The Meaning of Psalms 115:1 Explained

Psalms 115:1

KJV: Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.

YLT: Not to us, O Jehovah, not to us, But to Thy name give honour, For Thy kindness, for Thy truth.

Darby: Not unto us, O Jehovah, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth's sake.

ASV: Not unto us, O Jehovah, not unto us, But unto thy name give glory, For thy lovingkindness, and for thy truth's sake.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Not unto us, O LORD,  not unto us, but unto thy name  give  glory,  for thy mercy,  [and] for thy truth's  sake. 

What does Psalms 115:1 Mean?

Context Summary

Psalms 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: Psalms 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 115:1 mean?

Not unto us Yahweh but to Your name give glory because of Your mercy of Your truth
לֹ֤א לָ֥נוּ יְהוָ֗ה כִּֽי־ לְ֭שִׁמְךָ תֵּ֣ן כָּב֑וֹד עַל־ חַ֝סְדְּךָ֗ אֲמִתֶּֽךָ

לָ֥נוּ  unto  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
יְהוָ֗ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
לְ֭שִׁמְךָ  to  Your  name 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: שֵׁם  
Sense: name.
תֵּ֣ן  give 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יָתַן 
Sense: to give, put, set.
כָּב֑וֹד  glory 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כָּבֹוד  
Sense: glory, honour, glorious, abundance.
עַל־  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
חַ֝סְדְּךָ֗  of  Your  mercy 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֶסֶד 
Sense: goodness, kindness, faithfulness.
אֲמִתֶּֽךָ  of  Your  truth 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱמֶת  
Sense: firmness, faithfulness, truth.