Psalms 115:3-8

3 ¹Our God is in the heavens; ²he does all that he pleases.

4 ³Their idols are silver and gold, ⁴the work of human hands.

5 They have mouths, ⁵but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.

6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.

7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.

8 ⁶Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

Psalms 115:3-8 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO PSALM 115

This psalm is by the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions, joined to the former, and makes one psalm with it: and Kimchi says, that in some books the psalm does not begin here; but in the best and correct copies of the Hebrew, and in the Targum, it stands a distinct psalm; and the different subject matter or argument shows it to be so. It is ascribed to various persons; by some to Moses and the Israelites, when pursued by Pharaoh: by others to the three companions of Daniel, cast into the fiery furnace: by others to Mordecai and Esther, when Haman distressed the Jews: by others to the heroes at the times of Antiochus and the Maccabees; so Theodoret: by some to Jehoshaphat, when a numerous army came against him; and by others to David, which is more probable; though on what occasion is not easy to say: some have thought it was written by him, when insulted by the Jebusites, 2Sa 5:6. The occasion of it seems to be some distress the church of God was in from the Heathens; and the design of it is to encourage trust and confidence in the Lord; and to excite the saints to give him the glory of all their mercies, and to expose the vanity of idols.

Cross References

• 1. 115:3 See Ps. 11:4
• 2. 115:3 Ps. 135:6; Dan. 4:35
• 3. 115:4 For ver. 4-8, see Ps. 135:15-18
• 4. 115:4 Deut. 4:28; 2 Kgs. 19:18; Isa. 37:19; Acts 19:26; See Isa. 44:10-20; Jer. 10:3-5
• 5. 115:5 [Isa. 46:7; Hab. 2:18]
• 6. 115:8 [Isa. 44:9]