Psalm 115:4

Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.

Cross-references

Psalm 135:15-17 repeats the same description almost verbatim, then expands on idols' inability to speak, see, or hear.

Psalm 106:28 describes Israel sacrificing to lifeless gods — echoing the dead, man-made idols of Psalm 115:4.

Psalm 97:7 Parallel

Psalm 97:7 adds that idol worshipers are put to shame and their idols are worthless, reinforcing the futility of man-made gods.

Isaiah 46:6 Parallel

Isaiah 46:6 directly parallels the silver and gold motif, describing lavish spending to make a god that is then worshiped.

Deuteronomy 4:28 similarly describes idols as 'work of human hands' that cannot see, hear, eat, or smell, echoing the same critique.

1 Corinthians 10:20 adds that idol sacrifices are offered to demons, contrasting the psalm's focus on mere human craftsmanship.

Acts 19:35 Contrast

Acts 19:35 defends Artemis as a divine image not made by hands, opposing the psalm's claim that idols are man-made.

Acts 19:26 Parallel

Acts 19:26 records Paul's claim that gods made by hands are not gods, directly paralleling the psalm's critique.

Habakkuk 2:18-20 contrasts lifeless idols with the Lord in his holy temple, echoing the futility of man-made gods.

Jeremiah 10:3-5 similarly mocks idols as powerless, man-made objects — a scarecrow that cannot speak or walk.

Daniel 5:4 Parallel

Daniel 5:4 shows people praising gods of gold, silver, etc. — the same materials listed here.

Jeremiah 2:27 describes worshiping tree and stone — idols that, like those in Psalm 115:4, are lifeless creations.

Jeremiah 10:4 describes decorating idols with silver and gold and fastening them — directly illustrating the man-made process of Psalm 115:4.

Jeremiah 10:9 details idols as 'work of the craftsman' from silver and gold — a direct expansion of Psalm 115:4's description.

Jeremiah 10:14 echoes this: idols are the work of craftsmen, lifeless and shameful.

Daniel 3:1 Historical context

Daniel 3:1 provides a historical example: Nebuchadnezzar's golden image, a man-made idol of gold.

Leviticus 26:1 repeats the prohibition against making idols, reinforcing the same condemnation of man-made gods.

Daniel 5:23 Allusion

Daniel 5:23 explicitly echoes this: idols of silver and gold cannot see, hear, or know.

Hosea 13:2 Parallel

Hosea 13:2 describes Israel making metal images from silver, the work of craftsmen — identical theme.

Acts 17:29 Parallel

Acts 17:29 contrasts God with idols: the divine is not like gold or silver formed by human art.

Revelation 9:20 directly echoes this description: idols of gold, silver, bronze that cannot see, hear, or walk — the same impotence.

2 Kings 22:17 says Israel provoked God with 'the work of their hands' — referring to idolatry as man-made objects.

Exodus 20:4 Parallel

Exodus 20:4 gives the commandment against making carved images, the legal foundation for the psalm's critique.

Judges 17:3 Parallel

In Judges 17:3, Micah's mother uses silver to make a carved image — a direct example of idols made from precious metal by human hands.

1 Samuel 12:21 warns against turning to useless idols that cannot rescue — reinforcing the futility of man-made gods.

1 Kings 14:9 condemns Jeroboam for making molten images — a concrete instance of crafting idols by human hands.

2 Kings 17:29 records the Samaritans making their own gods — a direct historical example of idols as human creations.

2 Kings 19:18 explicitly calls idols 'the work of human hands, wood and stone' — echoing Psalm 115:4's description.

1 Chronicles 16:26 declares all gods of peoples are worthless idols — a direct thematic parallel to Psalm 115:4's critique.

Isaiah 2:8 Allusion

Isaiah 2:8 uses the same phrase 'work of their hands' to condemn idolatry, directly echoing Psalm 115:4's description.

Isaiah 37:19 declares idols are 'work of human hands, wood and stone' — a direct parallel to Psalm 115:4's 'silver and gold'.

In 2 Chronicles 25:15, Amaziah worships Edom's gods — idols that, like those in Psalm 115:4, are powerless to save.

Jeremiah 16:20 asks if man can make gods — reinforcing that handmade idols are not real gods.

Jeremiah 2:11 laments Israel exchanging God for idols that are 'no gods' — echoing the worthless, man-made idols of Psalm 115:4.

Isaiah 46:7 Parallel

Isaiah 46:7 adds that the idol cannot move or answer when cried to, underscoring its helplessness.

Hosea 8:6 Parallel

Hosea 8:6 specifically condemns the calf idol of Samaria, showing the same critique of man-made gods.

1 Kings 18:26 shows Baal's prophets calling on an altar they made — illustrating the powerlessness of man-made worship objects.

Isaiah 42:17 pronounces shame on those who trust in carved idols, linking idolatry to disgrace.

Galatians 4:8 says those who don't know God are enslaved to beings that are not gods — similar to idol futility.

Judges 6:31 Parallel

Judges 6:31 challenges Baal's power, illustrating the impotence of idols similar to the psalm's point.

1 Corinthians 10:19 asks if an idol is anything, affirming its nothingness — a thematic parallel to the psalm.

1 Corinthians 8:4 states an idol has no real existence — reinforcing the futility of these man-made objects.

Isaiah 46:1 Parallel

Isaiah 46:1 shows idols like Bel and Nebo being carried as burdens, highlighting their powerlessness.

1 Samuel 5:5 describes the threshold of Dagon's temple avoided after the idol fell — showing the impotence of man-made idols.

Isaiah 46:2 Parallel

Isaiah 46:2 continues that idols cannot save themselves but go into captivity, reinforcing their impotence.

Isaiah 40:20 describes choosing wood and hiring a craftsman to set up an idol, emphasizing the man-made nature.

Isaiah 41:29 calls idols 'empty wind' — reinforcing the futility of man-made gods described in Psalm 115:4.

Jeremiah 2:13 compares idolatry to broken cisterns — like the man-made idols of Psalm 115:4, they cannot provide what they promise.

Isaiah 40:19 details the crafting process—a goldsmith overlays gold—showing the human origin of idols.