Psalms 115:1Not to us, Yahweh, not to us, but to your name give glory, for your loving kindness, and for your truth's sake.
The setting
Jerusalem temple, ~400 BC. Post-exile Israel surrounded by mocking nations questioning if their God even exists, yet the psalmist deflects any credit for survival...
The emotion here: desperately deflecting praise while nation suffers mockery
The original word
chesed (חֶסֶד) — covenant loyalty, unbreakable faithful love despite circumstances
Why it matters
This psalm was likely written after Israel's return from Babylonian exile when they were weak and despised
Read with care
What most readers miss in Psalms 115:1
The double 'not to us' — Hebrew repetition shows desperate urgency to give credit away
Common misconceptionPeople think this is false modesty or low self-esteem, but it was written by people who had just survived 70 years of captivity and knew exactly who saved them.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Psalms 115:1
Bible Genome reading
Psalms 115:1 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Psalms 115:1 comes from the book of Psalms, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to David. The dominant emotion in this verse is worship, with a comfort power of 50% and a tone that is reverent. It belongs to the psalm genre of biblical literature. Key themes include humility, God's glory, selflessness. Notable phrases: Not to us, but to your name give glory. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same worship
“Hear, Israel: Yahweh is our God; Yahweh is one:”
— Deuteronomy 6:4
“and you shall love Yahweh your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might.”
— Deuteronomy 6:5
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:”
— Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me.”
— John 14:6
“Jesus said to them, "Most certainly, I tell you, before Abraham came into existence, I AM."”
— John 8:58
Your reflection
What does Psalms 115:1 mean to you, today?
A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.
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