TRV
Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Psalms 115:9–18. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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, (Psa 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, Psa 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 (Psa 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 (Num 6:23); but God blessed them, and so blessed their blessings. Nay (Psa 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, Act 10:34, Act 10:35. 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 (Psa 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," Pro 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 (Psa 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, Psa 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 (Psa 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 Psa 30:9; Psa 88:10.
3.Therefore it concerns us to praise him (Psa 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 (Psa 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.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
Therefore the Prophet says unto these great and small, the mountains and the little hills, the rams and the young sheep, what follows: "You are the blessed of the Lord, who made heaven and earth" [Psalm 115:15]. As if he should say, You are the blessed of the Lord, who made the heaven in the great, earth in the small: not this visible heaven, studded with luminaries which are objects to these eyes. For "The heaven of heavens is the Lord's" [Psalm 115:16]; who has elevated the minds of some saints to such a height, that they became teachable by no man, but by God Himself; in comparison of which heaven, whatever is discerned with carnal eyes is to be called earth; which "He has given to the children of men;" that when it is contemplated, whether in that region which illumines above, as that which is called heaven, or in that which is illumined beneath, which is properly called earth (since in comparison with that which is called heaven of heaven, the whole, as we have said, is earth;) the whole therefore of this earth He has given to the children of men, that by the consideration of it, as far as they can, they may conceive of the Creator, whom with their yet weak hearts they cannot see without that aid to their conception.
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Summary
Psalms 115:15 stands as a profound declaration of divine favor, asserting that true and enduring blessing originates exclusively from the LORD, the sovereign Creator of the cosmos. This verse offers confident assurance to those who place their trust in God, powerfully contrasting His limitless power and benevolence with the utter impotence of man-made idols. It affirms that His people are the unique recipients of His comprehensive and unfailing blessing, a favor rooted deeply in His ultimate authority and creative mastery over all existence.
Context
Literary Context
Psalms 115:15 serves as a climactic declaration within a significant section of the psalm (verses 9-18), which transitions from a polemic against the futility of idols (verses 4-8) to an earnest exhortation for Israel to place its unwavering trust in the LORD. The preceding verses issue repeated calls to various segments of God's people: "O Israel, trust in the LORD" (Psalms 115:9), "O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD" (Psalms 115:10), and "Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD" (Psalms 115:11). This urgent call to trust is immediately followed by a comforting promise of divine remembrance and blessing: "The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us" (Psalms 115:12). Therefore, verse 15 functions as the powerful culmination and affirmation of this promised blessing, precisely identifying the recipients ("Ye") and emphatically declaring the ultimate, omnipotent source of this favor, thereby reinforcing the psalmist's earlier appeals for unwavering trust.
Historical & Cultural Context
Psalm 115 is an integral part of the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113-118), a collection of psalms traditionally sung during major Jewish festivals such as Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. This psalm deeply reflects Israel's historical and ongoing struggle against the pervasive polytheistic cultures that surrounded them. In an ancient world teeming with localized deities and countless man-made idols, the declaration that the LORD "made heaven and earth" (Psalms 115:15) was not merely a statement of fact but a radical, subversive assertion of His unique, universal, and transcendent sovereignty. Unlike the gods of the nations, which were often confined to specific regions, associated with particular natural phenomena, and meticulously crafted by human hands, Yahweh was presented as the self-existent, living Creator of all existence. This vital context underscores the exclusivity demanded by Israel's worship and highlights the profound theological distinction between the living God and lifeless idols, a distinction absolutely crucial for Israel's identity, faithfulness, and survival in a syncretistic environment.
Key Themes
The paramount theme woven through Psalms 115:15 is the sovereignty and absolute uniqueness of Yahweh as the singular, ultimate source of all true and enduring blessing. This verse powerfully contrasts the inertness and impotence of idols, which "have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not" (Psalms 115:5), with the active, dynamic, and life-giving power of the LORD. It profoundly emphasizes divine agency—that blessing is not something earned through human merit, conjured through ritual, or derived from earthly power, but is a gracious, unmerited gift flowing directly from God's benevolent will. Furthermore, the foundational phrase "which made heaven and earth" highlights God's omnipotence and boundless creative power, firmly establishing Him as the supreme authority over all things, thereby demonstrating His infinite capacity to bestow comprehensive well-being upon His people. This theme resonates profoundly throughout the entire Old Testament, from the foundational creation account in Genesis 1 to powerful prophetic declarations of God's unmatched power and singularity over all nations, such as those found in Isaiah 44:6-8. The verse also subtly touches upon the theme of covenant faithfulness, as the promised blessing is specifically directed towards those who trust in the covenant-keeping God.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term, derived from the root bârak, signifies a state of being divinely endowed with favor, prosperity, and comprehensive well-being. It implies a profound gift or an empowerment that originates solely from a superior, benevolent source. When God blesses humanity, it refers to His active, benevolent action of bestowing life, fruitfulness, protection, spiritual flourishing, and all good things. It is not merely a wish or a hope, but a declarative statement of a divinely conferred status and an active manifestation of God's goodness.
This is the sacred Tetragrammaton, God's personal, covenantal name, often transliterated as "Yahweh" or rendered "Jehovah." It profoundly emphasizes God's self-existence, His eternal nature, His unwavering faithfulness, and His unique, intimate relationship with His covenant people, Israel. By employing this specific name, the psalmist underscores that the blessing emanates from the God who actively reveals Himself, consistently keeps His promises, and graciously enters into a profound, personal relationship with humanity, thereby distinguishing Him absolutely from any other purported deity.
This verb, ʻâsâh, carries the broad meaning "to do," "to make," "to create," or "to accomplish." When applied to God, it powerfully highlights His active and sovereign role as the Creator, Architect, and Sustainer of the entire universe. It signifies His ultimate power, His supreme authority, and His unparalleled ability to bring all things into existence from nothing and to order them meticulously according to His divine will. The specific use of this word in conjunction with "heaven and earth" points directly to God's absolute and comprehensive sovereignty over every facet of creation, from the smallest particle to the grandest galaxy.
Verse Breakdown
"Ye [are] blessed"
This opening phrase constitutes a direct and emphatic declaration to the audience, identifying them as the privileged recipients of divine favor. The "Ye" specifically refers back to the groups exhorted to trust in the LORD in the preceding verses: "O Israel," "O house of Aaron," and "Ye that fear the LORD" (Psalms 115:9-11). It signifies a profound state of being in which God's beneficence is actively and comprehensively at work in their lives, encompassing spiritual vitality, physical well-being, communal prosperity, and overall flourishing.
"of the LORD"
This crucial prepositional phrase immediately and unequivocally identifies the exclusive, singular source of the blessing. It emphatically underscores that this profound favor does not originate from human effort, earthly power, or the influence of any other deity or force, but solely from Yahweh, the covenant-keeping God. This reinforces the strong monotheistic thrust of the psalm and highlights the unique, exclusive relationship between the one true God and His chosen people, emphasizing His absolute sufficiency.
"which made heaven and earth"
This descriptive clause serves as a powerful and foundational qualifier for the LORD, providing the ultimate basis for His capacity to bless. It highlights His omnipotence, His absolute sovereignty, and His unparalleled ability to bestow comprehensive favor. By identifying Him as the Creator of the entire cosmos—from the highest heavens to the deepest parts of the earth (a merism for totality)—the psalmist profoundly underscores that the One who brought all existence into being is infinitely capable of providing for, sustaining, protecting, and comprehensively blessing His people. This divine attribute guarantees both the efficacy and the boundless scope of His blessing.
Literary Devices
The primary literary device employed in Psalms 115:15 is Declaration or Affirmation, as the verse confidently states an undeniable truth about God's people and His inherent nature. This bold declaration serves as a powerful and reassuring conclusion to the preceding exhortations to trust. Furthermore, the phrase "heaven and earth" masterfully utilizes Merism, a figure of speech where two contrasting or complementary parts are used to represent the whole. Here, "heaven and earth" collectively signify the entirety of the created universe, emphatically underscoring the LORD's absolute and comprehensive sovereignty as its unrivaled Maker. Implicitly, the verse also relies heavily on Contrast, building upon the psalm's earlier polemic against the lifeless, impotent, and man-made idols (Psalms 115:4-8). By declaring that true blessing emanates solely from the Creator of all, the psalmist powerfully highlights the stark and irreconcilable difference between the utterly impotent idols and the omnipotent, living, and actively benevolent God.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Psalms 115:15 encapsulates profound and enduring theological truths concerning God's very nature and His benevolent relationship with humanity. It unequivocally underscores the absolute sovereignty of God as the Creator, affirming that all true, lasting, and comprehensive blessing flows solely from His divine will, power, and boundless grace. This stands in stark contrast to human attempts to secure blessing through self-reliance, the futility of idolatry, or reliance on finite and ultimately unreliable earthly resources. The verse profoundly emphasizes that God's creative act is not merely a historical event confined to the past but an ongoing, living testament to His infinite power to sustain, provide for, and empower His creation and His people. To be "blessed of the LORD" is to be in perfect alignment with the One who holds all creation in His hands, ensuring that His favor is not only comprehensive in scope but also eternally secure for all who place their trust in Him. This powerful declaration firmly grounds the hope and security of the faithful in the unchangeable character and limitless capacity of the Almighty God.
Reflection and Application
In a world relentlessly pursuing security, prosperity, and happiness from myriad fleeting and ultimately unsatisfying sources—whether through the accumulation of wealth, the attainment of status, the pursuit of relationships, or the relentless drive for personal achievement—Psalms 115:15 offers a radical and transformative reorientation of our deepest desires and priorities. It serves as a powerful and timely reminder that ultimate, unfailing, and truly comprehensive blessing comes only from the LORD, the very One who brought the vast, intricate heavens and the complex, beautiful earth into being. This profound truth should inspire within us both deep humility and unwavering trust. When we truly recognize God as the sovereign Creator and Sustainer of all that exists, our entire perspective shifts from anxious striving and self-sufficiency to joyful receiving and profound divine dependence. This verse calls us to wholeheartedly align our lives with His divine will, to humbly acknowledge His supreme authority over every aspect of our existence, and to place our complete confidence in His boundless capacity to provide for, protect, and prosper us in ways far beyond our imagination. It invites us to live each day in profound gratitude, knowing that every good and perfect gift in our lives is a direct manifestation of His benevolent and active hand, and to find our deepest, most enduring contentment not in what we possess or achieve, but in the immeasurable privilege of simply being "blessed of the LORD."
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Who is "Ye" in this verse, and what does it mean to be "blessed of the LORD"?
The "Ye" in Psalms 115:15 refers collectively to those who have placed their unwavering trust and confidence in the LORD, as explicitly identified in the preceding verses: "O Israel," "O house of Aaron," and "Ye that fear the LORD" (Psalms 115:9-11). It broadly encompasses all who are in a covenant relationship with God and who hold Him in reverent awe and obedience. To be "blessed of the LORD" signifies receiving divine favor, comprehensive well-being, and genuine prosperity in a holistic and profound sense. This blessing is not narrowly limited to material gain but expansively includes spiritual flourishing, emotional peace, physical protection, relational harmony, and a deep alignment with God's benevolent and sovereign will. It implies a profound state of being divinely favored, sustained, and actively cared for by the omnipotent Creator of all things.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Psalms 115:15 finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment, as well as its richest meaning, in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "LORD which made heaven and earth" is revealed in the New Testament as the triune God, with Christ Himself being the active and pre-existent agent of creation. As John 1:3 unequivocally declares, "All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made." Similarly, Colossians 1:16 powerfully affirms that "by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible... all things were created by him, and for him." Therefore, the comprehensive blessing proclaimed in Psalms 115:15 flows directly and eternally from the very One who is the Creator, Sustainer, and Redeemer of all—Jesus Christ. In Him, believers are not merely blessed by a distant or abstract deity, but are spiritually blessed "with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). He is the ultimate source, mediator, and embodiment of God's favor, and through His perfect life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection, we are brought into a new and eternal covenant relationship. In Christ, we are truly "blessed" as adopted children of the living God, co-heirs of eternal life, and recipients of His abundant and overflowing grace, as promised by Jesus Himself when He declared, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10).