1Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness.
2Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
3Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.
Not to Us
Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness. Psalm 115:1 · Berean Standard Bible
The psalmist begins by redirecting all credit away from Israel and toward God's name, asking that He receive glory for His faithful love that never fails.
This is a corporate psalm—Israel is facing a crisis of faith where their enemies are mocking them, making them question God's power. The opening establishes the remedy: stop defending yourselves and let God's character do the talking.
The community of Israel, likely a worship leader or priest speaking on behalf of the people
This echoes the constant tension throughout Scripture where God's people must choose between self-protection and trust. It's the same posture Abraham took, the same confidence David needed against Goliath—let God be God.
The psalmist refuses to accept personal credit, insisting instead that God alone deserves glory—grounded in His covenantal love (hesed) and unwavering reliability.
Israel faced existential threat, likely during exile or siege when their survival seemed impossible and their enemies mocked their God's apparent absence. The opening negation—'Not to us'—functions as a rhetorical shield against the idolatry of self-glorification that undermines trust in divine providence.
The community psalmist, probably a Levitical guild member, speaking on behalf of Israel's faithful remnant in their darkest hour.
This posture echoes Abraham's refusal of plunder in Genesis 14:22-23 and prefigures Christ's philippic against self-seeking in John 5:41—the pattern whereby God's people subordinate their own vindication to God's honor in the cosmic drama.
1Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness.
2Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
3Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.
Read all of Psalm 115 — Not to us, O Lord, but to Your name give glory. The idols of the nations have mouths but cannot speak. Our God does whatever He pleases.
This page covers one. BibleKey does all 31,102 — tap any verse for its meaning, any word for its Hebrew or Greek root, and keep reading without leaving the chapter.
Not just the famous ones. BibleKey is free on iPhone and iPad.
Download on the App StoreFree on iPhone & iPad