Surrounded by Lies and Liars

Psalm 120:1-7

A Song of degrees.

“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.” (Psalm 120:1-2)

We live in a society where lying is considered acceptable, at least on the part of politicians and government officials.   Proverbs 26:28 warns, “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.”  Hilary Clinton’s statements about Trump supporters being deplorables and her comments to the media that Democratic voters were stupidprompted a poll of government officials in Washington to see what their attitude toward the common people was.  Only six percent of them considered the American people smart enough to be bothered with the facts.  Their lying just confirms their disdain for the Average American. 

Saul had spread lies about David to turn the people against him, and for years David lived under the constant threat of execution because of Saul’s irrational hatred.  He asked God to deliver him from the lies and deceit that sought to destroy him. 

“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.” (Psalm 120:3-4)

Because he studied God’s word, David knew, “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight,” as Proverbs 12:2 tells us.  He asked what those who lied about him expected to gain by their lies, because as we see in Proverbs 21:6 lying to get and advantage ultimately suicidal.  “The getting of treasures by a lying tongue is a vanity tossed to and fro of them that seek death.”    As David describes it, People will turn on them, physically killing them or verbally destroying them. 

In the long term things will be even worse.    Revelation  21:8 warns, “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.  They will be hated here on earth, then spend eternity in prison, surrounded by the worst criminals of all time, and suffering the worst conditions imaginable. 

“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. Ps 120:7 I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.” (Psalm 120:5-6)

David felt like he was living among the ancient warlike tribes of ancient Russia and Mongolia, or the Bedouins and other Arabic groups, for whom raiding and warfare was, and in many cases, still is a way of life.  Saul and his army had no interest in making peace, wanting only to kill David.  They viewed his efforts to make peace as a sign of weakness and pushed even harder, determined to kill him.  Treaties were only a tool to gain an advantage and would be broken without hesitation.   Saul and his supporters definitely didn’t act like they were God’s people.