This article is about Psalm 115 in Hebrew (Masoretic) numbering. For Psalms 114–115 in Greek Septuagint or Latin Vulgate numbering, see Psalm 116.
Psalm 115
"Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory"
Statue in Winiary, Pińczów County, Poland, with an inscription from Psalm 115:1
Other name
LanguageHebrew (original)
Psalm 115
BookBook of Psalms
Hebrew Bible partKetuvim
Order in the Hebrew part1
CategorySifrei Emet
Christian Bible partOld Testament
Order in the Christian part19

Psalm 115 is the 115th psalm of the Book of Psalms, beginning in English in the King James Version: "Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory". It is part of the Egyptian Hallel sequence in the fifth division of the Book of Psalms.

In the slightly different numbering system in the Greek Septuagint and the Latin Vulgate version of the Bible, this psalm forms the second part of Psalm 113, counted as verses 9–26 of Psalm 113, verses 1–8 being Psalm 114 in Hebrew numbering.[1] In Latin, that part is known as "Non nobis".[2]

According to Alexander Kirkpatrick, this psalm "was probably composed for use in the [Second] Temple services after the Return from Babylon", perhaps when the first flush of enthusiasm had died away, and the little community in Jerusalem realised how contemptibly weak it was in the eyes of its neighbours".[3]

The beginning has been used for inscriptions on buildings, such as the Ca' Vendramin Calergi. Verse 16, "The earth has been given to the children of men", among others, motivated John McConnell to create Earth Day.

Psalm 115 is used as a regular part of Jewish, Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican and various Protestant liturgies. It has often been set to music, such as a setting in German by Heinrich Schütz for three four-part choirs of voices and instruments, and Bach's early wedding cantata Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 196. During the Romantic period, Felix Mendelssohn set the psalm in German, Gustav Holst in English, and Albert Kellermann in Hebrew.

Text

Hebrew Bible version

Following is the Hebrew text of Psalm 115:[4]

Verse Hebrew
1 .לֹא לָנוּ יְהוָה, לֹא-לָנוּ: כִּי-לְשִׁמְךָ, תֵּן כָּבוֹד--עַל-חַסְדְּךָ, עַל-אֲמִתֶּךָ
2 .לָמָּה, יֹאמְרוּ הַגּוֹיִם: אַיֵּה-נָא, אֱלֹהֵיהֶם
3 .וֵאלֹהֵינוּ בַשָּׁמָיִם-- כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-חָפֵץ עָשָׂה
4 .עֲצַבֵּיהֶם, כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב; מַעֲשֵׂה, יְדֵי אָדָם
5 .פֶּה-לָהֶם, וְלֹא יְדַבֵּרוּ; עֵינַיִם לָהֶם, וְלֹא יִרְאוּ
6 .אָזְנַיִם לָהֶם, וְלֹא יִשְׁמָעוּ; אַף לָהֶם, וְלֹא יְרִיחוּן
7 .יְדֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יְמִישׁוּן--רַגְלֵיהֶם, וְלֹא יְהַלֵּכוּ; לֹא-יֶהְגּוּ, בִּגְרוֹנָם
8 .מוֹהֶם, יִהְיוּ עֹשֵׂיהֶם-- כֹּל אֲשֶׁר-בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֶם
9 .יִשְׂרָאֵל, בְּטַח בַּיהוָה; עֶזְרָם וּמָגִנָּם הוּא
10 .בֵּית אַהֲרֹן, בִּטְחוּ בַיהוָה; עֶזְרָם וּמָגִנָּם הוּא
11 .יִרְאֵי יְהוָה, בִּטְחוּ בַיהוָה; עֶזְרָם וּמָגִנָּם הוּא
12 :יְהוָה, זְכָרָנוּ יְבָרֵךְ

יְבָרֵךְ, אֶת-בֵּית יִשְׂרָאֵל; יְבָרֵךְ, אֶת-בֵּית אַהֲרֹן

13 .יְבָרֵךְ, יִרְאֵי יְהוָה-- הַקְּטַנִּים, עִם-הַגְּדֹלִים
14 .יֹסֵף יְהוָה עֲלֵיכֶם; עֲלֵיכֶם, וְעַל בְּנֵיכֶם
15 .בְּרוּכִים אַתֶּם, לַיהוָה-- עֹשֵׂה, שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ
16 .הַשָּׁמַיִם שָׁמַיִם, לַיהוָה; וְהָאָרֶץ, נָתַן לִבְנֵי-אָדָם
17 .לֹא הַמֵּתִים, יְהַלְלוּ-יָהּ; וְלֹא, כָּל-יֹרְדֵי דוּמָה
18 :וַאֲנַחְנוּ, נְבָרֵךְ יָהּ-- מֵעַתָּה וְעַד-עוֹלָם

.הַלְלוּ-יָהּ

Latin Bible version

Following is the Latin text of Psalm 115 (113b):[5]

Verse Latin
1 Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam super misericordia tua et veritate tua.
2 Quare dicent gentes: “Ubi est Deus eorum?”.
3 Deus autem noster in caelo; omnia, quaecumque voluit, fecit.
4 Simulacra gentium argentum et aurum, opera manuum hominum.
5 Os habent et non loquentur, oculos habent et non videbunt.
6 Aures habent et non audient, nares habent et non odorabunt.
7 Manus habent et non palpabunt, pedes habent et non ambulabunt; non clamabunt in gutture suo.
8 Similes illis erunt, qui faciunt ea, et omnes, qui confidunt in eis.
9 Domus Israel speravit in Domino: adiutorium eorum et scutum eorum est.
10 Domus Aaron speravit in Domino: adiutorium eorum et scutum eorum est.
11 Qui timent Dominum, speraverunt in Domino: adiutorium eorum et scutum eorum est.
12 Dominus memor fuit nostri et benedicet nobis: benedicet domui Israel, benedicet domui Aaron,
13 benedicet omnibus, qui timent Dominum, pusillis cum maioribus.
14 Adiciat Dominus super vos, super vos et super filios vestros.
15 Benedicti vos a Domino, qui fecit caelum et terram.
16 Caeli, caeli sunt Domino, terram autem dedit filiis hominum.
17 Non mortui laudabunt te, Domine, neque omnes, qui descendunt in silentium,
18 sed nos, qui vivimus, benedicimus Domino ex hoc nunc et usque in saeculum.

King James Version

  1. Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, for thy mercy, and for thy truth's sake.
  2. Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is now their God?
  3. But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.
  4. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
  5. They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
  6. They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
  7. They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
  8. They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
  9. O Israel, trust thou in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
  10. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
  11. Ye that fear the LORD, trust in the LORD: he is their help and their shield.
  12. 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.
  13. He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great.
  14. The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
  15. Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth.
  16. The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
  17. The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.
  18. But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD.

Uses

In Judaism

Psalm 115 is one of six psalms (113–118) of which Hallel is composed. On all days when Hallel is recited, this psalm is recited in its entirety, except on Rosh Chodesh and the last six days of Passover, when only verses 1–11 are recited.[6] Verse 18 is the final verse of Ashrei.[7] It is also recited by some Jews following Psalm 126 preceding Birkat Hamazon.[8]

In Christianity

The Latin hymn "Non nobis" is based on Psalm 115. Several clergymen chose the beginning for their motto as an expression of humility, including the Italian archbishop Giuseppe Siri[9] and the Filipino archbishop José S. Palma.[10] The first verse in Latin, "Non Nobis Domine" became the motto of the Knights Templar.[11][12]

Other uses

The beginning has been used for inscriptions on buildings, notably the Venetian Ca' Vendramin Calergi which is even known by the Latin "Non Nobis Domine".[13] Psalm 113 in the Vulgate numbering is said to have been used as a memorial and thanksgiving by Henry V after the Battle of Agincourt:

The king … gathering his armie togither, gaue thanks to almightie God for so happie a victorie; causing his prelats and chapleins to sing this psalme: ‘In exitu Israel de Aegypto’: and commanded euerie man to kneele downe on the ground at this verse: ‘Non nobis, Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam’.[14]

John McConnell with an Earth flag he created, in 2008

Verse 16, "The earth has been given to the children of men", has been quoted by peace activist John McConnell as an inspiration to create Earth Day, as a call to preserve the Earth and share resources.[15]

Music

In his collection Psalmen Davids of psalms, hymns and motets, Heinrich Schütz set Psalm 115 in German "Nicht uns, Herr", for three four-part choirs of voices and instruments, SWV 43.[16] Schütz also set a metric poem for the Becker Psalter, "Nicht uns, nicht uns, Herr, lieber Gott", SWV 213.[17]

Johann Sebastian Bach based his early wedding cantata Der Herr denket an uns, BWV 196, on verses 12 to 15 of Psalm 115 which speak of God's blessing especially for families.[18]

Joseph Haydn wrote a four-part setting of the first verse in Latin for choir a cappella as an offertory hymn, published by Carus in 2009.[19] In 1835, Felix Mendelssohn set Psalm 115 in German, Nicht unserm Namen, Herr, Op. 31, for soprano solo, SATB choir and orchestra.[20] Gustav Holst wrote a setting in English, "Not Unto Us, O Lord", for mixed chorus and organ or piano in the 1890s.[21]

Albert Kellermann included Psalm 115 in a collection of Sechs liturgische Psalmen (6 liturgical psalms) in 1913, setting them in Hebrew for choir, soloists and organ.[22] When Siegfried Matthus wrote the libretto to his opera Judith, based on Friedrich Hebbel's Judith and premiered in 1985, he included verses from the Old Testament including Psalm 115.[23] Gerald Cohen set the psalm in Hebrew for SATB chorus and piano in 1987.[24]

References

  1. ↑ See, for example, Psalm 113 in the Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
  2. ↑ Parallel Latin/English Psalter / Psalmus 113 (115) Archived 2017-05-07 at the Wayback Machine medievalist.net
  3. ↑ Kirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 115, accessed 22 May 2022
  4. ↑ "Psalms Chapter 115 תְּהִלִּים". mechon-mamre.org. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  5. ↑ "LIBER V (Psalmi 107-150)". Vatican City.
  6. ↑ Scherman, Zlotowitz (2003). The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 635.
  7. ↑ The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 68
  8. ↑ The Complete Artscroll Siddur, p. 183
  9. ↑ Spiazzi, Raimondo: Il Cardinale Giuseppe Siri, Arcivescovo di Genova dal 1946 al 1987: la vita, l'insegnamento, l'eredità spirituale, le memorie (in Italian) Edizioni Studio Domenicano. 1990. p. 260. ISBN 978-8-87-094018-3
  10. ↑ Mayol, Ador Vincent S.: Book on Palma "a personal, Church narrative of faith" Cebu Daily News. 13 September 2015
  11. ↑ Associazione Cattolici d'Italia, Non nobis Domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam, templarstoday.org, accessed 22 May 2022
  12. ↑ Non Nobis Domine knightstemplar-wales.org
  13. ↑ Ca' Vendramin Calergi and the Wagner Museum: a symphony on the Grand Canal visitvenezia.eu
  14. ↑ Holinshed, quoted by Verity in Henry V, p. 227 and in Kirkpatrick, A. (1906), Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges on Psalm 115, accessed 22 May 2022
  15. ↑ Swoboda, J. A., ed. (2014). Blood Cries Out: Pentecostals, Ecology, and the Groans of Creation. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-62-564462-6.
  16. ↑ Psalmen Davids sampt etlichen Moteten und Concerten, Op.2 (Schütz, Heinrich): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  17. ↑ Veen, Johan van: Heinrich Schütz (1585–1672) / Complete Works – Volume 15 / Becker-Psalter, Op. 5 musicweb-international.com November 2017
  18. ↑ Dellal, Pamela. "Bach Cantata BWV 196 – Translation". www.emmanuelmusic.org.
  19. ↑ Non nobis Domine Carus-Verlag 2009
  20. ↑ Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy: Thematisch-systematisches Verzeichnis der musikalischen Werke (MWV) von Ralf Wehner Sächsische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  21. ↑ Gibbs, Alan (15 April 2020). "Not unto us O Lord" (PDF). Holst Newsletter. The Holst Society (15): 2. Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  22. ↑ Sechs liturgische Psalmen (Kellermann, Albert): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
  23. ↑ Neef, Sigrid: Judith. In: Deutsche Oper im 20. Jahrhundert – DDR 1949–1989. (in German) Lang, Berlin 1992, ISBN 3-86032-011-4, pp. 350–359.
  24. ↑ Compositions for chorus, with or without instrumental accompaniment geraldcohenmusic.com

Bibliography

  • Scherman, Nosson; Zlotowitz, Rabbi Meir (2003). The Complete Artscroll Siddur. ArtScroll Mesorah Series. Translated by Scherman, Nosson (3 ed.). Mesorah Pubn Ltd. ISBN 978-0-89906-650-9.
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