Psalm 115

The Lord had given His people a great victory, and they wanted to acknowledge it before their pagan neighbors and give God the glory. If their neighbors had visited the returned exiles and seen their rebuilt temple, they would have asked, “Where is your god?” There were no idols in the temple or in the city. (See Acts 17:16 for contrast.) The question gave the Jews the opportunity to contrast the false gods of their neighbors with the true and living God of Israel. This psalm was written as a litany, with the leader opening in verse 1. The people then responded in verses 2-8, the choir in verses 9-11, and the people again in verses 12-13. The priests or the choir spoke in verses 14-15, and the people closed the litany in verses 16-18. The psalm may have been used at the dedication of the second temple (Ezra 6:16). It not only tells where the God of Israel is but what kind of a God He is.