Psalms 115:14 Meaning: The Increase God Promises His People
May Yahweh increase you more and more, you and your children.
The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children.
Jehovah increase you more and more, You and your children.
Jehovah addeth to you, to you, and to your sons.
Jehovah will add unto you more, unto you and unto your children.
Meaning in one sentence
What does Psalm 115:14 mean? It prays for God to add to His people and their children, a blessing of growth after hardship, both physical and spiritual.
Context
Psalm 115 was likely sung by a community that had returned from exile. They had seen their nation humbled, their city in ruins, and their numbers reduced. The psalm opens with a plea for God to act for His own name's sake, not because the people deserve it. Then it contrasts the living God with idols that have mouths but cannot speak. In this setting, verse 14 is a prayer for increase, for God to add more people, more blessing, more of His favor. It echoes the promises made to Abraham and the prayer of Moses in Deuteronomy 1:11. The blessing reaches beyond the present generation to include children, showing that God's work spans families and futures.
Key Words
The Hebrew verb for 'increase' here is yasaph, meaning to add or do again. It appears in a form that expresses a wish: 'may he add.' This is not merely about getting more possessions. It is about God continuing His work of blessing, over and over. The phrase 'more and more' translates a repetition of the words 'to you, to you,' emphasizing the completeness and abundance of God's giving. And 'your children' reminds us that God's blessings are never just for us. They flow downstream to the next generation. In Deuteronomy 1:11, Moses prays a similar blessing:
'May Yahweh, the God of your fathers, make you a thousand times as many as you are and bless you, as he has promised you!'
— Deuteronomy 1:11 (WEB)
The same heart runs through both passages: God loves to multiply His goodness to His people and their families, not because they deserve it, but because He is faithful.
How Christians Read This Verse
Across traditions, Christians have read this verse as a prayer for God to add both physical and spiritual blessings. Protestant Reformers like Calvin and the Geneva Bible saw it as an increase of graces and spiritual gifts for the faithful remnant. Anglican commentators such as the Cambridge Bible point to the immediate need of returned exiles for more people and resources. Catholic and Orthodox traditions connect it to the covenant community, where God's blessing extends through the Church to spiritual children. All agree: the increase comes from God alone, not human effort. Whether understood as numerical growth or deeper faith, the prayer trusts the Giver of every good thing.
A common misunderstanding
Some read this verse as a promise that every believer will get rich or have many children. In fact, the Bible shows godly people who remained few in number or poor, like the prophets. The immediate context is a prayer for a specific community recovering from exile. For Christians, the increase includes spiritual growth, more faith, more love, more endurance. The verse invites trust in God's timing and wisdom, not a guarantee of material abundance.
Living This Out
If you feel small today, or your family or church seems to be shrinking, this verse invites you to bring that ache to God. He is the One who adds. You can ask Him to increase your patience, your trust, your love for others. You can pray for the children in your life, your own, your grandchildren, the kids in your church, that they would know more of God. This is not about striving to grow faster. It is about resting in the Giver who delights to give more.
Main takeaway: God is the One who adds to His people over and over, from one generation to the next.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
God can make you and your family grow, bigger in love, stronger in faith, and with more people who know Him.
For ages 9, 12
This verse is a prayer asking God to add blessings to our lives and to the lives of our children. It shows that God cares about the whole family, not just us right now. When we feel small, we can ask God to help us grow in every good way.
Questions People Ask
Does Psalm 115:14 promise that God will make me wealthy?
Not directly. The immediate context is about God restoring the post-exilic community. Christians have seen it as a prayer for spiritual growth as well, not a guarantee of riches.
Is 'you and your children' only for people with biological children?
It can include spiritual heirs. In the psalm, it refers to the covenant community, everyone who fears the Lord is part of that family.
What does the Hebrew word for 'increase' really mean?
The Hebrew verb is 'yasaph,' meaning 'to add, do again.' It is a prayer for God to keep giving, not just once but repeatedly.
How does this verse apply to me today if I am not part of Israel?
As part of the Church, you are grafted into the covenant blessings. You can pray this verse for your church family and spiritual children.
Is the increase only about numbers of people?
The immediate context suggests numerical growth for returned exiles, but many commentators also see spiritual increase: more faith, more grace, more knowledge of God.
For pastors & researchers
Hebrew interlinear, 8 commentaries & word study