4 Their idols `are' silver and gold, work of man's hands,
and ye have served there gods, work of man's hands, wood and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
For the statutes of the peoples are vanity, For a tree from a forest hath one cut, Work of the hands of an artificer, with an axe, With silver and with gold they beautify it, With nails and with hammers they fix it, And it doth not stumble. As a palm they `are' stiff, and they speak not, They are surely borne, for they step not, Be not afraid of them, for they do no evil, Yea, also to do good is not in them.
-- They are pouring out gold from a bag, And silver on the beam they weigh, They hire a refiner, and he maketh it a god, They fall down, yea, they bow themselves. They lift him up on the shoulder, They carry him, and cause him to rest in his place, And he standeth, from his place he moveth not, Yea, one crieth unto him, and he answereth not, From his adversity he saveth him not.
and ye see and hear, that not only at Ephesus, but almost in all Asia, this Paul, having persuaded, did turn away a great multitude, saying, that they are not gods who are made by hands;
Bowed down hath Bel, stooping is Nebo, Their idols have been for the beast and for cattle, Your burdens are loaded, a burden to the weary. They have stooped, they have bowed together, They have not been able to deliver the burden, And themselves into captivity have gone.
Who hath formed a god, And a molten image poured out -- not profitable?
The graven image poured out hath a artizan, And a refiner with gold spreadeth it over, And chains of silver he is refining. He who is poor `by' heave-offerings, A tree not rotten doth choose, A skilful artizan he seeketh for it, To establish a graven image -- not moved.
what then do I say? that an idol is anything? or that a sacrifice offered to an idol is anything? -- `no,' but that the things that the nations sacrifice -- they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not wish you to come into the fellowship of the demons.
and have put their gods into fire, for they `are' no gods, but work of the hands of man, wood and stone, and destroy them.
And the public clerk having quieted the multitude, saith, `Men, Ephesians, why, who is the man that doth not know that the city of the Ephesians is a devotee of the great goddess Artemis, and of that which fell down from Zeus?
What profit hath a graven image given That its former hath graven it? A molten image and teacher of falsehood, That trusted hath the former on his own formation -- to make dumb idols? Wo `to' him who is saying to wood, `Awake,' `Stir up,' to a dumb stone, It a teacher! lo, it is overlaid -- gold and silver, And there is no spirit in its midst. And Jehovah `is' in His holy temple, Be silent before Him, all the earth!
For even it `is' of Israel; an artificer made it, And it `is' not God, For the calf of Samaria is fragments!
Removed backward -- utterly ashamed, Are those trusting in a graven image, Those saying to a molten image, `Ye `are' our gods.'
The idols of the nations `are' silver and gold, Work of the hands of man. A mouth they have, and they speak not, Eyes they have, and they see not, Ears they have, and they give not ear, Nose -- there is no breath in their mouth! Like them are their makers, Every one who is trusting in them.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Psalms 115
Commentary on Psalms 115 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
PSALM 115
Ps 115:1-18. The Psalmist prays that God would vindicate His glory, which is contrasted with the vanity of idols, while the folly of their worshippers is contrasted with the trust of God's people, who are encouraged to its exercise and to unite in the praise which it occasions.
1-3. The vindication of God's mercy and faithfulness (Ps 25:10; 36:6) is the "glory" of His "name," which is desired to be illustrated in the deliverance of His people, as the implied mode of its manifestation. In view of the taunts of the heathen, faith in His dominion as enthroned in the heaven (Ps 2:4; 11:4) is avowed.
2. Where is now, &c.—"now" is "not a particle of time, but of entreaty," as in our forms of speech, "Come now," "See now," &c.
4-7. (Compare Isa 40:18-20; 44:9-20).
7. speak … throat—literally, "mutter," not even utter articulate sounds.
8. every one that trusteth—they who trust, whether makers or not.
9-13. The repetitions imply earnestness.
14. Opposed to the decrease pending and during the captivity.
15-17. They were not only God's peculiar people, but as living inhabitants of earth, assigned the work of His praise as monuments of divine power, wisdom, and goodness.
18. Hence let us fulfil the purpose of our creation, and evermore show forth His praise.