Psalm 115

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This article is about Psalm 115 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalms 114–115 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 116.
Psalm 115
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory"
Statue in Winiary, Pińczów County, Poland, with an inscription from Psalm 115:1
Other name
LanguageHebrew (original)
Psalm 115
BookBook of Psalms
Hebrew Bible partKetuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
CategorySifrei Emet
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part19

Psalm 115 is the 115th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory". It is part of the Egyptian Hallel sequence in the fifth division of the Book of Psalms.

In the slightly different numbering system in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible, this psalm forms the second part of Psalm 113, counted as verses 9–26 of Psalm 113, verses 1–8 being Psalm 114 in Hebrew numbering.[1] In Latin, that part is known as "Non nobis".[2]

According to Alexander Kirkpatrick, this psalm "was probably composed for use in the [Second] Temple services after the Return from Babylon", perhaps when the first flush of enthusiasm had died away, and the little community in Jerusalem realised how contemptibly weak it was in the eyes of its neighbours".[3]

The beginning has been used for inscriptions on buildings, such as the Ca' Vendramin Calergi. Verse 16, "The earth has been given to the children of men", among others, motivated John McConnell to create Earth Day.

Psalm 115 is used as a regular part of Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and various Protestant liturgies. It has often been set to music, such as a setting in German by Heinrich Schütz for three four-part choirs of voices and instruments, and Bach's early wedding cantata Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 196. During the Romantic period, Felix Mendelssohn set the psalm in German, Gustav Holst in English, and Albert Kellermann in Hebrew.

Text[edit]

Hebrew[edit]

The following table shows the Hebrew text[4][5] of the Psalm with vowels alongside an English translation based upon the JPS 1917 translation (now in the public domain).

Verse Hebrew English translation (JPS 1917)
1 לֹ֤א לָ֥נוּ יְהֹוָ֗ה 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 לָ֭מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אַיֵּה־נָ֝֗א אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃‎ Wherefore should the nations say: 'Where is now their God?'
3 וֵאלֹהֵ֥ינוּ בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־חָפֵ֣ץ עָשָֽׂה׃‎ But our God is in the heavens; Whatsoever pleased Him He hath done.
4 עֲֽ֭צַבֵּיהֶם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃‎ Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men's hands.
5 פֶּֽה־לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יְדַבֵּ֑רוּ עֵינַ֥יִם לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יִרְאֽוּ׃‎ They have mouths, but they speak not; Eyes have they, but they see not;
6 אׇזְנַ֣יִם לָ֭הֶם וְלֹ֣א יִשְׁמָ֑עוּ אַ֥ף לָ֝הֶ֗ם וְלֹ֣א יְרִיחֽוּן׃‎ They have ears, but they hear not; Noses have they, but they smell not;
7 יְדֵיהֶ֤ם ׀ וְלֹ֬א יְמִישׁ֗וּן רַ֭גְלֵיהֶם וְלֹ֣א יְהַלֵּ֑כוּ לֹא־יֶ֝הְגּ֗וּ בִּגְרוֹנָֽם׃‎ They have hands, but they handle not; Feet have they, but they walk not; Neither speak they with their throat. .
8 כְּ֭מוֹהֶם יִהְי֣וּ עֹשֵׂיהֶ֑ם כֹּ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־בֹּטֵ֣חַ בָּהֶֽם׃‎ They that make them shall be like unto them; Yea, every one that trusteth in them.
9 יִ֭שְׂרָאֵל בְּטַ֣ח בַּיהֹוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃‎ O Israel, trust thou in the LORD! He is their help and their shield!
10 בֵּ֣ית אַ֭הֲרֹן בִּטְח֣וּ בַיהֹוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃‎ O house of Aaron, trust ye in the LORD! He is their help and their shield!
11 יִרְאֵ֣י יְ֭הֹוָה בִּטְח֣וּ בַיהֹוָ֑ה עֶזְרָ֖ם וּמָגִנָּ֣ם הֽוּא׃‎ Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.
12 יְהֹוָה֮ זְכָרָ֢נוּ יְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ יְ֭בָרֵךְ אֶת־בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְ֝בָרֵ֗ךְ אֶת־בֵּ֥ית אַהֲרֹֽן׃‎ The LORD hath been mindful of us, He will bless— He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.
13 יְ֭בָרֵךְ יִרְאֵ֣י יְהֹוָ֑ה הַ֝קְּטַנִּ֗ים עִם־הַגְּדֹלִֽים׃‎ He will bless them that fear the LORD, Both small and great.
14 יֹסֵ֣ף יְהֹוָ֣ה עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם עֲ֝לֵיכֶ֗ם וְעַל־בְּנֵיכֶֽם׃‎ The LORD increase you more and more, You and your children.
15 בְּרוּכִ֣ים אַ֭תֶּם לַיהֹוָ֑ה עֹ֝שֵׂ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם וָאָֽרֶץ׃‎ Blessed be ye of the LORD Who made heaven and earth.
16 הַשָּׁמַ֣יִם שָׁ֭מַיִם לַיהֹוָ֑ה וְ֝הָאָ֗רֶץ נָתַ֥ן לִבְנֵי־אָדָֽם׃‎ The heavens are the heavens of the LORD; But the earth hath He given to the children of men.
17 לֹ֣א הַ֭מֵּתִים יְהַֽלְלוּ־יָ֑הּ וְ֝לֹ֗א כׇּל־יֹרְדֵ֥י דוּמָֽה׃‎ The dead praise not the LORD, Neither any that go down into silence;
18 וַאֲנַ֤חְנוּ ׀ נְבָ֘רֵ֤ךְ יָ֗הּ מֵעַתָּ֥ה וְעַד־עוֹלָ֗ם הַֽלְלוּ־יָֽהּ׃‎ But we will bless the LORD From this time forth and for ever. Hallelujah.

Latin Bible version[edit]

Following is the Latin text of Psalm 115 (113b):[6]

Verse Latin
1 Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam super misericordia tua et veritate tua.
2 Quare dicent gentes: “Ubi est Deus eorum?”.
3 Deus autem noster in caelo; omnia, quaecumque voluit, fecit.
4 Simulacra gentium argentum et aurum, opera manuum hominum.
5 Os habent et non loquentur, oculos habent et non videbunt.
6 Aures habent et non audient, nares habent et non odorabunt.
7 Manus habent et non palpabunt, pedes habent et non ambulabunt; non clamabunt in gutture suo.
8 Similes illis erunt, qui faciunt ea, et omnes, qui confidunt in eis.
9 Domus Israel speravit in Domino: adiutorium eorum et scutum eorum est.
10 Domus Aaron speravit in Domino: adiutorium eorum et scutum eorum est.
11 Qui timent Dominum, speraverunt in Domino: adiutorium eorum et scutum eorum est.
12 Dominus memor fuit nostri et benedicet nobis: benedicet domui Israel, benedicet domui Aaron,
13 benedicet omnibus, qui timent Dominum, pusillis cum maioribus.
14 Adiciat Dominus super vos, super vos et super filios vestros.
15 Benedicti vos a Domino, qui fecit caelum et terram.
16 Caeli, caeli sunt Domino, terram autem dedit filiis hominum.
17 Non mortui laudabunt te, Domine, neque omnes, qui descendunt in silentium,
18 sed nos, qui vivimus, benedicimus Domino ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum.

King James Version[edit]

  1. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
  2. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
  3. But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
  4. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
  5. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
  6. They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
  7. They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
  8. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
  9. O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
  10. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
  11. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
  12. 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. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.
  14. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
  15. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.
  16. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
  17. The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
  18. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

Uses[edit]

In Judaism[edit]

Psalm 115 is one of six psalms (113–118) of which Hallel is composed. On all days when Hallel is recited, this psalm is recited in its entirety, except on Rosh Chodesh and the last six days of Passover, when only verses 1–11 are recited.[7] Verse 18 is the final verse of Ashrei.[8] It is also recited by some Jews following Psalm 126 preceding Birkat Hamazon.[9]

In Christianity[edit]

The Latin hymn "Non nobis" is based on Psalm 115. Several clergymen chose the beginning for their motto as an expression of humility, including the Italian archbishop Giuseppe Siri[10] and the Filipino archbishop José S. Palma.[11] The first verse in Latin, "Non Nobis Domine" became the motto of the Knights Templar.[12][13]

Other uses[edit]

The beginning has been used for inscriptions on buildings, notably the Venetian Ca' Vendramin Calergi which is even known by the Latin "Non Nobis Domine".[14] Psalm 113 in the Vulgate numbering is said to have been used as a memorial and thanksgiving by Henry V after the Battle of Agincourt:

The king … gathering his armie togither, gaue thanks to almightie God for so happie a victorie; causing his prelats and chapleins to sing this psalme: ‘In exitu Israel de Aegypto’: and commanded euerie man to kneele downe on the ground at this verse: ‘Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam’.[15]

John McConnell with an Earth flag he created, in 2008

Verse 16, "The earth has been given to the children of men", has been quoted by peace activist John McConnell as an inspiration to create Earth Day, as a call to preserve the Earth and share resources.[16]

Music[edit]

In his collection Psalmen Davids of psalms, hymns and motets, Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 115 in German "Nicht uns, Herr", for three four-part choirs of voices and instruments, SWV 43.[17] Schütz also set a metric poem for the Becker Psalter, "Nicht uns, nicht uns, Herr, lieber Gott", SWV 213.[18]

Johann Sebastian Bach based his early wedding cantata Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 196, on verses 12 to 15 of Psalm 115 which speak of God's blessing especially for families.[19]

Joseph Haydn wrote a four-part setting of the first verse in Latin for choir a cappella as an offertory hymn, published by Carus in 2009.[20] In 1835, Felix Mendelssohn set Psalm 115 in German, Nicht unserm Namen, Herr, Op. 31, for soprano solo, SATB choir and orchestra.[21] Gustav Holst wrote a setting in English, "Not Unto Us, O Lord", for mixed chorus and organ or piano in the 1890s.[22]

Albert Kellermann included Psalm 115 in a collection of Sechs liturgische Psalmen (6 liturgical psalms) in 1913, setting them in Hebrew for choir, soloists and organ.[23] When Siegfried Matthus wrote the libretto to his opera Judith, based on Friedrich Hebbel's Judith and premiered in 1985, he included verses from the Old Testament including Psalm 115.[24] Gerald Cohen set the psalm in Hebrew for SATB chorus and piano in 1987.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ See, for example, Psalm 113 in the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
  2. ^ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 113 (115) Archived 2017-05-07 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
  3. ^ Kirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 115, accessed 22 May 2022
  4. ^ "Psalms – Chapter 115". Mechon Mamre.
  5. ^ "Psalms 115 - JPS 1917". Sefaria.org.
  6. ^ "LIBER V (Psalmi 107-150)". Vatican City.
  7. ^ Scherman, Zlotowitz (2003). The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 635.
  8. ^ The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 68
  9. ^ The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 183
  10. ^ Spiazzi, Raimondo: Il Cardinale Giuseppe Siri, Arcivescovo di Genova dal 1946 al 1987: la vita, l'insegnamento, l'eredità spirituale, le memorie (in Italian) Edizioni Studio Domenicano. 1990. p. 260. ISBN 978-8-87-094018-3
  11. ^ Mayol, Ador Vincent S.: Book on Palma "a personal, Church narrative of faith" Cebu Daily News. 13 September 2015
  12. ^ Associazione Cattolici d'Italia, Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam, templarstoday.org, accessed 22 May 2022
  13. ^ Non Nobis Domine knightstemplar-wales.org
  14. ^ Ca' Vendramin Calergi and the Wagner Museum: a symphony on the Grand Canal visitvenezia.eu
  15. ^ Holinshed, quoted by Verity in Henry V, p. 227 and in Kirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 115, accessed 22 May 2022
  16. ^ Swoboda, J. A., ed. (2014). Blood Cries Out: Pentecostals, Ecology, and the Groans of Creation. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-62-564462-6.
  17. ^ Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, Op.2 (Schütz, Heinrich): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  18. ^ Veen, Johan van: Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672) / Complete Works – Volume 15 / Becker-Psalter, Op. 5 musicweb-international.com November 2017
  19. ^ Dellal, Pamela. "Bach Cantata BWV 196 – Translation". www.emmanuelmusic.org.
  20. ^ Non nobis Domine Carus-Verlag 2009
  21. ^ Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke (MWV) von Ralf Wehner Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  22. ^ Gibbs, Alan (15 April 2020). "Not unto us O Lord" (PDF). Holst Newsletter (15). The Holst Society: 2. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  23. ^ Sechs liturgische Psalmen (Kellermann, Albert): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  24. ^ Neef, Sigrid: Judith. In: Deutsche Oper im 20. Jahrhundert – DDR 1949–1989. (in German) Lang, Berlin 1992, ISBN 3-86032-011-4, pp. 350–359.
  25. ^ Compositions for chorus, with or without instrumental accompaniment geraldcohenmusic.com

Bibliography[edit]

External links[edit]

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