Psalms in Poetic Form: PSALM 115

Click here to read PSALM 115 in poetic form.

Background

Psalm 115 is in the Deuteronomy Book of the Psalms (Psalms 107-150). These 44 Psalms, like the Book of Deuteronomy in the Old Testament, show God’s Word as the source of salvation, deliverance, and healing. This would be fully carried out in the life of the coming Messiah, the living Word, Jesus Christ. Psalm 115 declares the blessings to those who trust in the Lord, and not in idols.

Psalm 115 is the third of six “Hallel” (praise) Psalms (113-118). They were an important part of the Passover meal ceremony. Psalms 113 and 114 were sung before the meal after two cups of wine had been drunk. Then Psalms 115-118 were sung.

Structure

(Verse 1) Not praise to us, but to the Lord’s name for His mercy and truth

(Verses 2,3) The heathen doesn’t trust in the Lord (Who is in the heavens)

(Verses 4-8) The heathen trusts in idols (made with men’s hands)

(Verses 9-11) Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear the Lord should trust in the Lord

(Verses 12-16) The Lord (Who is in the heavens) will bless Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear the Lord

(Verses 17,18) No praise from the dead, but we will bless and praise the Lord

Key Scriptures

Verse 3—“But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” Our God is all powerful and able to meet our needs in every way. When we make His will our will (as His Son, Jesus Christ, always did), we will see Him come through for us. Our focus should be on what “he hath pleased,” as Psalm 19:14 declares. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”

Verses 4-7—This description of dead idols, who have no senses perception, is also found in Psalm 135. It is also used of senseless and spiritually insensitive people in Jeremiah 5 and Ezekiel 12. Jesus quoted a similar truth, regarding Israel’s spiritual deafness and blindness, from Isaiah 6:9: “And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not” (see Matthew 13:13-17; John 12:40). The Apostle Paul also quoted this truth from Isaiah in Acts 28:47, when he taught “those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.” The true God is the living God. The term “living God” is used in contrast to dead idols (see notes on Psalm 42 for more details on the “living God”).

Verse 17— “The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.” The Bible consistently teaches that all who have died are in the grave, with the exception of Jesus Christ, whom God raised from the dead. Psalms 6:5: “For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?” Psalms 88:11: “Shall thy lovingkindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction?”  Ecclesiastes 9:10: “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.”

Jesus Christ knew and taught that those who were dead had no conscious thought and would not be alive again until the resurrection (Matthew 22:31,32; Mark 12:26,27). Yet he had the great hope of being raised from dead just as Jonah was raised from death after three days and nights (Matthew 12:40). Psalms 16:8-11 also gave Jesus Christ hope, and that joyful hope is what gave him the strength to endure (Hebrews 12:2).

FOR FURTHER STUDY

All 150 of The Psalms in Poetic Form are available from Amazon in a book, either Large Print or a smaller Bedside Reader. Also available for free with a Kindle Unlimited membership. Enjoy!

The entire blog series is now available in the publication The Psalms: Background & Structure with Key Scriptures Explained.