5 You strum away on your harps like David and improvise on musical instruments.
5 who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,
5 Woe to those who live only for today, indifferent to the fate of others! Woe to the playboys, the playgirls, who think life is a party held just for them!
5 Who sing idly to the sound of stringed instruments, And invent for yourselves musical instruments like David;
5 You sing trivial songs to the sound of the harp and fancy yourselves to be great musicians like David.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Amos 6:5
Commentary on Amos 6:1-7
(Read Amos 6:1-7)
Those are looked upon as doing well for themselves, who do well for their bodies; but we are here told what their ease is, and what their woe is. Here is a description of the pride, security, and sensuality, for which God would reckon. Careless sinners are every where in danger; but those at ease in Zion, who are stupid, vainly confident, and abusing their privileges, are in the greatest danger. Yet many fancy themselves the people of God, who are living in sin, and in conformity to the world. But the examples of others' ruin forbid us to be secure. Those who are set upon their pleasures are commonly careless of the troubles of others, but this is great offence to God. Those who placed their happiness in the pleasures of sense, and set their hearts upon them, shall be deprived of those pleasures. Those who try to put the evil day far from them, find it nearest to them.