Psalm 115 Catholic: Not to Us, O Lord, but to Your Name

Psalm 115 begins with one of the humblest prayers in Scripture: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to thy name give glory. For thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.” In Latin, Non nobis, Domine, it has been sung for centuries to give God the credit for every victory. It mocks lifeless idols, “They have mouths and speak not,” and ends with blessing. In the Douay-Rheims it is the second part of Psalm 113. Below is the full Catholic text, what the psalm means, how the Church uses it, and a prayer.

Psalm 115 in the Douay-Rheims Bible

Not to us, O Lord, not to us; but to thy name give glory.
For thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake: lest the gentiles should say: Where is their God?
But our God is in heaven: he hath done all things whatsoever he would.
The idols of the gentiles are silver and gold, the works of the hands of men.
They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not.
They have ears and hear not: they have noses and smell not.
They have hands and feel not: they have feet and walk not: neither shall they cry out through their throat.
Let them that make them become like unto them: and all such as trust in them.
The house of Israel hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.
The house of Aaron hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.
They that fear the Lord hath hoped in the Lord: he is their helper and their protector.
The Lord hath been mindful of us, and hath blessed us. He hath blessed the house of Israel: he hath blessed the house of Aaron.
He hath blessed all that fear the Lord, both little and great.
May the Lord add blessings upon you: upon you, and upon your children.
Blessed be you of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
The heaven of heaven is the Lord’s: but the earth he has given to the children of men.
The dead shall not praise thee, O Lord: nor any of them that go down to hell.
But we that live bless the Lord: from this time now and for ever.

Psalm 115 or Psalm 113?

Psalm 115 is a special case. The Greek and Latin Bibles, and so the Douay-Rheims, join Hebrew Psalms 114 and 115 into one Psalm 113. Hebrew Psalm 115 is Douay 113:9–26, given above. In Latin it begins Non nobis, Domine, non nobis. See how many psalms are there?

Non nobis

Because it gives all glory to God, Non nobis, Domine became the traditional hymn of thanksgiving after a victory or a great achievement. Knights, religious orders and armies sang it; in Shakespeare’s Henry V, the king commands that “Non nobis” be sung after the battle of Agincourt. It remains a short prayer of humility for anyone tempted to take credit for what God has done.

What the psalm means

All glory to God: not to us, but to his name.
“Where is their God?”: the nations taunt; the answer is that God is in heaven and does as he wills.
Lifeless idols: “They have mouths and speak not: they have eyes and see not… Let them that make them become like unto them.”
Trust in the Lord: Israel, the house of Aaron and all who fear him are called to trust.
Blessing: “The Lord hath been mindful of us, and hath blessed us.”

How the Church uses Psalm 115

At Evening Prayer (Vespers) on Sundays. See Vespers.
After a success or victory, as a hymn of humble thanksgiving.

A prayer with Psalm 115

Written for this page:

Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory,
for your mercy and for your faithfulness.
Free me from the idols of money, success and pride, which cannot see or save.
You have remembered us and blessed us; we will bless you now and for ever. Amen.

Frequently asked questions

What does Non nobis Domine mean?

“Not to us, O Lord,” the first words of Psalm 115 in Latin, a prayer giving all glory to God.

Why is Psalm 115 part of Psalm 113 in the Douay-Rheims?

The Greek and Latin Bibles join Hebrew Psalms 114 and 115 into a single psalm.

More psalms and prayers

Texts and sources

Scripture: Psalm 113:9–26 (115), Douay-Rheims Bible (Challoner), public domain.
The prayer was written for this page.