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Christian prayer

Psalm 115

Psalm 115 in its original text and with its meaning, a biblical prayer of praise and trust in God.

  • 18 verses
  • About 1 minute to recite
  • From the Bible

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  1. 1

    לֹ֤א לָ֥נוּ יְהוָ֗ה לֹ֫א לָ֥נוּ כִּֽי־לְ֭שִׁמְךָ תֵּ֣ן כָּב֑וֹד עַל־חַ֝סְדְּךָ֗ עַל־אֲמִתֶּֽךָ׃

    Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

  2. 2

    לָ֭מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אַיֵּה־נָ֝֗א אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃

    Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

  3. 3

    וֵֽאלֹהֵ֥ינוּ בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֭ל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵ֣ץ עָשָֽׂה׃

    But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

  4. 4

    עֲֽ֭צַבֵּיהֶם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃

    Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

  5. 5

    פֶּֽה־לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ עֵינַ֥יִם לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֽוּ׃

    They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:

  6. 6

    אָזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ אַ֥ף לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יְרִיחֽוּן׃

    They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:

  7. 7

    יְדֵיהֶ֤ם ׀ וְלֹ֬א יְמִישׁ֗וּן רַ֭גְלֵיהֶם וְלֹ֣א יְהַלֵּ֑כוּ לֹֽא־יֶ֝הְגּ֗וּ בִּגְרוֹנָֽם׃

    They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.

  8. 8

    כְּ֭מוֹהֶם יִהְי֣וּ עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כֹּ֭ל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵ֣חַ בָּהֶֽם׃

    They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

  9. 9

    יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בְּטַ֣ח בַּיהוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃

    O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

  10. 10

    בֵּ֣ית אַ֭הֲרֹן בִּטְח֣וּ בַיהוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃

    O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

  11. 11

    יִרְאֵ֣י יְ֭הוָה בִּטְח֣וּ בַיהוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃

    Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.

  12. 12

    יְהוָה֮ זְכָרָ֪נוּ יְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ יְ֭בָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְ֝בָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אַהֲרֹֽן׃

    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. 13

    יְ֭בָרֵךְ יִרְאֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה הַ֝קְּטַנִּ֗ים עִם־הַגְּדֹלִֽים׃

    He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.

  14. 14

    יֹסֵ֣ף יְהוָ֣ה עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם וְעַל־בְּנֵיכֶֽם׃

    The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

  15. 15

    בְּרוּכִ֣ים אַ֭תֶּם לַיהוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃

    Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.

  16. 16

    הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם שָׁ֭מַיִם לַיהוָ֑ה וְ֝הָאָ֗רֶץ נָתַ֥ן לִבְנֵי־אָדָֽם׃

    The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.

  17. 17

    לֹ֣א הַ֭מֵּתִים יְהַֽלְלוּ־יָ֑הּ וְ֝לֹ֗א כָּל־יֹרְדֵ֥י דוּמָֽה׃

    The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.

  18. 18

    וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ ׀ נְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ יָ֗הּ מֵֽעַתָּ֥ה וְעַד־עוֹלָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃

    But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

Wording: The Holy Bible, King James Version, 1611 (standard text of 1769). Copied word for word from the edition named here

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When it is prayed

Many Christians recite Psalm 115 during worship or personal prayer, especially when giving thanks or renewing their trust in God. In the Christian tradition, its opening words encourage humility by directing glory to God rather than to ourselves.

  • Worship
  • Thanksgiving
  • Personal prayer
  • Renewing trust

Where it comes from

Psalm 115 comes from the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament of the Bible. It belongs to the worship tradition of ancient Israel, and no author is named in the psalm. It contrasts lifeless idols with the living God and calls God's people to trust and praise him.

In the libraryThe King James Version of the BibleSee the book

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Questions about Psalm 115

How many verses are in Psalm 115?

Psalm 115 has 18 verses.

What is Psalm 115 about?

It gives glory to God rather than to human beings, contrasts God with idols, and calls the faithful to trust in him. It closes with a commitment to praise the Lord.

How long does it take to recite?

Allow about 1 minute to recite Psalm 115, depending on your pace.

Who wrote Psalm 115?

The psalm does not name its author. It comes from the ancient Israelite tradition preserved in the Bible's Book of Psalms.

What language was Psalm 115 written in?

Psalm 115 was written in Hebrew, the original language of most of the Old Testament.

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