Psalm 96:5 NKJV
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
But the Lord made the heavens.
“For all the gods of the nations are idols.” Mere images of wood and stone, vanities, nothings.
“But the LORD made the heavens.” The reality of his Godhead is proved by his works, and foremost among these, the psalmist mentions that matchless piece of architecture which casts its arch over every man’s head, whose lamps are the light of all mankind, whose rains and dew fall upon the fields of every people, and whence the Lord in voice of thunder is heard speaking to every creature. The idol gods have no existence, but our God is the author of all existences; they are mere earthly vanities, while he is not only heavenly but made the heavens. This is mentioned as an argument for Jehovah’s universal praise. Who can be worshipped but he? Since none can rival him, let him be adored alone. (Spurgeon)
_______________
For all the gods of the nations are idols – All the gods worshipped by the people of other lands are mere “idols.” None of them can claim to have a real existence as gods. The word here rendered “idols” is translated by the Septuagint, δαιμόνια daimonia, “demons.” So the Latin Vulgate “daemonia.” The Hebrew word – אליל ‘ĕlı̂yl – means properly “of nothing, nought, empty, vain.” See Job 13:4. The meaning here is, that they were mere nothings; they had no real existence; they were the creations of the imagination; they could not in any sense be regarded as what it was pretended they were; they had no claim to reverence and worship as gods. Of most of them, it was a fact that they had no existence at all but were mere creatures of fancy. Of those that did really exist, as the sun, moon, stars, animals, or the spirits of departed people, though it was true that they had an actual existence, yet it was also true that they had no existence “as gods,” or as entitled to worship; and hence, it was also true that the worship offered to them was as vain as that which was offered to mere beings of the imagination. This verse is extracted literally from 1 Chronicles 16:26. The Hebrew is the same.
But the Lord made the heavens – Yahweh created the heavenly hosts, and therefore he is the true God, and is entitled to worship. The power of “creation” – of causing anything to exist where there was nothing before – must pertain to God alone, and is the highest act of Divinity. No pretended pagan god has that power; no man has that power. The true God has reserved the exercise of that power to himself, and has never, in any instance, imparted it to a created being. (Barnes)
_______________
For all the gods of the nations are idols,…. Or are “nothings” {o}, nonentities; such as have not, and never had, any being, at least many of them, but in the fancies of men; and all of them such as have no divinity in them;
an idol is nothing in the world, 1 Corinthians 8:4,
but the Lord made the heavens; and all the hosts of them, the sun, moon, and stars; these are the curious workmanship of his fingers, and which declare his glory, and show him to be truly and properly God, who is to be feared and worshipped; see Hebrews 1:10. (Gill)
_______________
All the earth being called to sing the new song, they must be convinced that the Lord Jehovah, to whose honor they must sing it, is the one only living and true God, infinitely above all rivals and pretenders; he is great, and they are little; he is all, and they are nothing; so the word used for idols signifies, for we know that an idol is nothing in the world, 1 Co. 8:4. (Henry)
_______________
All the gods of the nations are idols — אלהי elohey. All those reputed or worshipped as gods among the heathens are אלילים elilim, vanities, emptinesses, things of nought. Instead of being Elohim, they are elilim; they are not only not GOD, but they are nothing.” “Jehovah made the heavens.” He who is the creator is alone worthy of adoration. (Clarke)
- Exploring the Beauty of Psalms: Insights and Commentaries
- Monthly Breakdown of Our Blog Content
- Psalms Commentary: Faith and Inspiration
Psalm 96:5 1560 Geneva Bible
5 For all the gods of the people are ^idols: but the Lord “c” made the heavens.
Leave a Reply