Psalm 135:15–18 dismisses idols as mere human constructs—how do we address ancient records and artifacts that suggest widespread and longstanding belief in these deities?

1. The Text and Its Core Message

Psalm 135:15–18 states:

“15 The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men.

16 They have mouths but cannot speak, eyes but cannot see.

17 They have ears but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths.

18 Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.”

These verses emphasize that idols are products of human craftsmanship. By highlighting their inability to hear, see, or speak, the psalm underscores that such deities are inert. The passage also teaches that reliance on these lifeless objects is spiritually destructive, warning that the worshipers become as powerless as their idols.

2. Ancient Context of Idolatry

In the ancient Near East, many civilizations—such as the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Canaanites—crafted and worshiped physical images. Texts like the Enuma Elish (Mesopotamian) and other mythological records speak of multiple gods, each responsible for some aspect of nature or human life. Archaeological discoveries (e.g., statues of Mesopotamian deities found at ancient sites like Ur) reveal how widespread and deeply rooted idolatry was.

Within such contexts, the people often turned to idols for fertility, victory in battle, or protection from disease. Even Israel, at times, fell into syncretism (e.g., 2 Kings 21:1–9 describes Manasseh’s idolatry). Yet the Israelite Scriptures stand out for consistently denouncing man-made gods and asserting the existence of one sovereign Creator, as seen in places like Deuteronomy 6:4 and Isaiah 44:9–20.

3. Historical and Archaeological Evidence

Ancient records and artifacts indeed attest to longstanding belief in idols. Cuneiform tablets from Sumerian and Babylonian excavations detail elaborate religious systems involving numerous deities. Egyptian hieroglyphs speak of Ra, Horus, and others who were honored for centuries. Greek pantheons found in Homeric epics (e.g., the Iliad) also illustrate the long-held veneration of multiple gods.

However, the mere existence of these texts and idols does not validate the gods’ literal power or personhood. Rather, these findings confirm that humans throughout history crafted religious systems around tangible representations. The Ebla tablets (3rd millennium BC) attest to many deities, yet they also provide cultural contexts that align with biblical references to ancient cities and people groups. Similarly, the Ugaritic texts from Ras Shamra detail a pantheon that parallels Canaanite deities mentioned in the Old Testament. These parallels illustrate how widespread idol worship was, reinforcing the biblical motif that people erroneously worshipped what they made.

4. Addressing the Question of Widespread Belief

The profound presence of idols in ancient societies might seem to challenge the biblical portrayal of them as powerless. However, Scripture itself anticipates extensive idol worship (Acts 17:16, Romans 1:22–23) and explains it as evidence of mankind’s propensity to replace the true God with a created thing.

Ancient artifacts demonstrate the human desire for a visible representation of the divine. Nevertheless, existence of belief does not confirm authenticity. As a parallel, many cultures believe in superstitions, legends, or mythical beings without these beliefs testifying to their objective reality. Archaeology corroborates the biblical narrative that idolatry was dominant; it does not disprove the Bible’s statement that such worship is ultimately futile.

5. Philosophical and Theological Considerations

The philosophical argument in Psalms and elsewhere in Scripture is that an entity dependent on human craftsmanship cannot possess inherent power. Scripture consistently contrasts the living God, who speaks, acts, and intervenes in history, with idols that are silent and static. The biblical worldview teaches that genuine spirituality comes from a relationship with a living, personal God (e.g., Jeremiah 10:10 vs. Jeremiah 10:14–15).

Widespread belief in these deities does not undermine the logical consistency of the biblical claim. Instead, it highlights the extent of human error under spiritual darkness (Romans 1:25). The biblical message remains unaltered: the reality of a Creator transcends any cultural or generational trend toward fabricating and venerating inanimate objects.

6. Social and Behavioral Perspectives

Sociologically, humanity’s collective practice of idol-making can be understood as an attempt to systematize and control the uncertainties of life. Ancient peoples might have believed that possessing a physical representation of a deity granted tangible access to power over weather, harvest, or enemies. This social impulse to feel secure can be strong, especially when hope is anchored in ritual or physical symbols.

Behaviorally, the text of Psalm 135:15–18 implies that repeated trust in idols results in spiritual and moral stagnation, paralleling the lifelessness of the idols themselves. The lesson is echoed in Psalm 115:8: “Those who make them become like them, as do all who trust in them.” Thus, widespread belief does not equal truth; it simply demonstrates the universal human tendency toward tangible forms of worship—even if those forms lack genuine power.

7. Consistency with the Broader Biblical Witness

Throughout the Old Testament, prophets denounce idolatry (e.g., Isaiah 44:9–10, Jeremiah 10:5). The New Testament acknowledges idols as a reality in everyday Greco-Roman culture (1 Corinthians 8:4, “We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world…”). This comprehensive scriptural stance remains coherent: idols do not have independent authority or existence beyond humanity’s constructions.

In parallel, archaeological finds—like the numerous idols retrieved from sites mentioned in biblical narratives (Megiddo, Hazor, Lachish, and others)—demonstrate the consistent biblical report that Israel was surrounded (and sometimes enticed) by pagan religious practices. These objects do not contradict Scripture but rather confirm the cultural context Scripture so often portrays.

8. Conclusion

The question of how to address ancient records and artifacts suggesting widespread and longstanding belief in idols is answered by recognizing that prevalence does not validate power, nor does longevity prove legitimacy. Scripture teaches that idols are lifeless creations of human hands—an assessment corroborated by their uniform portrayal in archaeological remains as mere objects, sometimes beautifully crafted yet incapable of true interaction.

Psalm 135:15–18 directly confronts the reality that humanity has historically poured immense energy into forging and venerating idols. The archaeological and textual evidence of this phenomenon only supports the Bible’s description of humanity’s inclination to worship what it can see and shape, rather than trust in the unseen Creator. From a biblical perspective, idols neither derail the consistent message of God’s sovereignty nor cast doubt on the living God’s existence and power. Instead, they exemplify humanity’s deep need for redemption and the necessity of worshiping the one who indeed speaks, hears, and reigns—eternally.