Six Types of Tongues - Part 2

Deceitful, Lying Tongue

Psalms 120.1-7:
"In my distress I cried unto the LORD,
and he heard me. Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful
tongue. What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou
false tongue?

Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper. Woe is me, that I sojourn in
Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long dwelt with him
that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war."

Deceit is always characterized by a heart that is hardened to the will of God. Such were the hearts of those who persecuted the psalmist in today's text. He cried out to God, "Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue" (v. 2).

We find from the context that these evil men hated peace (v.6) and despised the words of the psalmist (v.7). Instead, they loved "devouring words" because their tongue "[devised] mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully" (Psa. 52.1-4). They were so opposed to the word and will of God that they persecuted the psalmist by disseminating untrue, deceitful information about him to others.

Such lies and deception caused the author of this psalm to live in misery and even to cry out, "Woe is me" (v.5). King David also experienced the harm resulting from a lying tongue (Psa. 109.1-4) and cried out to God for deliverance. Wicked men inflicted much pain upon this Godly man by the untrue words they spoke against him.

It is possible for us, like the evil men in our text who had no fear of God, to use our tongues to make the life of another person miserable by being deceitful and speaking lies about him. However, such speech should never come from the lips of one who desires to glorify God and accomplish His will. As believers, we are to "consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works" (Heb. 10.24).

The Word of God tells us: "Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour" (Eph. 4.25). The judgment of God (v.4) rests upon a deceitful, lying tongue, for Proverbs 6.16-17 declares that such is an abomination to Him.



Until tomorrow,
Country Mama