都是靠他恩典的大能所作的；我们一切所得的善，都是他白白的怜悯所赐的礼物，因此他当得一切的赞美。不要说：我手的力量为我得了这财富（申8:17）。不要说：因我的义耶和华为我行了这些大而善的事（申9:4）。不；我们一切的歌都当唱这谦卑的调子：耶和华啊，不要归与我们！ 又说：不要归与我们，要归与你的名——愿一切荣耀都归给它；因为无论在我们里面所行的善，或是为我们所行的善，都是为他的慈爱与他的诚实的缘故——因他要荣耀他的怜悯，成就他的应许。我们一切冠冕都必须掷在那坐在宝座上的脚前，因为那才是它们当放之处。2. 我们是否正在追求任何怜悯，并为此与神摔跤？我们在祷告中只当从神那里得着鼓励，并且在其中更当着眼于他的荣耀，过于自己的益处。"主啊，为我们行这行那，不是为叫我们得着名声与安慰，而是为叫你的慈爱与诚实得着荣耀。"这必须是我们祷告中最高、最终的旨归，因此主祷文把它列为头一个祈求——作为引导其余一切的那一项：愿人都尊你的名为圣； 并为着那个，赐给我们日用的饮食等等。这也就是我们的满足——若我们的祷告未按字面得着应允。无论我们遭遇何事，愿荣耀归与你的名。 参约12:27,28。
二、外邦人的毁谤此处永远被止息，并公正地反归其身。
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诗人抱怨外邦人的毁谤（诗115:2）：他们为何说：他们的神在哪里呢？ (1) "他们为何这样说？他们岂不知道我们的神借他的护理无所不在，又借他的应许与恩典常与我们相近吗？" (2) "神为何容许他们这样说？不，为何以色列被降得如此卑微，以致他们有几分道理这样说？主啊，为我们的救助显现，好为你自己辩护，并荣耀你自己的名。"
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他直接回答了他们的问题（诗115:3）。"他们问我们的神在哪里？我们能告诉他他在哪里。"(1) "在上面的世界里有他荣耀的临在：我们的神在天上——外邦人的神从未在那里——在天上，因此眼不能见；然而，虽然他的威严不可接近，却不可因此推论他的存在可疑。"(2) "在下面的世界里，有他权能的作为：他随己意行作万事，都照着他旨意的计划；他拥有主权统治与普遍而无可拦阻的影响力。你们问他在哪里？他在万事的起头与终局，离我们各人不远。"
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他把问题反推给他们。他们问：以色列的神在哪里？因为他眼不能见。他实际上是在问：外邦人的神是什么？因为它们眼能见。(1) 他指出他们的神，虽非无形之物，却是无感之物。拜偶像者起初敬拜日月（伯31:26），这已是够坏了，却不如他们如今所行的坏（因为恶人越久越恶），即敬拜偶像（诗115:4）。它们的材料是金银，从地里挖出来的（"人在矿中找见它们时，又穷又脏"——赫伯特），宜于铸币，却不宜造神。它们的形制出自工匠；它们是人虚妄想象的产物，是人手所造之物，因此其中绝无神性。人若是神手所造的（确是如此，而他的尊贵正在于他是照着神的形像造的），那么人手所造之物岂能是神——把它造作人的形像岂能不是对神的羞辱——这种想法就是荒谬的。这论证无可反驳：匠人制造了它，所以它不是神（何8:6）。这些偶像在此被描述为最可鄙之物，徒然一戏——看似有几分什么，实则什么也没有，更适合放在玩具店里，而非殿宇中；更适合孩童玩耍，而非让人祈求。画匠、雕工、塑匠各尽其职；他们给它造了口和眼、耳和鼻、手和脚，却不能把生命放进去，因此也不能把感觉放进去。他们还不如去敬拜一具死尸（因为那至少曾有过生命），也不该敬拜一个死的偶像——它既没有生命，也不能有生命。它们不能言，不能回答求问它们的人；狡黠的祭司必须替它们说话。巴力的像没有声音，也没有答应的。它们不能看伏在它们面前的敬拜者，更看不见他们的重担与需要。它们不能听他们的祷告，无论多大声；它们不能闻他们的香，无论多浓、多香；它们不能摸所献的礼物，更没有什么礼物可以赐给敬拜者；它们不能向困苦人伸手。它们不能行，不能为求告它们的人动一步。不，它们连喉咙里也不能出声；它们没有丝毫生命的征兆或迹象；在祭司装模作样地把它们分别为圣、召请神明进入其中之后，它们仍如从前一样是死的。(2) 他由此推论其敬拜者的愚顽（诗115:8）：造他的偶像的人，显出他们的巧艺，无疑都是聪明人；但造它们为神的，却显出他们的迟钝与愚妄，便和他一样，成了无感无知之物；他们看不见那又真又活的神在创造之工中那看不见的事；他们听不见白昼与黑夜的声音——那声音用各种言语方言述说他的荣耀（诗19:2,3）。借着敬拜这些愚拙的傀儡，他们使自己越发愚拙，像傀儡一样，并使自己离一切属灵之事更远，更深地陷于感觉的泥沼之中；同时他们惹动神任凭他们存邪僻的心，一个没有判断力的心（罗1:28）。靠它们的人行得极荒谬、极无理，像它们一样无感、无助、无用；他们自己也必发现如此，以致自己的羞愧。当他们的神归于无有之时（耶10:3-11；赛44:9等），我们必知道我们的神在哪里，他们也必知道——却是付代价而知的。
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
简体中文
当信靠神
⁹ 以色列啊，你要倚靠耶和华！他是你的帮助和你的盾牌。
¹⁰ 亚伦家啊，你们要倚靠耶和华！他是你们的帮助和你们的盾牌。
¹¹ 敬畏耶和华的，你们要倚靠耶和华！他是你们的帮助和你们的盾牌。
¹² 耶和华向来眷念我们；他还要赐福给我们：他要赐福给以色列家，他要赐福给亚伦家。
¹³ 凡敬畏耶和华的，无论大小，他都要赐福。
¹⁴ 愿耶和华叫你们和你们的子孙日见加增。
¹⁵ 你们蒙了造天地之耶和华的福。
¹⁶ 天，是耶和华的天；地，他却给了世人。
¹⁷ 死人不能赞美耶和华；下到寂静中的也都不能。
¹⁸ 但我们要称颂耶和华，从今时直到永远。你们要赞美耶和华。
在这些经文中，
一、我们都被恳切地劝勉，要把自己一切的信心安放于神，不要因外邦人趁我们现今遭难之机百般凌辱我们，就动摇对他的信靠。倚靠死的偶像是愚妄，倚靠活着的神才是智慧；因为对那些信靠他的人，他是帮助和盾牌——作他们的帮助，使他们得着一切善并前行其中；又作他们的盾牌，使他们得以坚固，抵御并蒙保护脱离一切凶恶。因此，1. 以色列当倚靠耶和华；众民要为公众的事，每一个以色列人也要为自己的私事，把一切都交托神来安排，并相信他必为至善而安排一切，必作他们的帮助和盾牌。2. 祭司、主的仆人，以及亚伦家的一切家眷，要倚靠耶和华（诗 115:10）；他们最受仇敌的仇视和攻击，因此神对他们格外看顾。他们理当在最艰难的日子里，作众人敬然信靠神、忠心倚附他的榜样。3. 那些皈依的人虽不出于以色列的子孙，却敬畏耶和华、敬拜他、对向他当尽的本分心存敬畏，也要倚靠他，因为他必不离弃他们（诗 115:11）。请注意：何处有对神存敬畏的虔诚之心，何处就可存着喜乐的信心信靠他；敬畏他话语的人，也可以安心倚靠他的话。
二、我们大得勉励去信靠神，也有充足的理由叫我们以全然的满足安息在他里面。请思想，1. 我们所经历过的恩（诗 115:12）：耶和华向来眷念我们，且从未忘记我们——他向来如此记念，又在特别时刻如此记念。他记念我们的境遇、缺乏与重担，记念我们向他的祈祷、他对我们的应许，以及他与我们之间那约的关系。我们一切安慰都来自神向我们所存的意念；他向来眷念我们，虽然我们常常忘记他。愿这一件事激励我们去信靠他，因为我们已亲自见证他是信实的。2. 我们所可期待的。从他已经为我们成就的事上，我们可以推断：他还要赐福给我们；那作过我们帮助和盾牌的，仍必如此；那在我们卑微之时记念我们的，必不忘记我们；因为他仍永不改变，他的权能与良善不变，他的应许也不可废；所以我们有理由盼望，那曾拯救、现今仍拯救的，将来还要拯救。然而这还不是全部：他还要赐福给我们——他已应许如此行，他已向自己一切百姓宣告了福分。神赐福与我们，不仅是向我们说好话，更是为我们行善事；他所赐福的人是真正有福的。这里特别应许：他要赐福给以色列家，即他要赐福给国家，在民事上赐福他的百姓；他要赐福给亚伦家，即教会、圣职人员，在属灵的事上赐福他的百姓。祭司本要为民祝福，这是他们的职分（民 6:23）；但神赐福与他们，使他们的祝福也成为祝福。不但如此（诗 115:13），他要赐福给那敬畏耶和华的人，即使他们不属于以色列家或亚伦家；因为在彼得还未明白之前，这已是真理——原来各国中那敬畏主、行义的人都为主所悦纳，也都蒙福（徒 10:34-35）。他愿赐福给大小尊卑之人，就是少年人和老年人。神为那些及时归正的人存留福分，也为多年跟从的老门徒存留福分；为世上贫穷的人，也为有声望的人，都备有福分。最大的需要他的祝福，最小的敬畏他的人也不至被拒绝。无论是恩典中软弱的，还是刚强的，软弱如羔羊、刚壮如壮羊，都必蒙神赐福。这里又应许（诗 115:14）：耶和华必使你们加增。神所赐福的人，他必使他加增；这是最早、最古的祝福之一：要生养众多。神的祝福带来加增——人数上的加增，建立家室；财富上的加增，增添产业与尊荣；尤其是属灵福分上的加增，就是「神所加给」的加增。他必赐你们知识与智慧、恩典、圣洁与喜乐的加增；这样被神加增的人是真正有福的，他们变得更有智慧、更善良，更配得上神和天国。这里又应许这加增必是：（1）持续不断的加增：「他必使你们日见加增」；这样，只要你们活着，就要不断长进，直到完全，如同「发光的道路，越照越明」（箴 4:18）。（2）可继承的加增：「你们和你们的子孙；你们也在你们子孙身上加增。」看见儿女在智慧与力量上增长，是父母的安慰。敬畏神之人的后裔，从婴孩时就有福分为他们存留。因为（诗 115:15）你们是耶和华所赐福的——你们和你们的儿女都是；凡看见他们的必认他们，说：这是耶和华所赐福的后裔（赛 59:9〔原文 59:21 之类〕）。那为耶和华所赐福的人，有足够的勉励去倚靠耶和华，以他为帮助和盾牌；因为正是他造了天和地；因此他的赐福是白白的，因为他自己一无所缺；他的赐福也是丰盛的，因为我们若敬畏他、信靠他，万物都听他吩咐为我们效力。那造了天地的，必能使信靠他的人得着快乐，也必如此成就。
三、诗人以自己的榜样激励我们去赞美神；他作结时立志要在赞美上坚忍不辍。1. 神当受赞美（诗 115:16）。他当大受赞美；因为（1）他的荣耀至高。看他宫殿何等巍峨，他在天上所预备的宝座何等华美：天，天上的天，都属耶和华；他正当拥有那上头更美好世界之中一切光明与福乐的宝藏，也全然享受其中，因为他自己无限光明、无限喜乐。（2）他的恩惠广被，因地，他却给了世人；他在造地之时，就定意要人使用它，以供养人的饮食起居。这并不是说他不再是最高主权者；地和其中所充满的，都属耶和华；但他把这葡萄园租给了这些忘恩的园户，并向他们收取当纳的果子与当尽的本分；因为虽然他把地给了人，他的眼目仍顾念他们，他必叫他们交账，看他们如何使用这地。加尔文曾抱怨说，在他那个时代，亵渎不敬的人曲解这节经文，拿它当作笑谈（我们这个时代也有人如此行），戏谑地争辩说：神既已把地给了世人，就再不管它，也不再管人在地上怎样行，人可以任意而为，把它当作自己的份尽量享用；它仿佛像一块猎物被抛在他们中间，「谁能夺取，就归谁得」。神如此向人彰显的恩惠，以及由此而生之人对神当尽的义务，竟被人这样滥用，实在可悲。从至高的天上，神必定观看地上一切的世人；他把地赐给了他们；但天国却是赐给神的儿女的。2. 死人不能赞美他（诗 115:17），那些下到寂静之中的也都不能。灵魂在离开身体之后确是活着的，也能赞美神；信徒的灵魂脱离了肉体的重担之后，确是赞美神，且不断赞美他，因为他们升入了完全光明、常不断事奉的那地。但死去的身体不能赞美神；死亡终止了我们在这一试炼与争战之世界里荣耀神的一切事奉，终止了我们田间一切的劳作；坟墓是一片黑暗寂静之地，在那里没有工作，也没有谋算。他们以此向神祈求脱离仇敌之手：「主啊，他们若胜过我们，将我们剪除，偶像就得胜了，就没有人赞美你，没有人担当你的名，没有人向敬拜偶像之人作见证了。」死人不能赞美耶和华，不能像我们在这今生的事上为其中的安慰那样赞美他。参诗 30:9，88:10。3. 因此我们当趁此时赞美他（诗 115:18）：「但我们，我们这些活着的人，要称颂耶和华；我们和在我们以后的人，都要这样做，从今时直到永远，直到末时；我们和我们将要迁往之处的人，从今时直到永恒。死人不能赞美耶和华，所以我们更当殷勤如此行。」（1）别人已死，他们的事奉已告终，所以我们要更加竭力为神做工，好填补那缺口。我的仆人摩西死了；现在你约书亚要起来。（2）我们自己不久也要进入那寂静之地；但只要我们还活着，我们就要称颂耶和华，就要爱惜光阴，趁黑夜未到之前，趁我们仍在世上，尽那差我们到世上来赞美他之主所托付的工；并要趁着白昼去做，因为黑夜将到，就没有人能作工了。耶和华要赐福给我们（诗 115:12）；他必为我们行善，所以我们要称颂他，我们要述说他的美善。如此厚恩，所得的回报何其微薄！然而我们不仅自己要这样行，还要勉励别人也这样行。你们要赞美耶和华；与我们一同赞美他吧；在你们所在之处赞美他，如同我们在我们所在之处一样；当我们离去之后，你们仍要赞美他，使他得着赞美直到永远。哈利路亚。
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.
许多古译本(尤其是七十士译本与拉丁通行本)将本篇与前篇相合;但希伯来文中它是独立的诗篇。我们在此受教将荣耀归:一、归给神,不归给自己(诗115:1);二、归给神,不归给偶像(诗115:2-8)。我们当将荣耀归给神:1. 借信靠他,并信靠他的应许与赐福(诗115:9-15);2. 借称颂他(诗115:16-18)。有人以为本诗是因神的教会处于某次大患难、仇敌狂妄威吓之时而作;此情境下,教会并非多向神倾吐抱怨,而是将信心置于神,并以此为夸胜;我们当以如此圣洁的夸胜唱这首诗。