Psalms 115:6 · Bible study
Psalms 115:6 Commentary: Ears That Do Not Hear
Hebrew · 8 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Psalm 115:6 satirizes idols as having ears and noses but lacking hearing and smell.
Research Summary
- Meaning: A satirical description of idols as lifeless objects despite having sense organs; they cannot hear or smell.
- Key words: ears (אֹזֶן), hear (שָׁמַע), nose (אַף), smell (רִיחַ, Hiphil).
- Main debate: The dating and occasion of the psalm; whether the idol is the physical image or the deity behind it.
- Theological theme: Contrast between dead idols and the living God; the danger of becoming like what you worship.
- Best use: Teaching on idolatry, spiritual discernment, the nature of God as a hearing and responding God.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
they have ears, but cannot hear; they have noses, but cannot smell;
WEB World English Bible 2000
They have ears, but they don’t hear. They have noses, but they don’t smell.
KJV King James Version 1769
They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
ASV American Standard Version 1901
They have ears, but they hear not; Noses have they, but they smell not;
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
Ears they have, and they hear not, A nose they have, and they smell not,
Darby Darby Bible 1890
They have ears, and they hear not; a nose have they, and they smell not;
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Orejas tienen, mas no oirán; tienen narices, mas no olerán;
Têm ouvidos, mas não ouvem; tem nariz, mas não cheiram;
Elles ont des oreilles et n’ entendent point,
sie haben Ohren, und hören nicht; sie heben Nasen, und riechen nicht;
Oren hebben zij, maar horen niet; zij hebben een neus, maar zij rieken niet;
hanno orecchi e non odono, hanno naso e non odorano,
Uszy mają, a nie słyszą; nozdrze mają, a nie wonieją.
Дорога в очах Господних смерть святых Его!
有耳 卻不 能聽，有鼻 卻不 能聞，
They have ears, but no hearing; they have noses, but no sense of smell;
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Psalms 115:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that Psalm 115:6 continues the sharp satire of idols begun in verse 4. Matthew Henry notes that idols 'cannot hear your petitions' or 'smell your incenses.' The Cambridge Bible observes that the psalmist identifies the god with the image, so the idol's inability to sense is the god's utter impotence. Gill expands on the futility: the makers placed ears but cannot convey hearing. Calvin sees here a mocking of the madness of those 'addicted to the worship of idols.' Barnes adds that idols 'have none of the attributes of intelligent beings.' The consensus is that this satire serves to contrast the lifeless idols with the living God who hears and responds according to his sovereign will (v.3).
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse is a direct satire, asserting that idols, despite having ears and noses, lack all sensory capacity, making them utterly powerless and unworthy of trust.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Nature of idols | All traditions affirm that the psalmist mocks idols as lifeless human artifacts. | Some emphasize that the idol itself is nothing (Calvin), while others note that the heathen identify the god with the image (Cambridge Bible), a distinction that affects how we apply the passage to spiritual vs. material idolatry. |
| Spiritual consequences of idolatry | Verse 8 warns that worshipers become like their idols, a shared concern across traditions. | Some interpreters focus on future judgment (idolaters will perish), while others stress present spiritual numbness (they lose the capacity to sense God). Both readings find support in the text. |
| The psalm's liturgical setting | Most scholars see Psalm 115 as part of the Hallel (Psalms 113, 118) used at Passover. | The original unity of Psalms 114 and 115 is debated; the Septuagint joins them, but other manuscripts separate them. This affects whether the psalm is read as a single composition or as two independent pieces. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The exact historical setting of Psalm 115 is disputed. Calvin and Lange both note uncertainty about the author and occasion, though the content strongly suggests a time when Israel faced taunts from surrounding nations, 'Why should the nations say, “Where is their God, now?”' (v.2). This could fit the exilic or post-exilic period, when Israel's God seemed absent or weak to outsiders.
In the ancient Near East, idol worship was ubiquitous. Carved images of silver and gold (v.4) were common in temples of Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, and Canaan. These idols were often elaborately crafted with ears, eyes, noses, hands, and feet, but they were made by human hands and lacked all life. Prophets like Isaiah (44:9-20) and Jeremiah (10:1-16) used similarly biting satire to expose the absurdity of bowing to something inert. The psalmist follows this tradition, perhaps intentionally echoing earlier prophetic ridicule.
Psalm 115 is part of the Egyptian Hallel (Psalms 113, 118), sung during Passover and other festivals. This liturgical context shapes the verse's purpose: the worshiper, gathered in God's presence, declares that while the nations trust in useless images, Israel trusts in Yahweh, who is 'in the heavens' and does 'whatever he pleases' (v.3). The contrast is not just intellectual but existential: the God who hears prayer (cf. v.1) stands against the dead sensory organs of idols.
Lexically, the word for 'nose' (aph) also carries the meaning 'anger' in Hebrew, but here the context unambiguously refers to the body part. The verb 'smell' (yeriach) appears in the Hiphil stem, the same form used in sacrificial settings for God 'smelling a soothing aroma' (Gen 8:21). Gill picks up this resonance: idols cannot even smell the incense offered to them, but God accepted the sacrifice of his Son and delights in the prayers of his people.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 115:6. The same section of the psalm (verses 4, 8) is repeated with slight variation in Psalm 135:15, 18, indicating liturgical reuse. The specific wording here is stable across the Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions.
Reception History
Psalm 115 has been part of the Hallel psalms sung during Passover in Jewish tradition, meaning this verse was on the lips of Jesus and his disciples at the Last Supper. Early church apologists such as Justin Martyr and Tertullian cited the psalm’s satire to argue against pagan idolatry, contrasting the living God with dead images. During the Reformation, both Catholic and Protestant traditions engaged the passage in debates over religious art: some used it to condemn any visual representation of the divine, while others distinguished between images used as aids to worship and idols that become objects of trust. The verse also appears in hymns that celebrate God’s readiness to hear prayer, such as 'Our God, Our Help in Ages Past,' which echoes the contrast between human frailty and God’s permanence.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The lifelessness of idols. Idols have the organs of sense but no capacity to sense. They are the work of human hands, dependent on their makers for every feature.
- The warning: we become what we worship. Verse 8 states plainly: those who make or trust in idols 'will be like them.' Misplaced trust numbs spiritual perception.
- The invitation: trust the living God. Verses 9, 11 call on Israel, the house of Aaron, and all who fear Yahweh to trust in him who is 'their help and their shield.'
Five-point outline
- Ears that cannot hear, the danger of praying to the silent.
- Noses that cannot smell, the absence of delight or acceptance.
- Hands that cannot feel, no help, no rescue.
- Feet that cannot walk, no movement, no deliverance.
- Throats that cannot speak, no promise, no covenant to trust.
Illustration hooks
- Standing before a monument or statue in a public square: the figure has ears but hears nothing; a nose but smells nothing. It looks alive but is utterly inert.
- The experience of trying to talk to someone who is glued to a screen: they have ears but are not listening. The satire hits close to home.
- A smartphone or bank account can feel like a source of security, idols have power only as long as we give it to them. When the battery dies or the market crashes, they offer nothing.
Questions your congregation is asking
- How can I tell if I am trusting in an 'idol' instead of God?
- What does it mean to have spiritual senses that are alive and responsive to God?
- How do we answer friends or neighbors who ask, 'Where is your God?'
Leading a Discussion
This verse uses sharp satire to reveal the emptiness of idols. As you discuss, notice how the psalmist contrasts the dead senses of idols with the living God who hears and saves. Consider where you may be tempted to place trust in things that cannot respond.
Discussion questions
- Read Psalm 115:4, 8. What body parts are listed, and what ability does each lack? Why do you think the psalmist uses such specific imagery?
- How does verse 8, 'Those who make them will be like them', connect the worshiper to the object of worship? What does that warn us about our own hearts?
- Verses 2, 3 show the nations taunting and the psalmist responding with confidence in God's sovereignty. How does this contrast with the description of idols?
- In what ways do people today put trust in 'idols', things like money, career, relationships, reputation? How do these things fail to 'hear' or 'smell'?
- What does it mean practically to have spiritual senses that are alive? How can we keep from becoming numb to God's voice?
- What is one step you can take this week to turn from a misplaced trust and toward the living God?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
7 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes observes that idols are given human form but lack every ability that makes a person a living, thinking being. Their mouths, eyes, and ears are mere shapes with no real function. In his view this emptiness exposes the absurdity of trusting them.
Calvin's Commentaries Reformed 1564
Calvin notes that the faithful plead for deliverance not because they deserve it, but to protect God’s name from scorn among the heathen. Their primary concern is God’s honor, not their own relief. Even in unworthiness, they appeal to God’s mercy and truth as the basis for His glory.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva Notes highlight the sheer absurdity of idols: they have the very organs that should enable them to perceive, yet they are utterly dead and powerless. These images possess human features only in form, completely lacking the capacity to hear or smell, making worship of them entirely pointless.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill highlights the irony that idols have ears but cannot hear, while God's ear is always open to his people's prayers. He contrasts idols that cannot smell the incense or sacrifices set before them with God, who smells a sweet savor in Christ's sacrifice and in the prayers of the saints.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil and Delitzsch highlight the poet’s contrast between the living God, who is supramundane and all-powerful, and dead idols that lack all life and personality. Worshippers become like their idols: deprived of consciousness and existence, they come to nothing, just as the idols are nothing.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange draws attention to the psalm's liturgical arrangement,
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry insists that any good we do or receive comes entirely from God's grace, never from our own merit. Even successful service or answered prayer must not be credited to ourselves. All praise belongs to God alone, for His mercy and faithfulness, not for anything we have earned.