Psalm 115:14

The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(14) The Lord shall increase.—More literally,

“Jehovah shall heap blessings on you,

On you and on your children.”

Benson Commentary

Psalm 115:14-15. The Lord shall increase you more and more — In number, power, and in all temporal and spiritual blessings, notwithstanding the efforts of your many enemies to diminish, weaken, and distress you. Hebrew, יסŠ עליכם, the Lord shall add to you, namely, further and greater blessings. Here the psalmist turns himself to them, and assures them of the favour of him who created, and who upholds and governs all things. You and your children — The blessing bestowed on you shall descend on your children with a continual increase. There is a blessing entailed on the offspring of them that fear God, even in their infancy. Or, he shall bless you in your children, and you shall have the comfort of seeing them increasing, as in stature, so in wisdom and grace, and in favour with God and men. Ye are blessed of the Lord — You and your children are so; all that see them shall acknowledge that they are the seed which the Lord hath blessed, Isaiah 61:9. Ye are blessed of the Lord — Not of an impotent idol which can do its worshippers neither good nor hurt, but of Jehovah, who made heaven and earth — Whose blessings therefore are free, for he needs not any thing himself; and therefore are rich, for he hath all things at command for you, and if you fear and trust in him he will bless you indeed, in spite of all that your enemies can do against you.

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 shall increase you more and more - He will increase your numbers and your power. We may suppose that the people were greatly diminished by the captivity, and that on their return to their country their number was comparatively small. This promise of a great increase was in accordance with the cherished wishes of the Hebrew people, and with the repeated promises which God had made to their fathers. Compare Genesis 15:5; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 32:12.

You and your children - The blessing shall be not only on you, but it shall go down to future generations,

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

14. Opposed to the decrease pending and during the captivity.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Shall increase you in number, notwithstanding all the attempts of your enemies to diminish and destroy you. Or, shall add to you, to wit, further and greater blessings.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The Lord shall increase you more and more,.... The Word of the Lord, as the Targum, shall do it; in a temporal sense, with a numerous posterity, with riches, wealth, and honour; and in a spiritual sense, with an addition of spiritual blessings; with renewed instances of divine layout: with an increase of the gifts and graces of the Spirit of God, as faith, hope, love, joy, patience, humility, and other graces; and with more knowledge of God and Christ, and of divine and spiritual things.

You and your children; not only they that feared the Lord of the present generation, but those that should succeed them, and be as they were, a seed to serve the Lord, and who should be accounted to him for a generation.

Geneva Study Bible

The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

14. The Lord shall increase you] Jehovah increase you, add to your numbers (Deuteronomy 1:11), a specially appropriate prayer for the little community of the returned exiles.

14–18. Prayers for blessing and resolves to employ life in Jehovah’s praise.

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 14-16. - Again the leader raises his voice and announces special - no longer general - blessings:

(1) increase of their numbers (ver. 14); and

(2) inheritance of the earth (ver. 16). Verse 14. - The Lord shall increase you more and more. This was the original blessing bestowed on Abraham (Genesis 13:16; Genesis 17:4-6), and continually reiterated (Genesis 18:18; Genesis 22:17; Genesis 28:14, etc.). It is much dwelt upon by Isaiah (Isaiah 49:8-12, 18-23; Isaiah 54:1-3; Isaiah 60:3-12, etc.). The main fulfillment of the promise was through the conversion of the Gentiles, who, when converted, became the true "Israel of God." But, even apart from this, the lineal descendants of Abraham have "increased more and more," to an extent which is most extraordinary. You and your children. You yourselves shall increase; but your children shall yet more increase. The multiplying would begin at once, but would be greater and more striking afterwards. Psalm 115:14

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.