New English Translation
Psalms 115:4
4Their idols are made of silver and gold – they are man-made.
Psalms 115:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
- New International Version (NIV)But their idols are silver and gold, made by human hands.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Their idols are silver and gold, The work of men’s hands.
Context of Psalms 115:4
2Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3Our God is in heaven! He does whatever he pleases! Their idols are made of silver and gold – they are man-made. 5They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see, 6ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell,
Read all of Psalms 115Psalms 115:4 word by word
עֲֽ֭צַבֵּיהֶם כֶּ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה יְדֵ֣י אָדָֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 115:4
- Psalms 97:7All who worship idols are ashamed, those who boast about worthless idols. All the gods bow down before him.
- Psalms 135:15The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold, they are man-made.
- Deuteronomy 4:28There you will worship gods made by human hands – wood and stone that can neither see, hear, eat, nor smell.
- Isaiah 40:19A craftsman casts an idol; a metalsmith overlays it with gold and forges silver chains for it.
- Isaiah 42:17Those who trust in idols will turn back and be utterly humiliated, those who say to metal images, ‘You are our gods.’”
- Isaiah 46:1Bel kneels down, Nebo bends low. Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals.
- Jeremiah 10:3For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools.
- Hosea 8:6That idol was made by a workman – it is not God! The calf idol of Samaria will be broken to bits.
- Habakkuk 2:18What good is an idol? Why would a craftsman make it? What good is a metal image that gives misleading oracles? Why would its creator place his trust in it and make such mute, worthless things?
- Acts 19:26And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all.
- 1 Corinthians 10:19Am I saying that idols or food sacrificed to them amount to anything?
Commentaries on Psalms 115:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Their idols are silver, etc. - 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…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Their idols - Their gods - the gods which they worship, as contrasted with the God whom we adore. The design of this description Psalm 115:4-8 is to show the utter vanity of trusting in such gods, and to lead the people of Israel to put their trust in the true God - in Yahweh. Are silver and gold - Made of silver and gold, and they must have, therefore, the properties of silver and gold. They can be of value only as silver and gold. They cannot do the…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4-11This entire section is repeated in Psalm 135:15–20. Unlike the Lord (Psalm 95:3–5), idols cannot do anything. They are useless.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 4-74-7. (Compare Is 40:18-20; 44:9-20).Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 115:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 115
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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