Psalms 115:4
Psalms 115:4 in Multiple Translations
Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands.
Their images are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Their idols are just things of silver and gold made by human hands.
Their idoles are siluer and golde, euen the worke of mens hands.
Their idols [are] silver and gold, work of man's hands,
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
Their idols are silver and gold; the work of men's hands.
I will take the chalice of salvation; and I will call upon the name of the Lord.
But their idols are only statues made of silver and gold, things that humans have made.
Berean Amplified Bible — Psalms 115:4
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Psalms 115:4 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
עֲֽ֭צַבֵּי/הֶם
כֶּ֣סֶף
וְ/זָהָ֑ב
מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה
יְדֵ֣י
אָדָֽם
עֲֽ֭צַבֵּי/הֶם
ʻâtsâb
H6091
idol
N-mp | Suff
כֶּ֣סֶף
keçeph
H3701
silver
N-ms
וְ/זָהָ֑ב
zâhâb
H2091
gold
Conj | N-ms
מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה
maʻăseh
H4639
deed
N-ms
יְדֵ֣י
yâd
H3027
hand
N-cd
אָדָֽם
ʼâdâm
H120
the man (Adam)
N-ms
Hebrew Word Study
Select any word above to explore its original meaning, root, and usage across Scripture.
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Hebrew Word Reference — Psalms 115:4
עֲֽ֭צַבֵּי/הֶם
ʻâtsâb
H6091
"idol"
N-mp | Suff
This word is used to describe an idolatrous image, like the golden calf in Exodus 32. It emphasizes the physical object of worship, rather than the false god itself.
Definition: idol, image
Usage: Occurs in 17 OT verses. KJV: idol, image. See also: 1 Samuel 31:9; Isaiah 10:11; Psalms 106:36.
כֶּ֣סֶף
keçeph
H3701
"silver"
N-ms
Silver or money, often referring to payment or wealth, like the silver talents in Matthew 25. It can also describe silver as a valuable metal or ornament.
Definition: : money/payment/silver 1) silver, money 1a) silver 1a1) as metal 1a2) as ornament 1a3) as colour 1b) money, shekels, talents
Usage: Occurs in 343 OT verses. KJV: money, price, silver(-ling). See also: Genesis 13:2; Numbers 22:18; 2 Chronicles 1:17.
וְ/זָהָ֑ב
zâhâb
H2091
"gold"
Conj | N-ms
Gold is a valuable metal, also used to describe something yellow or brilliant, like oil or a clear sky. It is often mentioned in the Bible as a precious resource.
Definition: 1) gold 1a) as precious metal 1b) as a measure of weight 1c) of brilliance, splendour (fig.) Aramaic equivalent: de.hav (דְּהַב "gold" H1722)
Usage: Occurs in 336 OT verses. KJV: gold(-en), fair weather. See also: Genesis 2:11; Numbers 7:26; 1 Chronicles 28:17.
מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה
maʻăseh
H4639
"deed"
N-ms
This Hebrew word refers to an action or deed, which can be good or bad. It is used to describe various activities, such as work, business, or achievements. The KJV translates it as act, deed, or labor.
Definition: : judgement/punishment 1) deed, work 1a) deed, thing done, act 1b) work, labour 1c) business, pursuit 1d) undertaking, enterprise 1e) achievement 1f) deeds, works (of deliverance and judgment) 1g) work, thing made 1h) work (of God) 1i) product
Usage: Occurs in 221 OT verses. KJV: act, art, [phrase] bakemeat, business, deed, do(-ing), labor, thing made, ware of making, occupation, thing offered, operation, possession, [idiom] well, (handy-, needle-, net-) work(ing, -manship), wrought. See also: Genesis 5:29; Job 1:10; Psalms 8:4.
יְדֵ֣י
yâd
H3027
"hand"
N-cd
In the Bible, 'yad' refers to an open hand, symbolizing power or direction. It can also mean strength or a part of something, like a side or a share. The word is used in many contexts, including anatomy and everyday life.
Definition: : hand/arm[anatomy] 1) hand 1a) hand (of man) 1b) strength, power (fig.) 1c) side (of land), part, portion (metaph.) (fig.) 1d) (various special, technical senses) 1d1) sign, monument 1d2) part, fractional part, share 1d3) time, repetition 1d4) axle-trees, axle 1d5) stays, support (for laver) 1d6) tenons (in tabernacle) 1d7) a phallus, a hand (meaning unsure) 1d8) wrists
Usage: Occurs in 1446 OT verses. KJV: ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves. See also: Genesis 3:22; Exodus 7:19; Leviticus 14:22.
אָדָֽם
ʼâdâm
H120
"the man (Adam)"
N-ms
Adam was the first human, created by God and mentioned in Genesis 2:19, who married Eve and had sons including Cain, Abel, and Seth.
Definition: The first named man living at the time before the Flood, first mentioned at Gen.2.19; married to Eve (H2332); father of: Cain (H7014B), Abel (H1893) and Seth (H8352); also translated "man" at Gen.2.19,21,23; 3.8,9,20; 5.2; "mankind" at Deu.32.8; "others" at Job.31.33; Another spelling of a.dam (אָדָם "Adam" H0121) man, human being
Usage: Occurs in 526 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] another, [phrase] hypocrite, [phrase] common sort, [idiom] low, man (mean, of low degree), person. See also: Genesis 1:26; Judges 18:7; Psalms 8:5.
Study Notes — Psalms 115:4
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Psalms 115:4 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Psalms 115:4
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 115:4
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
- Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
- Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
- Cambridge Bible on Psalms 115:4
- Barnes' Notes on Psalms 115:4
- Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
- Sermons on Psalms 115:4
Context — To Your Name Be the Glory
2Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?”
3Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.
4Their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
5They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; 6they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell;Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deuteronomy 4:28 | And there you will serve man-made gods of wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or eat or smell. |
| 2 | Isaiah 46:6–7 | They pour out their bags of gold and weigh out silver on scales; they hire a goldsmith to fashion it into a god, so they can bow down and worship. They lift it to their shoulder and carry it along; they set it in its place, and there it stands, not budging from that spot. They cry out to it, but it does not answer; it saves no one from his troubles. |
| 3 | Jeremiah 10:3–5 | For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.” |
| 4 | Isaiah 40:19–20 | To an idol that a craftsman casts and a metalworker overlays with gold and fits with silver chains? To one bereft of an offering who chooses wood that will not rot, who seeks a skilled craftsman to set up an idol that will not topple? |
| 5 | Habakkuk 2:18–20 | What use is an idol, that a craftsman should carve it— or an image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation; he makes idols that cannot speak. Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’ or to silent stone, ‘Arise!’ Can it give guidance? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, yet there is no breath in it at all.” But the LORD is in His holy temple; let all the earth be silent before Him. |
| 6 | Isaiah 44:10 | Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? |
| 7 | Isaiah 46:1–2 | Bel crouches; Nebo cowers. Their idols weigh down beasts and cattle. The images you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal. The gods cower; they crouch together, unable to relieve the burden; but they themselves go into captivity. |
| 8 | Isaiah 37:19 | They have cast their gods into the fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods, but only wood and stone—the work of human hands. |
| 9 | Acts 19:26 | And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. |
| 10 | Psalms 135:15–18 | The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak; they have eyes, but cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear; nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them. |
Psalms 115:4 Summary
[Psalms 115:4 tells us that the idols of the nations are just objects made of silver and gold by human hands, which means they have no real power or life. This is in stark contrast to our God, who is all-powerful and all-knowing, as seen in Psalms 115:3. Just like the Israelites were warned not to make idols in Deuteronomy 5:7-10, we too must be careful not to put our trust in things that are not truly God. By recognizing the emptiness of idols, we can turn our hearts to the one true God, who loves and cares for us.]
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the significance of idols being made of silver and gold in Psalms 115:4?
The use of precious materials like silver and gold for idols highlights the foolishness of idolatry, as seen in Isaiah 44:9-20, where the prophet mocks the idol makers for their foolishness in worshiping man-made objects.
Does this verse imply that all man-made objects are idols?
No, the verse specifically refers to objects made to be worshiped as gods, as opposed to objects created for practical use or art, as seen in Exodus 31:1-11, where Bezalel is gifted by God to create beautiful objects for the tabernacle.
How does this verse relate to the concept of idolatry in the Bible?
This verse is part of a larger theme in the Bible that condemns idolatry, as seen in Deuteronomy 5:7-10, where God commands the Israelites not to make or worship idols, and in 1 Corinthians 10:14, where the apostle Paul warns believers to flee from idolatry.
What is the main point of Psalms 115:4?
The main point is to contrast the false, man-made gods of the nations with the one true God of Israel, who is all-powerful and all-knowing, as stated in Psalms 115:3, where it says, 'Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases.'
Reflection Questions
- What are some modern-day idols that people worship, and how can we avoid making the same mistake as the nations in Psalms 115:4?
- How does the fact that idols are made by human hands affect their ability to truly be gods, and what does this say about our own limitations?
- In what ways do we, like the nations, try to create our own gods or idols, whether through material possessions, relationships, or personal achievements?
- What does it mean for our daily lives to recognize that our God is in heaven, and He does as He pleases, as stated in Psalms 115:3?
Gill's Exposition on Psalms 115:4
Their idols are silver and gold,.... The idols of the Gentiles; so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Psalms 115:4
Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not. Drawn from Deuteronomy 4:28.
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
Thus glorious and powerful is our God, O ye heathens, of whom you so boldly ask who and where he is; but as for your gods or idols, they have no power nor worth in them but what is taken from their materials. As their matter is wholly from the earth, so their form or figure they have from the art of man; and therefore they should rather, if it were possible, worship man, as their creator and lord, than be worshipped by him.
Trapp's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
Psalms 115:4 Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men’ s hands.Ver. 4. Their idols are silver and gold] Take them at the best, they are no better; and what is silver and gold but the guts and garbage of the earth? But some of them might say, as Priapus in Horace, Olim truncus eram ficulnus, inutile lignum. Herodotus telleth us, that Amasis had a large laver of gold, wherein both he and his guests used to wash their feet. This vessel he brake and made a god of it; which the Egyptians devoutly worshipped. And the like idolomany is at this day found among Papists; what distinction soever the world would fain make between an idol and an image, which indeed (as they use them) are all one. The work of men’ s hands] And therefore they must needs be goodly gods, when made by bunglers especially, as was the cross of Cockram; which, if it were not good enough to make a god, would make an excellent devil, as the mayor of Doncaster merrily told the complainants (Acts and Mon. fol. 1340).
Ellicott's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
(4-8) This passage cannot compare with the magnificent irony of Isa 44:9-20, but there is still a noticeable vein of sarcasm running through it, visible even more in the original than in the English. (Comp. Psalms 135:15-18.)
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
Verse 4. Their idols are silver, c.] They are metal, stone, and wood. They are generally made in the form of man, but can neither see, hear, smell, feel, walk, nor speak. How brutish to trust in such! And next to these, in stupidity and inanity, must they be who form them, with the expectation of deriving any good from them. So obviously vain was the whole system of idolatry, that the more serious heathens ridiculed it, and it was a butt for the jests of their freethinkers and buffoons. How keen are those words of Juvenal! ----------------------Audis Jupiter, haec? nec labra moves, cum mittere vocem. Debueras, vel marmoreus vel aheneus? aut cur In carbone tuo charta pia thura soluta Ponimus, et sectum vituli jecur, albaque porci Omenta? ut video, nullum discrimen habendum est. Effigies inter vestras, statuamque Bathylli. SAT. xiii., ver. 113.
"Dost thou hear, O Jupiter, these things? nor move thy lips when thou oughtest to speak out, whether thou art of marble or of bronze? Or, why do we put the sacred incense on thy altar from the opened paper, and the extracted liver of a calf, and the white caul of a hog? As far as I can discern there is no difference between thy statue and that of Bathyllus." This irony will appear the keener, when it is known that Bathyllus was a fiddler and player, whose image by the order of Polycrates, was erected in the temple of Juno at Samos. See Isaiah 41:1. c. Isaiah 46:7; Jeremiah 10:4-5, c. and Psalms 135:15; Psalms 135:16.
Cambridge Bible on Psalms 115:4
4–8. Do the heathen taunt us with the impotence of our God? What are their own gods? Nothing but their own handiwork, destitute of ordinary human senses, though represented with organs of sense. For similar sarcastic descriptions of idols and the contrast between them and the living God, see Isaiah 44:9-20; Jeremiah 10:1-16 Deuteronomy 4:28; Isaiah 2:20; Habakkuk 2:18-19; Wis 15:15. The passage recurs in Psalms 135:15-18. Observe how completely the Psalmist identifies the god with the image: it has no separate existence.
Barnes' Notes on Psalms 115:4
Their idols - Their gods - the gods which they worship, as contrasted with the God whom we adore.
Whedon's Commentary on Psalms 115:4
4. Their idols are silver and gold—The contrast still appears between “our God” and “their idols.” The idols of the heathen are pretended images or representations of deities, who, upon the
Sermons on Psalms 115:4
| Sermon | Description | |
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Broken Cisterns by Chuck Smith | This sermon emphasizes the importance of worshiping the true and living God, highlighting the dangers of seeking fulfillment in broken cisterns, which represent false beliefs and i |
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The Worship of False Gods by Chuck Smith | This sermon delves into the concept of worship and the nature of false gods that people create, such as the pursuit of recognition, pleasure, money, and sex. It emphasizes the impo |
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Man Made God's by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the tragic truth that many people are caught up in idol worship, specifically idols made of silver and gold. He references the book of Deuter |
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(Through the Bible) Ezekiel 11-15 by Chuck Smith | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes that society today is not like the Victorian age or a puritan society. He warns against forsaking God's commandments and living like the peo |
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Unreached Peoples: The Drokpa People of the Himalayas by Paul Hattaway | This sermon delves into the unique traditions and lifestyle of the Drogpa people, who live in a fruitful yet isolated area, practicing ancient customs and idol worship. Despite the |
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The Attributes of God - Part 3 by William MacDonald | In this sermon, the speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing the existence of God and our accountability to Him. He argues that if evolution were true and there was no God, |
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Homily 10 by Clement of Rome | Clement of Rome preaches in Tripolis about the dangers of ignorance and error, highlighting the difference between those who worship idols and those who worship the one true God. H |