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Commentary on Psalms 115 verses 1–8
Sufficient care is here taken to answer both the pretensions of self and the reproaches of idolaters.
I. Boasting is here for ever excluded, Psa 115:1. Let no opinion of our own merits have any room either in our prayers or in our praises, but let both centre in God's glory. 1. Have we received any mercy, gone through any service, or gained any success? We must not assume the glory of it to ourselves, but ascribe it wholly to God. We must not imagine that we do any thing for God by our own strength, or deserve any thing from God by our own righteousness; but all the good we do is done by the power of his grace, and all the good we have is the gift of his mere mercy, and therefore he must have all the praise. Say not, The power of my hand has gotten me this wealth, Deu 8:17. Say not, For my righteousness the Lord has done these great and kind things for me, Deu 9:4. No; all our songs must be sung to this humble tune, Not unto us, O Lord! and again, Not unto us, but to thy name, let all the glory be given; for whatever good is wrought in us, or wrought for us, it is for his mercy and his truth's sake, because he will glorify his mercy and fulfil his promise. All our crowns must be cast at the feet of him that sits upon the throne, for that is the proper place for them. 2. Are we in pursuit of any mercy and wrestling with God for it? We must take our encouragement, in prayer, from God only, and have an eye to his glory more than to our own benefit in it. "Lord, do so and so for us, not that we may have the credit and comfort of it, but that thy mercy and truth may have the glory of it." This must be our highest and ultimate end in our prayers, and therefore it is made the first petition in the Lord's prayer, as that which guides all the rest, Hallowed be thy name; and, in order to that, Give us our daily bread, etc. This also must satisfy us, if our prayers be not answered in the letter of them. Whatever becomes of us, unto thy name give glory. See Joh 12:27, Joh 12:28.
II. The reproach of the heathen is here for ever silenced and justly retorted.
1.The psalmist complains of the reproach of the heathen (Psa 115:2): Wherefore should they say, Where is now their God? (1.) "Why do they say so? Do they not know that our God is every where by his providence, and always nigh to us by his promise and grace?" (2.) "Why does God permit them to say so? Nay, why is Israel brought so low that they have some colour for saying so? Lord, appear for our relief, that thou mayest vindicate thyself, and glorify thy own name."
2.He gives a direct answer to their question, Psa 115:3. "Do they ask where is our God? We can tell where he is." (1.) "In the upper world is the presence of his glory: Our God is in the heavens, where the gods of the heathen never were, in the heavens, and therefore out of sight; but, though his majesty be unapproachable, it does not therefore follow that his being is questionable." (2.) "In the lower world are the products of his power: He has done whatsoever he pleased, according to the counsel of his will; he has a sovereign dominion and a universal uncontrollable influence. Do you ask where he is? He is at the beginning and end of every thing, and not far from any of us."
3.He returns their question upon themselves. They asked, Where is the God of Israel? because he is not seen. He does in effect ask, What are the gods of the heathen? because they are seen. (1.) He shows that their gods, though they are not shapeless things, are senseless things. Idolaters, at first, worshipped the sun and moon (Job 31:26), which was bad enough, but not so bad as that which they were now come to (for evil men grow worse and worse), which was the worshipping of images, Psa 115:4. The matter of them was silver and gold, dug out of the earth (man found them poor and dirty in a mine, Herbert), proper things to make money of, but not to make gods of. The make of them was from the artificer; they are creatures of men's vain imaginations and the works of men's hands, and therefore can have no divinity in them. If man is the work of God's hands (as certainly he is, and it was his honour that he was made in the image of God) it is absurd to think that that can be God which is the work of men's hands, or that it can be any other than a dishonour to God to make him in the image of man. The argument is irrefragable: The workmen made it, therefore it is not God, Hos 8:6. These idols are represented here as the most ridiculous things, a mere jest, that would seem to be something, but were really nothing, fitter for a toy shop than a temple, for children to play with than for men to pray to. The painter, the carver, the statuary, did their part well enough; they made them with mouths and eyes, ears and noses, hands and feet, but they could put no life into them and therefore no sense. They had better have worshipped a dead carcase (for that had life in it once) than a dead image, which neither has life nor can have. They speak not, in answer to those that consult them; the crafty priest must speak for them. In Baal's image there was no voice, neither any that answered. They see not the prostrations of their worshippers before them, much less their burdens and wants. They hear not their prayers, though ever so loud; they smell not their incense, though ever so strong, ever so sweet; they handle not the gifts presented to them, much less have they any gifts to bestow on their worshippers; they cannot stretch forth their hands to the needy. They walk not, they cannot stir a step for the relief of those that apply to them. Nay, they do not so much as breathe through their throat; they have not the least sign of symptom of life, but are as dead, after the priest has pretended to consecrate them and call a deity into them, as they were before. (2.) He thence infers the sottishness of their worshippers (Psa 115:8): Those that make them images show their ingenuity, and doubtless are sensible men; but those that make them gods show their stupidity and folly, and are like unto them, as senseless blockish things; they see not the invisible things of the true and living God in the works of creation; they hear not the voice of the day and the night, which in every speech and language declare his glory, Psa 19:2, Psa 19:3. By worshipping these foolish puppets, they make themselves more and more foolish like them, and set themselves at a greater distance from every thing that is spiritual, sinking themselves deeper into the mire of sense; and withal they provoke God to give them up to a reprobate mind, a mind void of judgment, Rom 1:28. Those that trust in them act very absurdly and very unreasonably, are senseless, helpless, useless, like them; and they will find it so themselves, to their own confusion. We shall know where our God is, and so shall they, to their cost, when their gods are gone, Jer 10:3-11; Isa 44:9, etc.
But this all inspired Scripture also teaches more plainly and with more authority, so that we in our turn write boldly to you as we do, and you, if you refer to Scripture, will be able to verify what we say. For an argument when confirmed by higher authority is irresistibly proved. From the first then the divine Word firmly taught the Jewish people about the abolition of idols when it said, “You shall not make for yourself a graven image or the likeness of anything that is in the heaven above or in the earth beneath.” But the cause of their abolition another writer declares, saying, “The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the works of human hands; they have a mouth and will not speak, they have eyes and will not see, they have ears and will not hear, they have noses and will not smell, they have hands and will not handle, they have feet and will not walk.” Nor has it passed over in silence the doctrine of creation; but, knowing well its beauty, lest any attending solely to this beauty should worship things as if they were gods, instead of God’s works, it teaches people firmly beforehand when it says, “And do not, when you look up with your eyes and see the sun and moon and all the host of heaven, go astray and worship them, which the Lord your God has given to all nations under heaven.” But he gave them, not to be their gods but that by their agency the Gentiles should know, as we have said, God the Maker of them all.
"Their idols," he says, "are silver and gold, even the work of men's hands" [Psalm 115:4]. That is, although we cannot display our God to your carnal eyes, whom you ought to recognise through his works; yet be not seduced by your vain pretences, because ye can point with the finger to, the objects of your worship. For it were much worthier for you not to have what to point to, than that your hearts' blindness should be displayed in what is exhibited to these eyes by you: for what do ye exhibit, save gold and silver? They have indeed both bronze, and wood, and earthenware idols, and of different materials of this description; but the Holy Spirit preferred mentioning the more precious material, because when every man has blushed for that which he sets more by, he is much more easily turned away from the worship of meaner objects. For it is said in another passage of Scripture concerning the worshippers of images, "Saying to a stock, You are my father; and to a stone, You have brought me forth." [Jeremiah 2:27] But lest that man who speaks thus not to a stone or stock, but to gold and silver, seem wiser to himself; let him look this way, let him turn hitherwards the ear of his heart: "The idols of the Gentiles are gold and silver." Nothing mean and contemptible is here mentioned: and indeed to that mind which is not earth, both gold and silver is earth, but more beautiful and brilliant, more solid and firm. Employ not then the hands of men, to create a false Deity out of that metal which a true God has created; nay, a false man, whom you may worship for a true God....
Therefore, there is no falseness in God’s promises because for the all-powerful there is no problem about doing things. And so the effects of the will are never lacking because the will itself is nothing other than power. Whatever God wills, he can do; he can do as much as he wishes.So it is rightly said of him alone, “He does whatever he pleases.” And again, “For you have power to act whenever you choose.” So we have said that there is as much power of will there as there is will itself for the power. Since for the one to whom it is subject, when he shall will, he can, willing being nothing other than power.
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SUMMARY
Psalms 115:4 initiates a profound theological argument by declaring, "Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands." This verse serves as the psalmist's foundational assertion, meticulously setting the stage for a stark contrast between the inert, human-fashioned objects of pagan worship and the living, omnipotent, and sovereign God of Israel. It immediately exposes the inherent futility and powerlessness of anything that derives its existence and form solely from human ingenuity and material wealth, laying bare the spiritual bankruptcy of misplaced trust and preparing the reader for a comprehensive critique of idolatry.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Psalms 115:4 employs several powerful literary devices to convey its message. The most prominent is Polemic, as the verse directly and forcefully argues against the validity of idolatry, setting up a theological confrontation with pagan worship. This is achieved through stark Contrast, juxtaposing the living, active God of Psalm 115:3 with the inert, man-made idols described here. The verse also utilizes Irony, highlighting the absurdity of worshipping objects made by human hands, which are themselves created beings. The very materials of the idols—silver and gold—are earthly and finite, further emphasizing the Futility of such worship. The phrase "work of men's hands" functions as a powerful Metonymy, where the "hands" represent the entire human effort and ingenuity involved in creating these false gods, thereby underscoring their complete lack of divine origin or power.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Psalms 115:4 lays bare a fundamental theological truth: the inherent qualitative difference between the Creator and the created. It asserts that anything fashioned by human hands, no matter how precious the material, cannot possess divine attributes or power. This principle extends beyond physical idols to any object, concept, or pursuit that usurps the place of God in human devotion, trust, or ultimate allegiance. The verse implicitly affirms God's unique transcendence and omnipotence, emphasizing that He alone is uncreated, self-existent, and truly sovereign. The worship of idols, whether ancient or modern, represents a fundamental inversion of divine order, elevating the finite and dependent to the status of the infinite and independent, ultimately leading to spiritual emptiness and disillusionment.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
While the overt worship of physical idols of silver and gold may seem a relic of the past in many contemporary societies, the profound principle articulated in Psalms 115:4 remains strikingly relevant. The human heart retains its ancient propensity to create and worship "gods" that are, in essence, "the work of men's hands"—anything we craft, control, or rely upon for ultimate security, identity, meaning, or fulfillment apart from the living God. Modern idols often manifest as abstract concepts or pursuits: the insatiable quest for wealth and material possessions, where financial security becomes our ultimate trust; the relentless pursuit of fame, status, or human approval, making others' opinions our guiding star; the craving for power and control over circumstances or people, rather than surrendering to divine sovereignty; or even the subtle self-worship that prioritizes personal comfort, desires, or opinions above God's revealed will. This verse serves as a timeless call to radical self-examination, urging us to scrutinize the deepest allegiances of our hearts and identify what truly occupies the throne of our lives. It reminds us that anything derived from human effort or imagination, whether tangible or conceptual, is inherently limited, powerless, and ultimately incapable of delivering the true salvation, peace, or lasting satisfaction that only the uncreated, all-sufficient God can provide. Our trust must be anchored solely in the God who made all things, not in the things that are made.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
How does Psalms 115:4 apply to modern society where physical idol worship is less common?
Answer: While the literal worship of carved images of silver and gold may be less prevalent in many contemporary cultures, the principle of Psalms 115:4 remains profoundly relevant. The verse critiques the fundamental error of placing ultimate trust, devotion, and hope in anything that is "the work of men's hands"—meaning anything created, conceived, or controlled by human effort, rather than the uncreated, sovereign God. In modern society, this manifests as "functional idolatry." An idol is anything that takes the place of God in our lives, becoming the source of our security, identity, meaning, or ultimate satisfaction. This can include:
The verse challenges us to identify these functional idols in our lives, reminding us that anything "made by hands" (whether physical or conceptual) is inherently limited, powerless to truly save or satisfy, and ultimately leads to disappointment, just as the ancient idols did, much like the "broken cisterns" described in Jeremiah 2:13.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Psalms 115:4, with its scathing indictment of man-made, powerless idols, finds its ultimate fulfillment and counterpoint in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The idols described are "silver and gold, the work of men's hands," lifeless and dependent on human creation for their very existence. In stark contrast, Jesus is not a created being, but the uncreated, eternal Son of God, the very image of the invisible God, through whom all things were created, "whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him" Colossians 1:16. While idols are fashioned by human hands, Christ is God incarnate, the Word made flesh, who came not to be served, but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many Mark 10:45. The psalmist laments the inability of idols to see, hear, or act, but Jesus is the living God who sees our deepest needs, hears our prayers, and acts with divine power to heal, deliver, and save. He is the one true God who is "not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else" Acts 17:25. Ultimately, where idols represent a misplaced trust in human effort and material things that cannot save, Christ offers true salvation and eternal life, freely given through His perfect sacrifice on the cross, making Him the only worthy object of our worship and trust, for "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" John 3:16.