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Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

Psalms 115:17,18

The connection of these verses with the rest of the psalm is far from plain. Why the psalmist should suddenly be struck with the dreadful thought that death broke the covenant relationship, and silenced prayer and praise, is not easy to see. Was the psalm first chanted after some victory? and was this suggested by the sight of the slain, who, though they had helped to win the triumph, could yet have no share in the praises that were ascending to Jehovah?

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See also Psalms 115:17,18 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Psalms 115:17. _THE DEAD PRAISE NOT THE LORD_] המתים _hammethim_, those dead men who worshipped as gods dumb idols, dying in their sins, worship not Jehovah; nor can any of those who _go down in...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THE DEAD PRAISE NOT THE LORD - The meaning of this is, that as those who are dead cannot praise God, or cannot worship him, this should be done while we are in the land of the living. This opportunity...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    Psalms 115 Who Their God is? _ 1. Israel's God (Psalms 115:1)_ 2. In Contrast with Idols (Psalms 115:4) 3. O Israel Trust in the Lord ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    CXV. THE BLINDNESS OF IDOLATRY AND THE VIRTUE OF UTTER TRUST IN YAHWEH. Psalms 115:2 f. An invisible god was unintelligible to the average heathen; he believed that the god was specially present in t...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    THE LORD. Hebrew Jah. App-4....

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    THE DEAD PRAISE NOT THE LORD— See on Psalms 6:5. REFLECTIONS.—1st, The Psalmist here, 1. Bids the people of God ascribe not to themselves, but to Jehovah, the glory of their salvation, as derived fro...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    PSALMS 115 DESCRIPTIVE TITLE Not for Her Own Glory but for His, Israel moves herself to trust in Jehovah to Shew his Superiority over Idols. ANALYSIS Stanza I., Psalms 115:1-3, Introductory appeal...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. THE DEAD PRAISE NOT THE LORD, NEITHER ANY THAT GO DOWN INTO SILENCE - not denying that God can receive praise from disembodied s...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    115:17 Jah, (a-5) See Psalms 68:4 ....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    In LXX 114, 115 are one Ps., while 116 is divided into two. Apparently Psalms 115 was written to be sung antiphonally: cp. the responses in Psalms 115:9; Psalms 115:11—the first eight and the last thr...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    SILENCE] i.e. Sheol, where there is no communion with God....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Psalms 107:150 _GORDON CHURCHYARD_ THERE IS ONLY ONE TRUE GOD PSALMS 115 Jesus said, "Pray like this: Our Father, you are in *heaven. Your name is special. You are king (over everyone). What you...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    לֹ֣א הַ֭ מֵּתִים יְהַֽלְלוּ ־יָ֑הּ וְ֝ לֹ֗א

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    Psalms 115:1 ISRAEL is in straits from heathen enemies, and cries to Jehovah to vindicate His own Name by delivering it. Strengthened by faith, which has been stung into action by taunts aimed at both...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    POWERLESS IDOLS; OUR POWERFUL GOD Psalms 115:1 Evidently this psalm was intended to be sung by various voices: Psalms 115:1 by the whole congregation in unison, while the sacrifice was being offered;...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    This third psalm in the Hallel is born of passion for the glory of the name of Jehovah. That is its opening note, and all that follows must be explained thereby. The singer's distress is heard in the...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that (l) go down into silence. (l) Though the dead set forth God's glory, yet he means here, that they praise him not in his Church and congregation....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Here is a striking contrast between the dead and the living. And why may we not interpret it as the real state of the case between the dead in trespasses and sins, and the living soul in Christ? There...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    17_O God! the dead shall not praise thee _In these words the prophet goes on to beseech God to show himself propitious towards his Church, were there no other object to be gained than the preventing m...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    Psalms 115 gives the true and full ground of this deliverance as seen in the heart of faith. It is not that they, but that Jehovah may be praised, specially in His mercy, and then His faithfulness to...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    THE DEAD PRAISE NOT THE LORD,.... Not the dead in sin; such as the makers of idols, and those that trust in them, who are like unto them; men must be made spiritually alive, ere they can show forth th...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. Ver. 17. _The dead praise not_] Therefore be active for God while we are upon earth; where for this he giveth us life and liveliho...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _The dead praise not the Lord_ See note on Psalms 6:5. _Neither any that go into silence_ Into the place of silence, the grave. _But we will bless the Lord_ But we hope for better things; that, notwit...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    VINDICATION OF GOD'S GLORY OVER AGAINST THE IDOLS. This psalm may have been a cry of Israel for the assistance of the Lord in the face of invading enemies, who placed their confidence in their heathe...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence, into the realm of the dead; for then, for a season, their mouth is stilled, they are no longer physically able to join in the prais...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    9-18 It is folly to trust in dead images, but it is wisdom to trust in the living God, for he is a help and a shield to those that trust in him. Wherever there is right fear of God, there may be chee...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    THE DEAD; such as we shall suddenly be, if thou dost not succour us. INTO SILENCE; into the place of silence, the grave....

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Psalms 115:17 dead H4191 (H8801) praise H1984 (H8762) LORD H3050 down H3381 (H8802) silence H1745...

  • Scofield's Bible Commentary

    DEAD (_ See Scofield) - (Ecclesiastes 9:10). _...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Psalms 115:1. _Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God? But our God is in the...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    This is one of the Psalms, which were sung by the Jews at the feast of the Passover. It is highly probable that they were sung by our Lord on that memorable night when he instituted the sacred feast w...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Indignation against the makers and worshippers of idols and exhortation to trust in God. CHARACTERS: God, house of Aaron, Psalmist. CONCLUSION: The creatures of men's vain imaginations and...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Whether this psalm was written after some victory, or after the removal of any calamity which had caused the heathen to boast, is not certain. But blessings of this kind, though they justly demand pra...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto Thy name give glory._ GENUINE RELIGIOUS CONSCIOUSNESS I. A consciousness of God’s greatness leading to a contempt for all idols. 1. The majesty of God. ...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence._ But we will bless the Lord. LIVING PRAISE The living God should be adored by a living people. A blessing God should be blessed...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 115:1. This is a hymn urging God’s people to trust and worship the Lord alone. He alone is worthy of their deepest loyalty. There is always the temptation to turn to the god...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    PSALM—NOTE ON PSALMS 115:17 THE DEAD DO NOT PRAISE THE LORD. See notes on 6:5 and 88:10–12....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    INTRODUCTION 1. Date and authorship uncertain. Has been ascribed to the immediate post _exilie_ psalmists, and to the poets of the time of the Maccabees. 2. Characteristics. Allusion to or quotation...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION A LITURGICAL psalm, in which a divided choir, together with a leader—a priest or precentor—take separate parts. The occasion is one of danger (Psalms 115:2), but, at the same time, of confi...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but to thy name give glory (Psalms 115:1), Here again we have the same idea. Don't reverend me. "Not unto us, Lord, not unto us, but to Thy name." Let there be ascri...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Samuel 2:9; Isaiah 38:18; Isaiah 38:19; Psalms 30:9; Psalms 31:17;...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Silence — Into the place of silence, the grave....

  • When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties, Norman L. Geisler and Thomas Howe, 1960

    Can the dead praise God or are they unconscious? (See comments on Ecclesiastes 9:5 and 2 Kings 14:29)...

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