Psalms 115:2

The Holy Bible, Berean Study Bible

Contextual Overview

¹Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name be the glory, because of Your loving devotion, because of Your faithfulness. ²Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?"³Our God is in heaven and He does as He pleases. ⁴Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. ⁵They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; ⁶they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell; ⁷they have hands, but cannot feel; they have feet, but cannot walk. They cannot even clear their throats. ⁸Those who make them will be like them, as will all who trust in them.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Psalms 42:3, Psalms 42:10, Psalms 79:10, Exodus 32:12, Numbers 14:15, Numbers 14:16, Deuteronomy 32:26, Deuteronomy 32:27, 2 Kings 19:10-19, Joel 2:17

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 9:28 - Because 1 Kings 20:22 - at the return 2 Kings 2:14 - Where is 1 Chronicles 16:28 - glory Psalms 65:1 - Praise Isaiah 33:5 - The Lord Isaiah 36:18 - Hath Ezekiel 36:22 - General Daniel 9:19 - thine Micah 7:10 - Where

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore should the Heathen say,.... The nations about Israel, the nations of the world; the Gentiles in any age; the Papists in ours, sometimes called the Heathen, Psalms 10:16. The church expostulates with the Lord why those should be suffered to say, in a reproachful, insulting, manner, and by way of triumph,

where is now their God? that they have boasted of would help them; in whom they have put their trust and confidence; why does not he help them, as he has promised, and they expect? Thus the church suggests, that if the Lord did not appear for them, his own glory lay at stake. Such language is generally used by their enemies, when the people of God were in any distress; see Psalms 42:10.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Wherefore should the heathen say - The nations; they who worshipped idols, and who claimed that those idols were true gods. Why should we, thy people, be so left, so forsaken, so afflicted, as to lead these idolaters to suppose that we worship a false God, or that the God whom we adore is destitute of power or faithfulness; either that he does not exist, or that he cannot be relied on. It is evident that they were now in circumstances which would give some plausibility to the question here asked.

Where is now their God? - They seem to be forsaken. God, the God whom they worship, does not come forth for their defense. If he exists at all, he is destitute of power, or he is not true to the people who worship him, and he cannot be trusted. Compare Psalms 42:3, note; Psalms 42:10, note; Psalms 79:10, note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 115:2. Wherefore should the heathen say — This appears to refer to a time in which the Israelites had suffered some sad reverses, so as to be brought very low, and to be marked by the heathen.