< Psalms 115 >
1 Yahweh, people should praise [only] you [MTY]; they must praise you, not us, because you faithfully love us and always do what you have promised to do.
2 It is not right that [RHQ] [other] people-groups should say about us, “[They claim that] their God [is very powerful], but [if that is true], why does he not [help them]?”
3 Our God is in heaven, and he does whatever he wants to!
4 [But] their idols are only [statues made of] silver and gold, things that humans have made.
5 Their idols have mouths, but they cannot say [anything]; they have eyes, but they cannot see [anything].
6 They have ears, but they cannot hear [anything]; they have noses, but they cannot smell [anything].
7 They have hands, but they cannot feel [anything]; they have feet, but they cannot walk, and they have throats but cannot [even] make any sounds!
8 The people who make those idols are [as powerless] as those idols, and those who trust in those idols [can accomplish nothing], just like their idols!
9 You, [my fellow] Israeli people, trust in Yahweh! He is the one who helps you and [protects you like] [MET] a shield.
10 You priests [MTY], trust in Yahweh! He is the one who helps you and [protects you like] [MET] a shield.
11 [All] you who revere Yahweh, trust in him! He is the one who helps you and [protects you like] [MET] a shield.
12 Yahweh has not forgotten us; he will bless us Israeli people [MTY]! He will bless the priests,
13 and he will bless [all] those who revere him; he will bless important [people] and people [who are considered to be] unimportant, [everyone!]
14 I desire that Yahweh will give many children to you [my fellow-Israeli people], and to your descendants.
15 I desire that Yahweh, the one who made heaven and the earth, will bless [all of] you!
16 The [highest] heavens belong to Yahweh, but he gave [everything that is on] the earth to [us] people.
17 Dead [people] are not [able to] praise Yahweh; when they descend into the place where dead people are, they are unable to speak and cannot praise him.
18 But we [who are alive] will thank/praise him, now and forever. Praise Yahweh!
