The Meaning of Psalms 115:12 Explained

Psalms 115:12

KJV: 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.

YLT: Jehovah hath remembered us, He blesseth, He blesseth the house of Israel, He blesseth the house of Aaron,

Darby: Jehovah hath been mindful of us: he will bless, he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron;

ASV: Jehovah hath been mindful of us; he will bless us : He will bless the house of Israel; He will bless the house of Aaron.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Psalms 115:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalm 115:1-18 - Powerless Idols Our Powerful God
Evidently this psalm was intended to be sung by various voices: Psalms 115:1-8 by the whole congregation in unison, while the sacrifice was being offered; Psalms 115:9-11, by a solo voice giving the first line of each couplet, the whole audience chanting the refrain; Psalms 115:12-15, by the priest as a benediction; Psalms 115:16-18, by the whole congregation, which now breaks into glad hallelujahs.
It was composed during the early days of the return from Babylon, when the small groups of settlers were surrounded by the jeers and scoffs of their enemies. This was their reply, as they brought out the scathing contrast between the idols of their neighbors and the majesty of Jehovah. We are reminded of Isaiah's description of an idol factory. The idols had outward semblance and no power. Jehovah had no outward semblance, but all power. Let us take to heart the threefold invitation to faith in Psalms 115:9-11, and reckon on God as our help in the battle and our shield against our foes. The smallest may get his blessing as well as the greatest, Psalms 115:13. We can never impose a strain on the resources of God, however great our demands. [source]

Chapter Summary: Psalm 115

1  Because God is truly glorious
4  And idols are vanity
9  He exhorts to confidence in God
12  God is to be blessed for his blessing

What do the individual words in Psalms 115:12 mean?

Yahweh has been mindful of [us] He will bless us He will bless - the house of Israel He will bless of Aaron
יְהוָה֮ זְכָרָ֪נוּ יְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ יְ֭בָרֵךְ אֶת־ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְ֝בָרֵ֗ךְ אַהֲרֹֽן

יְהוָה֮  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
זְכָרָ֪נוּ  has  been  mindful  of  [us] 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: זָכַר 
Sense: to remember, recall, call to mind.
יְבָ֫רֵ֥ךְ  He  will  bless  us 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
יְ֭בָרֵךְ  He  will  bless 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בֵּ֣ית  the  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
יְ֝בָרֵ֗ךְ  He  will  bless 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בָּרַךְ 
Sense: to bless, kneel.
אַהֲרֹֽן  of  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.