Psalm 115
v.1
Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness.
v.2
Why do the nations say, “Where is their God?“
v.3
Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him.
v.4
But their idols are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.
v.5-7
They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; 6they have ears, but cannot hear, noses, but they cannot smell; 7they have hands, but cannot feel, feet, but they cannot walk; nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
On the one hand there is no spiritual force or reality behind the idol; it did not represent an invisible ‘god’; it had no more reality than its material craftsmanship (4-7, Is. 40:18-20; 41:5-7). Yet idols were potent to destroy their worshippers (8, Is. 44:6-20). In particular there was no spoken revelation (mouths), no moral oversight (cf. 53:2), no response to prayer (hear), no propitiation through sacrifice (smell, Gn. 8:21), no care (hands to touch, 95:7), no movement (walk) or thought (sound, the murmuring that indicates pondering).
v.8
Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them.
This theme of idolatry causing the stupefaction of individuals is carried on throughout the Bible, even into the New Testament. What we often see in both Old and New Testaments is the condemnation of people whose eyes and ears do not work properly, just like the idols! The implication within the language is that idolatry confounds the senses and does not allow us to hear and obey God.
Not only are idols worthless, those who worship them are also vain. False worship is not innocent but demoralizing, and ultimately the worshipers will perish together with their perishable idols.
v.13
he will bless those who fear the LORD—small and great alike.