Psalms 115

1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your mercy, and for your truth’s sake.

Yahweh, people should praise [only] you [MTY]; they must praise you, not us, because you faithfully love us and always do what you have promised to do.

2 Why should the heathen say, Where is now their God?

It is not right that [RHQ] [other] people-groups should say about us, “[They claim that] their God [is very powerful], but [if that is true], why does he not [help them]?”

3 But our God is in the heavens: he has done whatever he has pleased.

Our God is in heaven, and he does whatever he wants to!

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

[But] their idols are only [statues made of] silver and gold, things that humans have made.

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

Their idols have mouths, but they cannot say [anything]; they have eyes, but they cannot see [anything].

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

They have ears, but they cannot hear [anything]; they have noses, but they cannot smell [anything].

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

They have hands, but they cannot feel [anything]; they have feet, but they cannot walk, and they have throats but cannot [even] make any sounds!

8 They that make them are like to them; so is every one that trusts in them.

The people who make those idols are [as powerless] as those idols, and those who trust in those idols [can accomplish nothing], just like their idols!

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

You, [my fellow] Israeli people, trust in Yahweh! He is the one who helps you and [protects you like] [MET] a shield.

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

You priests [MTY], trust in Yahweh! He is the one who helps you and [protects you like] [MET] a shield.

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

[All] you who revere Yahweh, trust in him! He is the one who helps you and [protects you like] [MET] a shield.

12 The LORD has been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.

Yahweh has not forgotten us; he will bless us Israeli people [MTY]! He will bless the priests,

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

and he will bless [all] those who revere him; he will bless important [people] and people [who are considered to be] unimportant, [everyone!]

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

I desire that Yahweh will give many children to you [my fellow-Israeli people], and to your descendants.

15 You are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.

I desire that Yahweh, the one who made heaven and the earth, will bless [all of] you!

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

The [highest] heavens belong to Yahweh, but he gave [everything that is on] the earth to [us] people.

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

Dead [people] are not [able to] praise Yahweh; when they descend into the place where dead people are, they are unable to speak and cannot praise him.

18 But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for ever more. Praise the LORD.

But we [who are alive] will thank/praise him, now and forever. Praise Yahweh!