Psalm 115:4 kjv
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Psalm 115:4 nkjv
Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men's hands.
Psalm 115:4 niv
But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.
Psalm 115:4 esv
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
Psalm 115:4 nlt
Their idols are merely things of silver and gold,
shaped by human hands.
Psalm 115 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deut 4:28 | There you will serve gods, the work of human hands, wood and stone... | Idols are man-made objects, not divine. |
| 1 Ki 18:27 | ...he is a god; perhaps he is meditating, or engaged, or on a journey... | Highlights the inertness and silence of false gods. |
| Pss 135:15 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. | Direct echo; emphasis on human origin. |
| Isa 2:8 | Their land is filled with idols; they bow down to the work of their hands.. | Widespread practice of idol worship, man-made. |
| Isa 40:19 | An idol—a craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold... | Describes the making of idols by skilled hands. |
| Isa 42:17 | They are turned back and utterly put to shame, who trust in carved idols.. | Shame for those who rely on lifeless images. |
| Isa 44:9 | All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not help. | Idol makers and their creations are worthless. |
| Isa 44:10 | Who would fashion a god or cast an image that is profitable for nothing? | Questioning the purpose/benefit of idols. |
| Isa 44:17 | And the rest of it he makes into a god, his carved image. | Demonstrates the common, ordinary origin of idol material. |
| Isa 45:20 | ...those who carry their carved idols and pray to a god who cannot save. | Idols are immobile and cannot offer salvation. |
| Jer 10:3 | The customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree from the forest.. | Worthlessness and human fabrication of idols. |
| Jer 10:8 | ...their idols are but wood. | Emphasizes their base material, devoid of life. |
| Jer 10:9 | ...silver beaten into plates, and gold... the work of craftsmen and goldsmiths. | Detailing the precious materials used for empty worship. |
| Hab 2:18 | Of what profit is a carved image... or a metal image, a teacher of lies? | Idols are useless, deceitful, and cannot speak truth. |
| Hab 2:19 | Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, “Awake!” to a silent stone, “Arise!”. | Rebuking the absurdity of praying to inanimate objects. |
| Acts 7:41 | ...and made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol... | Historical example of making and worshiping an idol. |
| Acts 17:29 | ...we ought not to think that the Divine Being is like gold or silver or stone. | God is transcendent, not comparable to human art/craft. |
| Rom 1:23 | ...exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man. | Humanity's misguided worship of created things over Creator. |
| 1 Cor 8:4 | ...we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and “there is no God but one.” | Philosophical/theological declaration of idol's non-reality. |
| 1 Cor 10:19 | What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? | Reiteration of an idol's nullity. |
| Rev 9:20 | ...not repent of the works of their hands, nor give up worshipping demons... | Linking idol worship to demonic influence and rebellion against God. |
Psalm 115 verses
Psalm 115 4 Meaning
Psalm 115:4 succinctly defines the objects of worship for non-believers, labeling them "idols" that are fundamentally crafted from precious metals by human ingenuity and effort. It immediately establishes a stark contrast between the true, living God and the lifeless, manufactured gods of other nations, emphasizing their created origin and inherent powerlessness.
Psalm 115 4 Context
Psalm 115 belongs to a collection of psalms (Pss 113-118) known as the "Egyptian Hallel," traditionally sung during major Jewish festivals, particularly Passover. This context underscores its role in expressing communal worship and reaffirming Israel's covenant relationship with the one true God, contrasting Him sharply with the gods of the surrounding nations.The broader chapter opens with an appeal for God's glory to be manifest (Ps 115:1), in response to gentile taunts like "Where is their God?" (Ps 115:2). The verse 3 establishes God's dwelling in heaven and His absolute sovereignty ("He does whatever He pleases"). Verse 4 then immediately launches into a detailed exposé of the utter futility of idols, directly responding to the implicit challenge by vividly describing what "their gods" truly are – mere fabrications. Historically, ancient Near Eastern cultures, including those surrounding Israel, worshipped numerous deities represented by physical idols made of various materials. This psalm acts as a direct polemic against such idolatry, a cornerstone of biblical theology.
Psalm 115 4 Word analysis
- Their idols:
- Hebrew: עֲצַבֵּיהֶם (ʿǎṣabbêhem).
- Meaning: The root ʿāṣav (עצב) can mean "to form," "to fashion," or "to grieve/be pained." Here, it points to crafted objects. The suffix "-hem" ("their") emphasizes possession by the foreign nations, highlighting the exclusivity of their false worship and the clear distinction from the God of Israel. It denotes the personalized futility of their chosen objects of worship, often associated with the very pain and disappointment they ultimately bring.
- are silver and gold:
- Hebrew: כֶּסֶף (Kesef) וְזָהָב (v'Zahav).
- Meaning: These are precious metals, signifying the considerable investment of wealth, time, and human ingenuity dedicated to their creation. This highlights the paradox: immense value attributed to materials that are then fashioned into valueless, powerless objects of worship. The very "worth" of the idol comes from finite, earthly resources, not from inherent divine power.
- the work of:
- Hebrew: מַעֲשֵׂה (Maʿăśēh).
- Meaning: Literally "the doing," "the deed," "the product," or "the handiwork." This term emphasizes the active fabrication process, making it undeniable that these are manufactured items, not self-existent divine beings. It points to a beginning, a creator, and therefore inherent limitations.
- human hands:
- Hebrew: יְדֵי (Yedê) אָדָם (Āḏām).
- Meaning: This phrase is the linchpin of the verse's argument. "Human hands" (יְדֵי אָדָם) directly attributes the idols' origin to fallible, mortal beings. It negates any claim of divinity, divine origin, or intrinsic power. The phrase is a profound statement of polemics, starkly contrasting with the transcendent, uncreated, and mighty hand of Yahweh. The creator is inferior to the true God; thus, their creation (the idol) must be inferior too.
Words-group analysis:
- "Their idols are silver and gold": This phrase highlights the material composition and monetary value that their adherents placed upon them. It shows the earthly nature and superficiality of pagan worship – valuing material over spirit.
- "the work of human hands": This core assertion profoundly devalues the idol from a spiritual perspective. It systematically strips away any pretense of deity or supernatural power by declaring its finite, human origin. This phrase sets up the entire psalm's argument by emphasizing the ultimate absurdity and impotence of idolatry when compared to the omnipotent, living God. It points out that something created cannot be greater than its creator.
Psalm 115 4 Bonus section
This verse initiates a chiastic structure found in Psalm 115:4-8, contrasting the manufactured nature of idols (v. 4) with their subsequent sensory deprivation (v. 5-7), and then declaring that those who make and trust in them will become like them (v. 8). This shows a progression from mere object description to a spiritual consequence of idolatry, highlighting the degenerative effect it has on the worshiper. The consistent emphasis across various biblical texts on idols being "the work of human hands" is a direct theological counter to the prevailing ancient worldview that assigned innate power to material images or saw them as vessels for actual deities. It strongly asserts that these objects are not the gods themselves, nor are they conduits for divine power; they are simply products of human ingenuity. This verse also implicitly reminds believers that anything we make, accumulate, or glorify in place of God becomes an "idol"—it could be our reputation, wealth, power, or even our family—if it begins to receive the worship or trust due only to the Almighty.
Psalm 115 4 Commentary
Psalm 115:4 provides a foundational biblical truth regarding the nature of idolatry. Its declaration that "Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands" serves as a devastating critique against any form of worship directed towards that which is created rather than the Creator. The use of precious metals, silver and gold, highlights humanity's misplaced priorities, investing their most valuable resources into objects devoid of life or power. The decisive phrase "the work of human hands" fundamentally denies any divine attribute to the idols, unequivocally stating their mundane origin. Unlike the God of Israel, who acts, hears, sees, and speaks, these idols possess no inherent capabilities because they derive their very existence from mortal, finite beings. This verse forms the basis for the detailed exposé of idol's powerlessness in subsequent verses (Ps 115:5-7), setting up a vivid contrast with the living, sovereign God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The verse implicitly challenges not only ancient pagan practices but also any modern inclination to trust in self-made constructs, whether material possessions, ideologies, or human achievements, over the one true God.