Albert Barnes Commentary Psalms 115:16

"The heavens are the heavens of Jehovah; But the earth hath he given to the children of men." — Psalms 115:16 (ASV)

The heaven - Hebrew, “The heavens.”

Even the heavens are the Lord’s - A more literal and correct rendering of this would be, “The heavens are heavens for Jehovah.” That is, He has reserved the heavens as a home for Himself, or as His special possession and home. (Matthew 5:34; Acts 7:49).

But the earth ... - He prepared earth for the abode of man; He has placed man upon it to cultivate it; He has given its fruits and productions to man, to be held and enjoyed by man; He has made all on earth subject to man—the dwellers in the air, the land, and the waters.

All this He has given to man, not to the angels.

Earth is the home of man, the birthplace of man; the place where he lives, where he shows the result of his toil, his skill, and his ingenuity; the place where he builds houses, bridges, monuments, works of art; the place where he prepares for another state of existence; the place where he dies and is buried.

It is, as formed by the Creator, a beautiful home outfitted for mankind; how much more beautiful would it be if man never defiled or desolated it by sin! How happy an abode would it have been if sin had never entered it!