Psalm 115:12

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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Benson Commentary

Psalm 115:12-13. The Lord hath been mindful of us — In our former straits and calamities, and therefore we trust he will still bless us, for he is still the same; his power and goodness are the same, and his promises inviolable; so that we have reason to hope he that hath delivered, and doth deliver, will yet deliver. He will bless the house of Israel — That is, he will bless the commonwealth; will bless his people in their civil and secular interests; he will bless the house of Aaron — The church, the ministry; he will bless his people, in their religious concerns. He will bless them that fear the Lord — Though they be not of the house of Israel, or of the house of Aaron; for it was a truth before Peter perceived it, that, in every nation, he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is accepted of him, Acts 10:34-35. He will bless them, both small and great — That is, both young and old; both rich and poor; both high and low. God has blessings in store for them that are pious in early life, and for them that are old disciples; both for those that are poor and mean in the world, and those that are rich and make a figure in it; the greatest need his blessing, and it shall not be denied to the meanest that fear him. Both the weak in grace and the strong shall be blessed of God, the lambs and sheep of his flock.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

115:9-18 It is folly to trust in dead images, but it is wisdom to trust in the living God, for he is a help and a shield to those that trust in him. Wherever there is right fear of God, there may be cheerful faith in him; those who reverence his word, may rely upon it. He is ever found faithful. The greatest need his blessing, and it shall not be denied to the meanest that fear him. God's blessing gives an increase, especially in spiritual blessings. And the Lord is to be praised: his goodness is large, for he has given the earth to the children of men for their use. The souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burdens of the flesh, are still praising him; but the dead body cannot praise God: death puts an end to our glorifying him in this world of trial and conflict. Others are dead, and an end is thereby put to their service, therefore we will seek to do the more for God. We will not only do it ourselves, but will engage others to do it; to praise him when we are gone. Lord, thou art the only object for faith and love. Help us to praise thee while living and when dying, that thy name may be the first and last upon our lips: and let the sweet savour of thy name refresh our souls for ever.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The Lord hath been mindful of us - This would be especially appropriate if the psalm was written, as is commonly supposed, after the return from the captivity of Babylon. In such circumstances it would be every way proper to bring before the mind of the people the fact that God had remembered them and had delivered them.

He will bless us - Our past experience furnishes the fullest evidence that he will continue to bless us. He who has delivered us from so great calamities, and who has restored us to our native land after so long and so painful a captivity, will not forsake us now. There can be now no circumstances in which he cannot bestow on us all the blessings which we need; there will be none when we may not hope that he will bless us. If he could save us from such troubles, be can save us from all; if he did thus interpose, we may argue that he will always grant us his help when we need it.

He will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron - Compare Psalm 115:9-10.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

9-13. The repetitions imply earnestness.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Hath been mindful of us in our former straits and calamities, and therefore we trust he will still

bless us, & c. as it follows. Or, is or will be mindful of us. Though he hath chastened us sore, yet he hath not yet cast us out of the care of his providence.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Lord hath been mindful of us,.... The Targum is,

"the Word of the Lord hath remembered us for good.''

And is another reason why his people should trust in him: he has been mindful of his covenant with them and promises to them, and has kept them; he remembered them in their low estate, and sent redemption to them; goodness and mercy have followed them all their days. Past experiences of divine favour should encourage trust in the Lord, as well as promises of future blessings, as follow:

he will bless us; with all kind of blessings, temporal and spiritual; with blessings indeed, solid and substantial: it is certain and may be depended upon; he has promised it, and swore to it, that in blessing he will bless. Kimchi interprets it as a wish, "let him bless": the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, render it in the past tense, "he hath blessed"; but the Targum as we: and as it follows,

he will bless the house of Israel; with whom he has made his new covenant; the household of faith, the family named of Christ, the whole Israel of God.

He will bless the house of Aaron; his priests, his ministers, all that offer up spiritual sacrifices to him; he will bless them with an increase of gifts and grace, and with his presence and Spirit, and therefore they should trust in him.

Geneva Study Bible

The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he {h} will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron.

(h) That is, he will continue his graces toward his people.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

12. Jehovah who hath remembered us will bless (us)] By bringing them back from Babylon Jehovah proved that He had not forgotten His people (Isaiah 49:14-15; Psalm 98:3; Psalm 136:23), and the Psalmist points to this deliverance as a pledge that He will still further bless them.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 12, 13. - The whole choir, or perhaps the whole congregation, expresses its confidence in God. He has always Been mind-fill of his people, and, in response to their threefold expression of trust, will bestow on them a threefold blessing. Verse 12. - The Lord hath been mindful of us (comp. Psalm 98:4; Psalm 136:23). He will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel (comp. ver. 10). He will bless the house of Aaron (comp. ver. 11). Psalm 115:12

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

After this confession of Israel there now arises a voice that addresses itself to Israel. The threefold division into Israel, the house of Aaron, and those who fear Jahve is the same as in Psalm 118:2-4. In Psalm 135 the "house of Levi" is further added to the house of Aaron. Those who fear Jahve, who also stand in the last passage, are probably the proselytes (in the Acts of the Apostles σεβόμενοι τὸν Θεόν, or merely σεβόμενοι)

(Note: The appellation φοβούμενοι does not however occur, if we do not bring Acts 10:2 in here; but in Latin inscriptions in Orelli-Hentzen No. 2523, and in Auer in the Zeitschrift fr katholische Theologie 1852, S. 80, the proselyte (religionis Judaicae) is called metuens.))

at any rate these are included even if Israel in Psalm 115:9 is meant to signify the laity, for the notion of "those who fear Jahve" extends beyond Israel. The fact that the threefold refrain of the summons does not run, as in Psalm 33:20, our help and shield is He, is to be explained from its being an antiphonal song. In so far, however, as the Psalm supplicates God's protection and help in a campaign the declaration of confident hope, their help and shield is He, may, with Hitzig, be referred to the army that is gone or is going forth. It is the same voice which bids Israel to be of good courage and announces to the people the well-pleased acceptance of the sacrifice with the words "Jahve hath been mindful of us" (זכרנוּ ה, cf. עתּה ידעתּי, Psalm 20:7), perhaps simultaneously with the presentation of the memorial portion (אזכרה) of the meat-offering (Psalm 38:1). The יברך placed at the head is particularized threefold, corresponding to the threefold summons. The special promise of blessing which is added in Psalm 115:14 is an echo of Deuteronomy 1:11, as in 2 Samuel 24:3. The contracted future יסף we take in a consolatory sense; for as an optative it would be too isolated here. In spite of all oppression on the part of the heathen, God will make His people ever more numerous, more capable of offering resistance, and more awe-inspiring.