What does Psalm 135:16 teach about the nature of false gods?

Opening Verse

“ They have mouths but cannot speak; they have eyes but cannot see.” (Psalm 135:16)

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Immediate Setting

• Psalm 135 celebrates the LORD’s supremacy.

• Verses 15-18 set a stark contrast: man-made idols vs. the living Creator.

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What the Verse Reveals About False Gods

• All appearance, no ability — they look like they can relate to us, yet they cannot.

• Speechless — no revelation, comfort, warning, or guidance ever comes from them.

• Sightless — they cannot perceive need, injustice, loyalty, or love.

• Lifeless — the absence of basic capacities exposes the utter absence of spirit, breath, or power (v.17).

• Powerless — incapable of creating, saving, or judging; they are literally “nothings” (1 Corinthians 8:4).

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Theological Undercurrents

• Only the LORD speaks worlds into being (Genesis 1:3; Hebrews 1:1-3).

• Only the LORD’s eyes “range throughout the earth” to show Himself strong (2 Chronicles 16:9; Hebrews 4:13).

• Idolatry therefore substitutes the living God with dead matter, a tragic exchange (Romans 1:22-23).

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Implications for Believers Today

• Modern idols—possessions, pleasures, philosophies—remain just as mute and blind in crisis.

• “Those who make them will become like them” (Psalm 115:8); trust in idols dulls spiritual senses.

• Turning to the living God brings real voice and real vision: He speaks through Scripture (Isaiah 55:11) and sees every need (Psalm 34:15).

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Corroborating Passages

• Psalm 115:5-8 – identical depiction and warning.

• Isaiah 44:9-20 – craftsman, idol, and worshiper all end in shame.

• Habakkuk 2:18-19 – “Woe to him who says to wood, ‘Awake!’”

• Jeremiah 10:5-10 – powerless idols contrasted with the eternal King.