Psalms 115:4

“Their idols are silver and gold, etc.] The idols of the Gentiles; so the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic versions. The gods they serve and worship are not in the heavens; but the matter of which they are made is dug out of the earth: and this is the greatest excellency and value that there is in them; and such as are made of these are of the greatest worth, and yet only for the matter of them, otherwise useless and inanimate statues; such are the idols of the Papists, (<660920>Revelation 9:20). The work of men’s hands; the matter of them is gold and silver, which they owe to the earth as their original; the form of them they owe to men, and therefore can not be God,…”

“Their idols - Their gods - the gods which they worship, as contrasted with the God whom we adore. The design of this description Psalms 115:4-8 is to show the utter vanity of trusting in such gods, and to lead the people of Israel to put their trust in the true God - in Yahweh. Are silver and gold - Made of silver and gold, and they must have, therefore, the properties of silver and gold. They can be of value only as silver and gold. They cannot do the work of mind; they cannot do the work of God. The psalmist was not disposed to depreciate the real value of these idols, or to throw contempt on them which they did not deserve. He was disposed to treat them fairly. They were silver and gold;…”

“115:4-11 This entire section is repeated in 135:15-20. • Unlike the Lord (95:3-5), idols cannot do anything; they are good for nothing.”

“Their idols: They are metal, stone, and wood; and though generally made in the form of man, they can neither see, hear, smell, feel, walk, nor speak! Even the wiser heathen made them the objects of their jests. Psa 97:7, Psa 135:15-17; Deu 4:28; Isa 40:19, Isa 40:20, Isa 42:17, Isa 46:1, Isa 46:2, Isa 46:6, Isa 46:7; Jer 10:3-5; Hos 8:6; Hab 2:18-20; Act 19:26, Act 19:35; Co1 10:19, Co1 10:20 Psalms 115:8”