Psalms 135:16 · King James Version
Psalms 135:16 in the Original Hebrew
Tap any word for its Strong's meaning, transliteration and every verse it appears in.
KJV word order, keyed to Strong's numbers. About the lexicon →
Psalms 135:16 in Other Translations
| KJV | They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; |
|---|---|
| WEB | They have mouths, but they can’t speak. They have eyes, but they can’t see. |
| ASV | They have mouths, but they speak not; Eyes have they, but they see not; |
| YLT | A mouth they have, and they speak not, Eyes they have, and they see not, |
| WBT | They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not. |
| DBY | They have a mouth, and they speak not; eyes have they, and they see not; |
Commentary on Psalms 135:16
Expositions from classic Bible commentators.
John Gill · Psalms 135:16
They have ears, but they hear not,.... See Gill on Psa 115:6;
neither is there any breath in their mouths; they are lifeless statues, they have not so much as what the brute creatures have, breath; our Jehovah, as the living God, is rightly opposed to them, who gives life, and breath, and all things, unto man; and yet what amazing stupidity is it, that any of them should worship such as gods, who have not what they themselves have.
Cross References for Psalms 135:16
Related passages, ranked by how often readers connect them. Cross-reference data from openbible.info (CC-BY).
Questions about Psalms 135:16
What does Psalms 135:16 say?
Psalms 135:16 in the King James Version reads: “They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not;” Read it in the full context of Psalms 135, alongside the classic commentary on this page.
Where is Psalms 135:16 found in the Bible?
Psalms 135:16 is in the book of Psalms, chapter 135, verse 16, in the Old Testament.
What Bible translation is Psalms 135:16 shown in?
This is the King James Version (KJV), a public-domain translation. You can compare how other translations render Psalms 135:16 in the table on this page.
The design of these verses is,
I.To arm the people of God against idolatry and all false worship, by showing what sort of gods they were that the heathen worshipped, as we had it before, Psa 115:4, etc. 1. They were gods of their own making; being so, they could have no power but what their makers gave them, and then what power could their makers receive from them? The images were the work of men's hands, and the deities that were supposed to inform them were as much the creatures of men's fancy and imagination. 2. They had the shape of animals, but could not perform the least act, no, not of the animal life. They could neither see, nor hear, nor speak, nor so much as breathe; and therefore to make them with eyes, and ears, and mouths, and nostrils, was such a jest that one would wonder how reasonable creatures could suffer themselves to be so imposed upon as to expect any good from such mock-deities. 3. Their worshippers were therefore as stupid and senseless as they were, both those that made them to be worshipped and those that trusted in them when they were made, Psa 135:18. The worshipping of such gods as were the objects of sense, and senseless, made the worshippers sensual and senseless. Let our worshipping a God that is a Spirit make us spiritual and wise.
II.To stir up the people of God to true devotion in the worship of the true God, Psa 135:19-21. The more deplorable the condition of the Gentile nations that worship idols is the more are we bound to thank God that we know better. Therefore, 1. Let us set ourselves about the acts of devotion, and employ ourselves in them: Bless the Lord, and again and again, bless the Lord. In the parallel place (Psa 115:9-11), by way of inference from the impotency of idols, the duty thus pressed upon us is to trust in the Lord; here to bless him; by putting our trust in God we give glory to him, and those that depend upon God shall not want matter of thanksgiving to him. All persons that knew God are here called to praise him - the house of Israel (the nation in general), the house of Aaron and the house of Levi (the Lord's ministers that attended in his sanctuary), and all others that feared the Lord, though they were not of the house of Israel. 2. Let God have the glory of all: Blessed be the Lord. The tribute of praise arises out of Zion. All God's works do praise him, but his saints bless him; and they need not go far to pay their tribute, for he dwells in Jerusalem, in his church, which they are members of, so that he is always nigh unto them to receive their homage. The condescensions of his grace, in dwelling with men upon the earth, call for our grateful and thankful returns, and our repeated Hallelujahs.