Psalms 96:5

NET Bible® (New English Translation)

For all the gods of the nations are worthless, but the LORD made the sky.

📖 Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

כִּ֤י ׀ כָּל־אֱלֹהֵ֣י הָעַמִּ֣ים אֱלִילִ֑ים וַֽ֝יהוָ֗ה שָׁמַ֥יִם עָשָֽׂה׃

Transliteration

kî all-ʾĕlōhê hāʿammîm ʾĕlîlîm waYHWH šāmayim ʿāśāh

Grammar Details

• *kî*: conjunction - for/because
• *ʾĕlōhê*: noun, masculine plural construct - gods of
• *hāʿammîm*: noun, masculine plural with definite article - the peoples
• *ʾĕlîlîm*: noun, masculine plural - idols/worthless things
• *waYHWH*: conjunction + divine name - and YHWH
• *šāmayim*: noun, masculine plural - heavens/sky
• *ʿāśāh*: verb, perfect, 3rd person masculine singular - made/did

Word Meanings

• *ʾĕlōhê*: gods of/deities of
• *ʾĕlîlîm*: idols/worthless things/nothings
• *šāmayim*: heavens/sky/firmament
• *ʿāśāh*: made/created/fashioned/did

Referenced Verses

• Ps 115:15 : 15 May you be blessed by the LORD, the Creator of heaven and earth!
• Isa 42:5 : 5 This is what the true God, the LORD, says– the one who created the sky and stretched it out, the one who fashioned the earth and everything that lives on it, the one who gives breath to the people on it, and life to those who live on it:
• Jer 10:11-12 : 11 You people of Israel should tell those nations this:‘These gods did not make heaven and earth. They will disappear from the earth and from under the heavens.’ 12 The LORD is the one who by his power made the earth. He is the one who by his wisdom established the world. And by his understanding he spread out the skies.
• Jer 10:14-15 : 14 All these idolaters will prove to be stupid and ignorant. Every goldsmith will be disgraced by the idol he made. For the image he forges is merely a sham. There is no breath in any of those idols. 15 They are worthless, mere objects to be mocked. When the time comes to punish them, they will be destroyed.
• Acts 19:26 : 26 And you see and hear that this Paul has persuaded and turned away a large crowd, not only in Ephesus but in practically all of the province of Asia, by saying that gods made by hands are not gods at all.
• 1 Cor 8:4 : 4 With regard then to eating food sacrificed to idols, we know that“an idol in this world is nothing,” and that“there is no God but one.”
• Isa 44:8-9 : 8 Don’t panic! Don’t be afraid! Did I not tell you beforehand and decree it? You are my witnesses! Is there any God but me? There is no other sheltering rock; I know of none. 9 All who form idols are nothing; the things in which they delight are worthless. Their witnesses cannot see; they recognize nothing, so they are put to shame. 10 Who forms a god and casts an idol that will prove worthless? 11 Look, all his associates will be put to shame; the craftsmen are mere humans. Let them all assemble and take their stand! They will panic and be put to shame. 12 A blacksmith works with his tool and forges metal over the coals. He forms it with hammers; he makes it with his strong arm. He gets hungry and loses his energy; he drinks no water and gets tired. 13 A carpenter takes measurements; he marks out an outline of its form; he scrapes it with chisels, and marks it with a compass. He patterns it after the human form, like a well-built human being, and puts it in a shrine. 14 He cuts down cedars and acquires a cypress or an oak. He gets trees from the forest; he plants a cedar and the rain makes it grow. 15 A man uses it to make a fire; he takes some of it and warms himself. Yes, he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Then he makes a god and worships it; he makes an idol and bows down to it. 16 Half of it he burns in the fire– over that half he cooks meat; he roasts a meal and fills himself. Yes, he warms himself and says,‘Ah! I am warm as I look at the fire.’ 17 With the rest of it he makes a god, his idol; he bows down to it and worships it. He prays to it, saying,‘Rescue me, for you are my god!’ 18 They do not comprehend or understand, for their eyes are blind and cannot see; their minds do not discern. 19 No one thinks to himself, nor do they comprehend or understand and say to themselves:‘I burned half of it in the fire– yes, I baked bread over the coals; I roasted meat and ate it. With the rest of it should I make a disgusting idol? Should I bow down to dry wood?’ 20 He feeds on ashes; his deceived mind misleads him. He cannot rescue himself, nor does he say,‘Is this not a false god I hold in my right hand?’ 21 Remember these things, O Jacob, O Israel, for you are my servant. I formed you to be my servant; O Israel, I will not forget you! 22 I remove the guilt of your rebellious deeds as if they were a cloud, the guilt of your sins as if they were a cloud. Come back to me, for I protect you.” 23 Shout for joy, O sky, for the LORD intervenes; shout out, you subterranean regions of the earth. O mountains, give a joyful shout; you too, O forest and all your trees! For the LORD protects Jacob; he reveals his splendor through Israel. 24 The Lord Empowers Cyrus This is what the LORD, your protector, says, the one who formed you in the womb:“I am the LORD, who made everything, who alone stretched out the sky, who fashioned the earth all by myself, 25 who frustrates the omens of the empty talkers and humiliates the omen readers, who overturns the counsel of the wise men and makes their advice seem foolish, 26 who fulfills the oracles of his prophetic servants and brings to pass the announcements of his messengers, who says about Jerusalem,‘She will be inhabited,’ and about the towns of Judah,‘They will be rebuilt, her ruins I will raise up,’ 27 who says to the deep sea,‘Be dry! I will dry up your sea currents,’ 28 who commissions Cyrus, the one I appointed as shepherd to carry out all my wishes and to decree concerning Jerusalem,‘She will be rebuilt,’ and concerning the temple,‘It will be reconstructed.’”
• Isa 46:1-2 : 1 The Lord Carries His People Bel kneels down, Nebo bends low. Their images weigh down animals and beasts. Your heavy images are burdensome to tired animals. 2 Together they bend low and kneel down; they are unable to rescue the images; they themselves head off into captivity.
• Jer 10:3-5 : 3 For the religion of these people is worthless. They cut down a tree in the forest, and a craftsman makes it into an idol with his tools. 4 He decorates it with overlays of silver and gold. He uses hammer and nails to fasten it together so that it will not fall over. 5 Such idols are like scarecrows in a cucumber field. They cannot talk. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not be afraid of them because they cannot hurt you. And they do not have any power to help you.”
• Ps 135:15 : 15 The nations’ idols are made of silver and gold, they are man-made.
• Ps 135:18 : 18 Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.
• Gen 1:1 : 1 ¶ The Creation of the World In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
• Ps 115:3-8 : 3 Our God is in heaven! He does whatever he pleases! 4 Their idols are made of silver and gold– they are man-made. 5 They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but cannot see, 6 ears, but cannot hear, noses, but cannot smell, 7 hands, but cannot touch, feet, but cannot walk. They cannot even clear their throats. 8 Those who make them will end up like them, as will everyone who trusts in them.