The Meaning of Psalms 115:3 Explained

Psalms 115:3

KJV: But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

YLT: And our God is in the heavens, All that He hath pleased He hath done.

Darby: But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he pleased.

ASV: But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever he pleased.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

But our God  [is] in the heavens:  he hath done  whatsoever he hath pleased. 

What does Psalms 115:3 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 115:3 mean?

but our God [is] in heaven all whatever He pleases He does
וֵֽאלֹהֵ֥ינוּ בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם כֹּ֭ל אֲשֶׁר־ חָפֵ֣ץ עָשָֽׂה

וֵֽאלֹהֵ֥ינוּ  but  our  God  [is] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
בַשָּׁמָ֑יִם  in  heaven 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: שָׁמַיִם  
Sense: heaven, heavens, sky.
אֲשֶׁר־  whatever 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
חָפֵ֣ץ  He  pleases 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָפֵץ 
Sense: to delight in, take pleasure in, desire, be pleased with.
עָשָֽׂה  He  does 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.