Psalms 135:15
The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
Original Language Analysis
הַ֭גּוֹיִם
of the heathen
H1471
הַ֭גּוֹיִם
of the heathen
Strong's:
H1471
Word #:
2 of 7
a foreign nation; hence, a gentile; also (figuratively) a troop of animals, or a flight of locusts
כֶּ֣סֶף
are silver
H3701
כֶּ֣סֶף
are silver
Strong's:
H3701
Word #:
3 of 7
silver (from its pale color); by implication, money
וְזָהָ֑ב
and gold
H2091
וְזָהָ֑ב
and gold
Strong's:
H2091
Word #:
4 of 7
gold, figuratively, something gold-colored (i.e., yellow), as oil, a clear sky
מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה
the work
H4639
מַ֝עֲשֵׂ֗ה
the work
Strong's:
H4639
Word #:
5 of 7
an action (good or bad); generally, a transaction; abstractly, activity; by implication, a product (specifically, a poem) or (generally) property
Cross References
Isaiah 37:19And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.Acts 17:29Forasmuch 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.Deuteronomy 4:28And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men's hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Historical Context
Ancient idol manufacture was a sophisticated craft involving metalworking, woodcarving, and overlay techniques. Temples employed specialized craftsmen. Despite this, prophets consistently mocked these practices (Isaiah 40:18-20; 41:6-7; 44:9-20; Jeremiah 10:1-16). Archaeological discoveries confirm the elaborate nature of ancient idol production and the wealth invested in temple images.
Questions for Reflection
- What modern "idols" are merely human creations with no real power?
- How do people today craft things to worship instead of the Creator?
Analysis & Commentary
Sharp polemic against idolatry begins: 'The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.' The Hebrew 'atsabim' (idols) derives from a root meaning 'to shape' or 'fashion,' emphasizing their manufactured nature. The irony is devastating - what pagans worship as divine is mere 'silver and gold,' valuable materials certainly, but inanimate. Worse, they are 'work of men's hands' (ma'aseh yedey adam) - the creature worships what it creates. This critique, paralleling Psalm 115:4-8 almost exactly, exposes idolatry's fundamental absurdity. The living God who made heaven, earth, seas, and deep places (verse 6) stands in absolute contrast to gods made by human craftsmen. Isaiah develops this theme extensively (Isaiah 44:9-20), ridiculing idol manufacture. Paul applies this principle broadly: anything we fashion and trust becomes our idol, whether metal images or modern substitutes.