Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 115:16
The heaven, [even] the heavens, [are] the LORD’s: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
16. The closing words of Psa 115:15 are developed. The heaven is Jehovah’s heaven; He has made it for His own dwelling-place ( Psa 115:3; Psa 2:4); He is “the God of heaven” (Psa 136:26; and often in the Aramaic of Ezra and Daniel). The LXX renders ungrammatically, ‘the heaven of heaven’ (Vulg. caelum caeli); hence P.B.V. ‘all the whole heavens.’
the earth &c.] Cp. Isa 45:18.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The heaven – Hebrew, The heavens.
Even the heavens are the Lords – A more literal and correct rendering of this would be, The heavens are heavens for Jehovah. That is, he has reserved the heavens as a home for himself, or as his special possession and home. Compare Isa 66:1; Mat 5:34; Act 7:49.
But the earth … – He propared earth for the abode of man; he has placed man upon it to cultivate it; he has given its fruits and productions to man, to be held and enjoyed by man; he has made all on earth subject to man – the dwellers in the air, the land, and the waters. All this he has given to man; not to the angels. Earth is the home of man, the birth-place of man; the place where he lives, where he shows the result of his toil, his skill, and his ingenuity; the place where he builds houses, bridges, monuments, works of art; the place where he prepares for another state of existence; the place where he dies, and is buried. It is, as formed by the Creator, a beautiful home outfitted for mankind; how much more beautiful would it be, if man never defiled or desolated it by sin! how happy an abode would it have been if sin had never entered it!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 115:16
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lords: but the earth hath He given to the children of men.
The mysteries of the universe
Our contemplation of the mysteries of the universe is to be associated–
I. With faith. The heavens are the heavens of the Lord. All the wonders of unseen worlds are in charge of Him whom we serve. Whatever marvellous forces range the universe we may sing, All things serve Thee, and dismiss all fear. How foolish to fear the discoveries of science! All facts, as Kingsley used to say, are Gods facts. How foolish to fear for our safety here or hereafter if we be the Lords, for all is His! The mysteries of the universe are those of Him who died for us, and in the heart of those mysteries there is love.
II. With diligence, The earth hath He given to-the children of men. Earths fields are to be tilled, her provisions stored and distributed. Homes are to be superintended and cities and states to be governed. These are the first claims upon our thoughts as servants of God. The heavens are the Lords, let us claim the kingdom of the earth for Him and humbly help to establish His dominion hero. (W. Hawkins.)
The earth for men
I. A strong rebuke to all social monopoly. The earth is for the children of men.
II. A strong rebuke to religious indifference. The earth is given to man in trust for certain uses.
1. As a scene for mans physical development.
2. As a school for mans intellectual culture.
3. As a temple for mans religious worship. The children of men to use this world rightly should worship God in all they suffer, enjoy, think, or do. In everything there should be–
(1) A reigning gratitude. The earth is a gift to every man, and every man should use every portion of it thankfully.
(2) A reigning reverence. The earth is a gift where the greatness of God is everywhere seen, and, therefore, take off thy shoes from off thy feet, etc.
4. As a sphere for evangelical labour Christ has been on this earth. Here He has left doctrines for every child of man to believe, propagate and work out. (Homilist.)
The earth of the redemption
The heavens and the earth are set in contrast with each other. The heavens with their sun and moon and stars, their wandering winds, their majestic domes and pinnacles and fields of cloud, their mysteries of rain and dew, of frost and snow; and then the earth, with its familiar cities and forests and cornfields, its homes of men and women, its seas and rivers, its sports and toils, its friendships and kinships, these stand over against each other. And their contrast is in this,–that while the heavens are out of the reach of man, the expression and result of forces which he cannot control, the earth is what man makes it. He is the changing power here. It is the familiar contrast which is always present, and always having its effect upon our life. The earth, and life upon the earth, are never the same things they would be if the great heaven did not stretch, mysterious and unattainable, above them. Man, great as his power grows upon the earth, is always kept aware of how limited his power is. There is always the heaven above him, which is not his, but Gods. And this becomes a figure of the limit of mans power everywhere. When David says that God has given the earth to the children of men, he cannot mean that it was given away from those eternal plans and purposes of goodness which God must always keep with reference to all His creation. It is Gods world still. It has been given to man not absolutely, but in trust, that man may work out in it the will of God. Here is the fundamental difference in the lives of men. Man finds the world in his hands. He can do with it what he will. Everywhere the difference of men lies here, in whether this mastery seems to be absolute, or whether it seems to be a trust. Absolute mastery means self-indulgence. The mastery of trust means humility, conscientiousness, elevation, charity, the fear of God and love of man. It is in this higher and true view of the giving of the world by God to man that the coming of Christ into the world gains its true meaning. Here was Gods world, given to man to keep, to use, to work for God. Here was man, always falling into the temptation to think the gift of trust an absolute gift. And here the Giver came, with clear assurance of Himself; making the men who saw Him know that it was He; not taking the earth back out of mans keeping, but making Himself man, so that all men might see what it might really mean for man to keep and use and work the earth for God; so God came to the world. It is within this great general purpose that all the special personal works which Christ does for men are included. (Bishop Phillips Brooks.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Are the Lords, to wit, in a peculiar manner, where he dwelleth in that light and glory to which no man can approach, and whence he beholdeth and disposeth all persons and things upon earth.
But the earth hath he given to the children of men, for their habitation, possession, and use. But these words may be and are thus rendered by others, and the earth which (which particle is very oft understood) he hath given, &c. And then as the foregoing verse declared that God was the Creator of heaven and earth, Psa 115:15, so this asserts that he is also their Lord and Governor, to dispose of all men and things as he pleaseth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s,…. Not only the visible heavens, the airy and starry regions, which are within our sight; but the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, into which the Apostle Paul was caught, and heard and saw things not to be uttered; and which is, as the Targum expresses it,
“for the majesty of the glory of the Lord:”
he is the maker, owner, proprietor, and possessor of them all: but the third heaven is more especially the seat of his majesty; where he has prepared the throne of his glory, where he keeps court; where his ministers, his angels, wait upon him, observe his orders, and execute his will; and which he has prepared for his saints to dwell with him in to all eternity.
But the earth hath he given to the children of men; to Adam and his posterity, to dwell in it, to till it, and enjoy the fruits of it; yet so as not to leave it entirely to the care of men, and have no concern in it, and the affairs of it, as some licentious persons would from hence conclude; as if God had took the heavens to himself, and only minded the persons and things in that, and never concerned himself about the earth, and persons and things there; having disposed of it to the children of men, and left it to their conduct: for though he has given it to them for their use, yet he has still a claim upon it, and can and does dispose of it, and order all things in it, according to his pleasure; and men, from the highest to the lowest, are accountable to him, being but stewards, and at most but deputies and viceroys, under him: besides the words may be rendered, “and the earth which he hath given to the children of men” a; that is his also, as well as the heavens. This the Lord gives to the children of men as their portion; and sad is the case of such, when this is their all; but to his own children he gives heaven, the kingdom of heaven, eternal glory and happiness. Maimonides b gives the sense of the whole passage thus;
“God only perfectly knows the truth, nature, substance, form, motion, and causes of the heavens: and to man he has given, that he may understand what are under the heavens; because they are the world, and as it were his house, in which he dwells, and of which he is a part.”
a So Junius & Tremellius. b Moreh Nevochim, par. 2. c. 24. p. 256.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
16 The heavens, the heavens are Jehovah’s In this passage the prophet extols the bounty of God, and his paternal regard for the human race, in that, though he stood in need of nothing himself, he yet created the world, with all its fullness, for their use. How comes it to pass that the earth is every where covered with such a great variety of good things, meeting our eye in all directions, unless that God, as a provident father of a family, had designed to make provision for our wants? In proportion, therefore, to the comforts which we here enjoy, are the tokens of his fatherly care. This is the prophet’s meaning, which I am astonished is so little attended to by the most of interpreters. The amount is, that God, satisfied with his own glory, has enriched the earth with abundance of good things, that mankind may not lack any thing. At the same time he demonstrates, that, as God has his dwelling-place in the heavens, he must be independent of all worldly riches; for, assuredly, neither wine, nor corn, nor any thing requisite for the support of the present life is produced there. Consequently, God has every resource in himself. To this circumstance the repetition of the, term heavens refers, The heavens, the heavens are enough for God; and as he is superior to all aid, he is to himself instead of a hundred worlds. It remains, therefore, as another consequence from this, that all the riches with which the world abounds proclaim aloud what a beneficent father God is to mankind. It is indeed surprising that there should be no relish for this doctrine, considering that the Holy Spirit spoke of the inestimable goodness of God. Under the papacy, they chanted this psalm in their churches, and they continue the practice still; but is there one among a hundred of them who reflects that God, in bestowing all good things upon us, reserves nothing for himself, except a grateful acknowledgment of them? And not only in this matter does the ingratitude of the world appear, but the wicked wretches have conducted themselves most vilely, in open and infamous blasphemy; perverting this verse, and making a jest of it, saying that God remains unconcerned in heaven, and pays no regard to the affairs of men. The prophet here expressly declares that the world is employed by God, for the sole purpose of testifying his paternal solicitude towards mankind; and yet these swine and dogs have made these words a laughing-stock, as if God, by reason of his vast distance from men, totally disregarded them. And here I am induced to relate a memorable story. While we were supping in a certain inn, and speaking of the hope of the heavenly life, a profane despiser of God happening to be present, treated our discourse with derision, and now and then mockingly exclaimed, “The heaven of heavens is the Lord’s.” Instantly afterwards he was seized with dreadful pain, and began to vociferate, “O God! O God!” and, having a powerful voice, he filled the whole apartment with his cries. Then I, who had felt indignant at his conduct, proceeded, in my own way, to tell him warmly, that now at least he perceived that they who mocked God were not permitted to escape with impunity. One of the guests, an honest and pious man, yet alive, but withal facetious, employed the occasion thus, “Do you invoke God? Have you forgotten your philosophy? Why do you not permit him to remain at ease in his own heaven?” And as often as the one bawled out, “O God!” the other, mocking him, retorted, “Where is now thy Coelum coeli Domino? ” At that time his pain indeed was mitigated; nevertheless, the remainder of his life was spent in impunity.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
16. The heaven, even the heavens Hebrew, The heavens, the heavens to Jehovah; that is, belong to him. This prepares for the next utterance.
The earth hath he given to the children of men Hebrew, To the children of Adam. , Adam, here, should be taken as a proper name. God, the possessor of all worlds, has sovereignly given the earth to the sons of Adam as their patrimony, to be used for their good and his glory. It being a gift, man holds it subject to the will of God. The reference is to the original grant, (Gen 1:28,) but the scope and occasion require the further idea of a special grant to nations, or a providential order of their settlement and boundaries. This doctrine is taught in Deu 32:8; Act 17:26. It is also displayed in the settlement of nations, according to family ties and language, at the dispersion: Gen 10:5; Gen 10:20; Gen 10:31-32. So was the dwelling of Ishmael determined: Gen 16:12; Gen 17:20; Gen 25:18. So also of Edom, Moab, and Ammon: Deu 2:5; Deu 2:18-19. Especially had God given to Israel the land of Canaan, (Gen 17:8,) and “when he divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated [dispersed] the sons of Adam, he firmly established the bounds of the [Hebrew] people according to the number of the children of Israel:” Deu 32:8. The argument, then, of our psalmist stands thus: The earth has God given as a patrimony to the children of Adam, dividing it to the nations according to a providential order, which cannot be broken up but by his permission. In giving the nations their separate portions, he has fixed specially the bounds of Israel’s inheritance, and no combinations of enemies shall dispossess him. This view meets the connexion and scope of the psalm. Israel had just been rescued from a hostile power which had purposed to destroy his nationality and to make the land a spoil.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Here is a striking contrast between the dead and the living. And why may we not interpret it as the real state of the case between the dead in trespasses and sins, and the living soul in Christ? There can be neither praise nor prayer truly honourable to God, or profitable to man, until grace enters the heart; for the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, Pro 15:8 . Happy the souls, regenerated by grace, who from new hearts show forth the praises of the Lord. Reader, the Lord make this our portion!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Psa 115:16 The heaven, [even] the heavens, [are] the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
Ver. 16. The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s] As the special place of his delight and dwelling; yet not so as if he were there cooped up and concluded; for God is immense and omnipresent, yea, totally present, wheresoever present. The heavens have a large place, but they have one part here, and another there; not so the Lord; he is not commensurable by the place, but everywhere all present.
But the earth hath he given
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 115:16-18
16The heavens are the heavens of the Lord,
But the earth He has given to the sons of men.
17The dead do not praise the Lord,
Nor do any who go down into silence;
18But as for us, we will bless the Lord
From this time forth and forever.
Praise the Lord!
Psa 115:16 a The heavens are the heavens of the Lord This refers to YHWH’s throne (i.e., the highest heaven). See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEAVENS AND THE THIRD HEAVEN and the Third Heaven.
Psa 115:16 b YHWH has given the earth for mankind’s abode and control (cf. Psa 8:6). However, it belongs to Him (cf. Deu 10:14) because He made it (cf. Psa 121:2; Psa 124:8; Psa 134:3).
Psa 115:17 The dead See Special Topic: Where Are the Dead?
Psa 115:18 God’s people will forever bless (Piel imperfect) and praise (Piel imperative) YHWH. This implies an afterlife separate from the idolatrous who do not praise and go down into silence (cf. Psa 6:5; Psa 30:9; Psa 88:10-11; Psa 94:17).
Praise the Lord As with Psa 113:9 c, the LXX moves this to the beginning of the next Psalm.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.
These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.
1. Explain the OT terms
a. lovingkindness
b. faithfulness/truth
2. Why are both Psa 115:1-2 so theologically significant?
3. How is YHWH different from pagan idols?
4. Does Psa 115:9-11 refer to one group, two groups, or three groups?
5. List the things YHWH is and does for faithful followers.
6. Explain Psa 115:16 in your own words.
7. Explain go down into silence of Psa 115:17 b.
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
heaven: Psa 89:11, Psa 144:5, Psa 148:4, Isa 66:1, Lam 3:66, Joh 14:2
but the earth: Gen 1:28-30, Gen 9:1-3, Deu 32:8, Jer 27:5, Jer 27:6
Reciprocal: Gen 1:29 – I have Gen 14:19 – possessor Lev 25:2 – When ye Num 33:53 – General Deu 10:14 – the heaven Jos 2:9 – that the Lord 1Ch 29:11 – all that Job 20:4 – man Job 22:12 – not God Job 41:11 – whatsoever Psa 19:1 – The heavens Psa 50:12 – world Psa 103:5 – satisfieth Ecc 5:9 – the profit Isa 45:18 – he created Dan 5:23 – the Lord Act 17:24 – seeing 1Co 10:28 – for
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
HEAVEN AND EARTH CONTRASTED
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lords: but the earth hath He given to the children of men.
Psa 115:16
The heavens and the earth are set in contrast with each other. And their contrast is in this, that while the heavens are out of the reach of man, the expression and result of forces which he cannot control, the earth is what man makes it. Davids verse has in it the lofty description of the great philosophy of the universe that the source of all power is beyond mans reach, and that the place of man is just to furnish in his faithful and obedient life a medium through which the power that is in the heavens may descend and work upon the earth.
I. Here is the fundamental difference in the lives of men.Man finds the world in his hands. Everywhere the world is his. But everywhere the difference of man lies here, in whether this mastery seems to be absolute or whether it seems to be a trust. Absolute mastery means self-indulgence. The mastery of trust means humility, conscientiousness, elevation, charity, the fear of God and love of man.
II. It is in connection with this higher and true view of the giving of the world by God to man that the coming of Christ into the world gains its true meaning.God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. The Giver came with clear assurance of Himself, making the men who saw Him know that it was He, touching the earth which was His own with a wise power that called out from it capacities which the poor tenant had never discovered, not taking it back out of mans keeping, but making Himself man, so that all men might see what it might really mean for man to keep, and use, and work the earth of God. So God came to His world.
III. What has all this to do with foreign missions?The fact which Christ comes to establish, the consciousness which He comes to renew, is one that belongs to all the earth. The desire to let the whole redeemed world know of its redemption moves in the heart of every man vividly conscious of the redemption in himself.
Bishop Phillips Brooks.
Illustration
Delitzsch calls this a prayer of Israel for Gods aid, probably in the presence of an expedition against heathen enemies. Ewald conjectures that whilst the psalm was being sung the sacrifice was proceeded with, and that in Psa 115:12 the voice of a priest proclaims the gracious acceptance of the sacrifice.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Psa 115:16. The heavens are the Lords Namely, in a peculiar manner, where he dwelleth in that light and glory to which no man can approach, and whence he beholdeth and disposeth of all persons and things upon earth. But the earth Or, and the earth; he hath given to the children of men For their habitation, possession, and use. Thus, as the foregoing verse declared that God was the Creator of heaven and earth, so this asserts that he is also their Lord and Governor, and can dispose of them, and of all men and things, as he pleases.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
115:16 The {k} heaven, [even] the heavens, [are] the LORD’S: but the earth hath he given to the children of men.
(k) And they declare enough his sufficiency so that the world serves him nothing, but to show his fatherly care toward men.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The heavens are the Lord’s domain, not that of pagan gods. He owns them, and He has given the earth to man for his habitation. It is important for God’s people to praise Him while they live on the earth. After they die they cannot worship Him as they do now and so draw others to honor Him. Consequently the writer said he and the rest of the godly would bless the Lord forever. The final line calls everyone to praise Him.
The contrasts between the true God and idols are indeed great. God’s people should review and appreciate these differences, and in this way worship Yahweh for His unique individuality (cf. Exo 20:3).