The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
Psalm 135 is a psalm of praise to Jehovah for His greatness, His choice of Israel, His works in creation, and His judgments upon nations (vv.1-14). Verse 15 turns from the living God to the false gods of the heathen and exposes what they truly are. Jehovah does whatsoever He pleases in heaven, earth, seas, and deep places (v.6), but the idols of the nations are lifeless objects made by men. This verse is instruction sung before God, teaching His worshippers to reject idols and to know the difference between the living God and the works of human hands.
“The idols.” The psalmist speaks plainly. These are idols, not other forms of the true God and not harmless aids to worship. Moses commanded, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3), and the next verse forbids making a graven image for worship (Exodus 20:4). Psalm 115 gives the direct parallel: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands” (Psalm 115:4). Psalm 135 then explains their helplessness from its own context. They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see, and ears but do not hear; “neither is there any breath in their mouths” (vv.16-17). Men give them the appearance of life, but God gives no life to them. “They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them” (v.18). The worshipper becomes like what he trusts: spiritually senseless before the living God.
“Of the heathen.” These idols belonged to the nations around Israel. The LORD repeatedly warned His people not to learn their worship. When Israel entered Canaan, they were to destroy their altars, break down their images, and cut down their groves (Deuteronomy 7:5). Yet Israel still followed the gods of the people that were round about them (Judges 2:12). The danger was imitation. God’s people were tempted to borrow the worship of those around them, though the gods of those nations were powerless works of men. The church must learn the same lesson. Paul commanded, “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry” (I Corinthians 10:14). God’s people must not give divine honor, trust, fear, devotion, or worship to anything made by men.
“Are silver and gold.” The supplied word “are” appearing in italics, makes the English sentence complete and presses the identification plainly. What are these idols? They are silver and gold. The materials may be costly and highly valued among men, but precious metal does not become divine because a craftsman shapes it. A gold image is still an image, and a silver god is still silver. The material itself belongs to Jehovah: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:8). Paul made the same distinction at Athens: “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device” (Acts 17:29). Gold cannot represent the Godhead, silver cannot contain Him, and art cannot fashion Him.
“The work of men’s hands.” This phrase gives the decisive proof against the idol. Men made it. They gave it a mouth, eyes, and ears, but it cannot speak, see, or hear (vv.16-17). Its maker must shape it, place it, carry it, and protect it. Jehovah stands in the opposite relation to men and all creation. Paul declared, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:24-25). Psalm 135 says of the idols, “neither is there any breath in their mouths” (v.17); the true God gives breath to others. He is not sustained by worshippers, for He is their Maker and Giver.
Jesus Christ stands in absolute contrast to the idols of this verse. The idols are made by men, but the eternal Word made all things: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Paul wrote, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (I Corinthians 8:6). John sets the true God in Jesus Christ directly against idols: “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen” (I John 5:20-21). In His Godhead, Christ is the Creator; no work of men’s hands can stand beside Him.
Reject every idol and every form of worship devised by men. “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker” (Psalm 95:6). Give your worship to the God who made you, not to anything man has made.
The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.
Psalm 135 is a psalm of praise to Jehovah for His greatness, His choice of Israel, His works in creation, and His judgments upon nations (vv.1-14). Verse 15 turns from the living God to the false gods of the heathen and exposes what they truly are. Jehovah does whatsoever He pleases in heaven, earth, seas, and deep places (v.6), but the idols of the nations are lifeless objects made by men. This verse is instruction sung before God, teaching His worshippers to reject idols and to know the difference between the living God and the works of human hands.
“The idols.” The psalmist speaks plainly. These are idols, not other forms of the true God and not harmless aids to worship. Moses commanded, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” (Exodus 20:3), and the next verse forbids making a graven image for worship (Exodus 20:4). Psalm 115 gives the direct parallel: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands” (Psalm 115:4). Psalm 135 then explains their helplessness from its own context. They have mouths but do not speak, eyes but do not see, and ears but do not hear; “neither is there any breath in their mouths” (vv.16-17). Men give them the appearance of life, but God gives no life to them. “They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them” (v.18). The worshipper becomes like what he trusts: spiritually senseless before the living God.
“Of the heathen.” These idols belonged to the nations around Israel. The LORD repeatedly warned His people not to learn their worship. When Israel entered Canaan, they were to destroy their altars, break down their images, and cut down their groves (Deuteronomy 7:5). Yet Israel still followed the gods of the people that were round about them (Judges 2:12). The danger was imitation. God’s people were tempted to borrow the worship of those around them, though the gods of those nations were powerless works of men. The church must learn the same lesson. Paul commanded, “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry” (I Corinthians 10:14). God’s people must not give divine honor, trust, fear, devotion, or worship to anything made by men.
“Are silver and gold.” The supplied word “are” appearing in italics, makes the English sentence complete and presses the identification plainly. What are these idols? They are silver and gold. The materials may be costly and highly valued among men, but precious metal does not become divine because a craftsman shapes it. A gold image is still an image, and a silver god is still silver. The material itself belongs to Jehovah: “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the LORD of hosts” (Haggai 2:8). Paul made the same distinction at Athens: “Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device” (Acts 17:29). Gold cannot represent the Godhead, silver cannot contain Him, and art cannot fashion Him.
“The work of men’s hands.” This phrase gives the decisive proof against the idol. Men made it. They gave it a mouth, eyes, and ears, but it cannot speak, see, or hear (vv.16-17). Its maker must shape it, place it, carry it, and protect it. Jehovah stands in the opposite relation to men and all creation. Paul declared, “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (Acts 17:24-25). Psalm 135 says of the idols, “neither is there any breath in their mouths” (v.17); the true God gives breath to others. He is not sustained by worshippers, for He is their Maker and Giver.
Jesus Christ stands in absolute contrast to the idols of this verse. The idols are made by men, but the eternal Word made all things: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Paul wrote, “But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him” (I Corinthians 8:6). John sets the true God in Jesus Christ directly against idols: “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen” (I John 5:20-21). In His Godhead, Christ is the Creator; no work of men’s hands can stand beside Him.
Reject every idol and every form of worship devised by men. “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker” (Psalm 95:6). Give your worship to the God who made you, not to anything man has made.