Psalm 115 8

Psalm 115:8 kjv

They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

Psalm 115:8 nkjv

Those who make them are like them; So is everyone who trusts in them.

Psalm 115:8 niv

Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.

Psalm 115:8 esv

Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

Psalm 115:8 nlt

And those who make idols are just like them,
as are all who trust in them.

Psalm 115 verses

Psalm 115 8 Meaning

Psalm 115:8 declares a profound spiritual truth: those who create idols or place their trust in them will spiritually come to resemble the lifeless, impotent nature of the idols themselves. This means they become deaf to divine truth, blind to God's revelation, mute in expressing His praises, and spiritually inert, paralleling the features ascribed to idols in the preceding verses.

Psalm 115 8 Context

Psalm 115 is a communal hymn of trust, part of the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113-118), often sung at Passover and other Jewish feasts. The Psalm directly contrasts the glorious, living, active God of Israel with the lifeless, man-made idols of the surrounding nations. Verses 1-2 ask "Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?'" challenging the taunt against Israel's God. Verses 3-7 vividly describe the impotence of pagan idols: they are made of silver and gold by human hands, "have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell; they have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they make no sound in their throat." Verse 8 then pronounces the dreadful spiritual consequence for those who worship such futile things. The psalm concludes with a renewed call for Israel to trust in the Lord, emphasizing His help and blessing.

Psalm 115 8 Word analysis

• Those who make them (עֹשֵׂיהֶם, ośehem): This refers to the craftsmen and artisans who fashion the physical idol objects from materials like silver, gold, wood, and stone. It highlights the human agency involved in constructing these false gods, emphasizing that they are products of human effort, not divine beings. This phrase stresses the active role of creation.

• are like them (כָּהֶם, kahem): This is the pivotal phrase. "Like them" signifies taking on the characteristics of the idols described in verses 4-7. Since idols are inanimate, insensate, and powerless (they do not speak, see, hear, smell, feel, or walk), those who make or trust them will similarly become spiritually inert, insensible to God's truth, unresponsive to His voice, and powerless to act according to His will. It indicates a spiritual conformation or resemblance to the worshipped object, a mirroring of its intrinsic qualities.

• so is (כֵּן, kēn): This adverb emphasizes the direct and certain correspondence. It asserts a definite and inevitable outcome; the parallel is precise and true for all mentioned.

• everyone who trusts in them (כֹּל אֲשֶׁר בֹּטֵחַ בָּהֶם, kol 'asher botēaḥ bahem): This extends the condemnation from merely the idol makers to anyone who places their confidence, reliance, hope, or security (botēaḥ, from bāṭaḥ) in these powerless objects. "Trusts" implies a deep, inner reliance, a devotion of one's hope. This broadens the scope of the judgment, including all who, by an act of faith, align themselves with what is false.

• Words-group Analysis:

  • "Those who make them...are like them": This segment targets the literal fashioners of idols. It implies that in shaping the physical image of a false god, the maker inadvertently shapes their own spiritual being, adopting the spiritual vacuity and inertness of their creation.
  • "so is everyone who trusts in them": This expands the scope from creators to all adherents. It highlights that the act of worship and trust, not just creation, draws the worshipper into spiritual resemblance with the worshipped object. Both direct physical involvement (making) and spiritual devotion (trusting) lead to the same spiritual debasement, making it clear that it's the nature of the object of worship that dictates the spiritual state of the worshipper.

Psalm 115 8 Bonus section

The spiritual principle found in Psalm 115:8 is not limited to physical idols of wood and stone. In a broader sense, it teaches that whatever consumes our primary attention, trust, and devotion—be it wealth, power, status, worldly philosophies, or even self—will ultimately shape us. If our worship is given to fleeting, powerless, or inherently corrupt things, we will assimilate their transient, unfulfilling, or destructive qualities into our own spiritual being. This stands in direct contrast to the New Testament concept that beholding the glory of the Lord transforms believers into His image, from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18), resulting in spiritual growth, life, and fruitfulness. The psalm warns that idolatry, in any form, leads to spiritual atrophy, while true worship leads to spiritual flourishing.

Psalm 115 8 Commentary

Psalm 115:8 encapsulates a profound spiritual law: worship inherently transforms the worshipper into the likeness of what they adore. When people craft and place their ultimate reliance upon lifeless idols—objects that neither speak, see, hear, nor help—they spiritually devolve, reflecting the very inertness of their chosen deity. This isn't a physical resemblance, but a deep spiritual state of being. Those who spiritually invest in "nothing" become, in a sense, spiritually nothing themselves, alienated from the true source of life and truth. They become insensitive to divine reality, deaf to God's living voice, blind to His majestic revelation, and spiritually powerless. This verse serves as a potent theological indictment of idolatry and a dire warning about the dangers of misplaced faith. It underscores that what one serves shapes one's character and destiny, demonstrating the radical contrast between the vitality and efficacy found in worshipping the living, active God of Israel versus the futility and spiritual deadness found in the worship of dead gods.