What is the meaning of Psalm 115:5? They have mouths Psalm 115:5 opens with a vivid picture: “They have mouths…” Idols are crafted to look as though they can communicate. Yet every carved grin or solemn frown is nothing more than wood, metal, or stone fashioned by human hands (Isaiah 44:13-17). By stressing the mouth, Scripture highlights how true relationship begins—through words. Think of God in Genesis 1: “And God said…” His speech brings light, order, and life. Idols, though shaped with mouths, stand mute. They lure worshipers with the promise of guidance yet possess no breath behind their lips, unlike the living Word who “spoke, and it came to be” (Psalm 33:9). But cannot speak The verse immediately undercuts the illusion: “…but cannot speak.” This blunt statement exposes idolatry’s empty core. • In contrast, the LORD not only speaks but sustains all things by His word (Hebrews 1:3). • Elijah underscored this difference when he mocked the prophets of Baal: “Call louder! … there was no voice, no answer, no response” (1 Kings 18:27-29). • Habakkuk 2:18 echoes the verdict: “What use is a carved image … it teaches lies?” No counsel, no comfort, no covenant flows from silent statues. The inability to speak means idols cannot reveal truth, forgive sin, or direct a single step—leaving devotees to grope in spiritual darkness (Psalm 135:15-17). They have eyes The psalmist shifts to visual language: “They have eyes…” Again, idols are sculpted with attention to detail—painted pupils, inlaid jewels—to suggest watchfulness. Human hearts long to be seen, known, and protected, so craftsmen design deities that appear perceptive. Yet this artistry only mirrors human imagination; it never becomes actual sight. Jeremiah 10:4-5 points out that idols must be fastened so they do not totter—hardly the posture of an all-seeing guardian. But cannot see Here lies the tragedy: “…but cannot see.” • Psalm 34:15 celebrates the living God whose “eyes are on the righteous.” Idols offer no such attentive gaze. • 2 Chronicles 16:9 declares, “For the eyes of the LORD roam to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are fully devoted to Him.” Idols remain blind to suffering, injustice, or repentance. • Jesus, the exact imprint of God’s nature, “saw” Zacchaeus in a sycamore and Bartimaeus by the road (Luke 19:5; Mark 10:49). By contrast, an idol fixed on a shelf observes nothing, discerns nothing, rescues no one. The psalmist’s point is sharp: worshipers inevitably become like what they worship (Psalm 115:8). Trusting a blind object dulls spiritual sight; relying on a mute figure stifles hearing God’s voice (Isaiah 6:9-10). summary Psalm 115:5 strips away the illusion of idolatry. Statues possess mouths and eyes in form only; they communicate and perceive nothing. In declaring their silence and blindness, the psalm exalts the living LORD whose word is active and whose gaze is all-seeing. The verse invites believers to reject lifeless substitutes and cling to the speaking, watching, redeeming God who alone deserves trust and praise. |
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