While they drink from the cups of the Lord, their mouths praise the idols they worship. They sound the praises of the idols that they worship through images. It is truly devastating. They greatly desecrate the name of God. They use his cups, which were intended for the worship and sanctification of his great name.
What we see happening here occurs several times in history. Holy objects that belong to the Lord are used in the very place where the praise does not sound to the Lord as the only God and Saviour. The things that belong to Christ are only used because they are considered as objects of beauty or because they sound beautiful. It pleases people’s eyes and ears, without them really listening to the content. Then people view church buildings, certain songs and books only as cultural objects. Their hearts are not connected to the content, to Christ. It is for this very reason that God’s people refuse to sing the songs of Zion to the Babylonians in Psalm 137:1–9. When the Psalms, which are meant for service to the Lord, are sung only for the entertainment of men, it is sin. Such misuse cries out for God to act. Then people sing and listen, but to their own judgment.
4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.