115:3 Our God is in heaven!
He does whatever he pleases! 1
115:4 Their 2 idols are made of silver and gold –
they are man-made. 3
115:5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but cannot see,
115:6 ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but cannot smell,
115:7 hands, but cannot touch,
feet, but cannot walk.
They cannot even clear their throats. 4
115:8 Those who make them will end up 5 like them,
as will everyone who trusts in them.
1 sn He does whatever he pleases. Such sovereignty is characteristic of kings (see Eccl 8:3).
2 tn The referent of the pronominal suffix is “the nations” (v. 2).
3 tn Heb “the work of the hands of man.”
4 tn Heb “they cannot mutter in their throats.” Verse 5a refers to speaking, v. 7c to inarticulate sounds made in the throat (see M. Dahood, Psalms [AB], 3:140-41).
5 tn Heb “will be.” Another option is to take the prefixed verbal form as a prayer, “may those who make them end up like them.”