Idols are empty, but the Lord is powerful and personal.
In the midst of this psalm’s contrast between empty idols and the one true God, the psalmist declares, “They have hands, but they cannot feel; They have feet, but they cannot walk; They cannot make a sound with their throat.” (v.7) This verse appears in the first segment of Psalm 115, a section focused on exposing the lifeless nature of the idols worshiped by surrounding nations. Jewish tradition often included this psalm in its Passover “Hallel,” a set of praises proclaiming God’s power and care. It served as a reminder that idols “are the work of man’s hands” (Psalm 115:4) and are ultimately worthless, while the people of Israel were to rely on the Lord, who is “the central figure in every story.”By highlighting that these idols possess physical features—hands and feet—but no ability to use them, the psalmist mocks their impotence. In comparing them to the living God, who “does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3), the passage vividly shows how idols can never act, speak, or respond. They merely stand as the silent works of human craftsmanship, offering false hope to those who cling to them. This echoes other scriptures that contrast God’s infinite reality with the deception of man-made images, noting “there is no profit in any idol” and that it is “merely a teacher of falsehood.”In stark contrast to these powerless representations, the living God moves, acts, and speaks on behalf of His people, urging Israel—and by extension all believers—to trust in His faithful guidance rather than in lifeless substitutes. That call to faith transcends eras and invites us to remember that genuine security, provision, and salvation come only from the Lord, not from anything created.
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Psalms 115:7 meaning
In the midst of this psalm’s contrast between empty idols and the one true God, the psalmist declares, “They have hands, but they cannot feel; They have feet, but they cannot walk; They cannot make a sound with their throat.” (v.7) This verse appears in the first segment of Psalm 115, a section focused on exposing the lifeless nature of the idols worshiped by surrounding nations. Jewish tradition often included this psalm in its Passover “Hallel,” a set of praises proclaiming God’s power and care. It served as a reminder that idols “are the work of man’s hands” (Psalm 115:4) and are ultimately worthless, while the people of Israel were to rely on the Lord, who is “the central figure in every story.”By highlighting that these idols possess physical features—hands and feet—but no ability to use them, the psalmist mocks their impotence. In comparing them to the living God, who “does whatever He pleases” (Psalm 115:3), the passage vividly shows how idols can never act, speak, or respond. They merely stand as the silent works of human craftsmanship, offering false hope to those who cling to them. This echoes other scriptures that contrast God’s infinite reality with the deception of man-made images, noting “there is no profit in any idol” and that it is “merely a teacher of falsehood.”In stark contrast to these powerless representations, the living God moves, acts, and speaks on behalf of His people, urging Israel—and by extension all believers—to trust in His faithful guidance rather than in lifeless substitutes. That call to faith transcends eras and invites us to remember that genuine security, provision, and salvation come only from the Lord, not from anything created.