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Psalms 120:2: “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.”

 

At first reading it appears that the writer is saying: “Lord make those gossiping about me shut up, punch ‘em in the mouth.” But upon closer examination, the writer is not saying that at all, he just wants his soul to be delivered.

 

It is not certain who the author of this Psalm is. It is written by someone in exile. If written by David then it is written when he would most likely fleeing from Saul and could relate to the time he had opportunity to kill Saul. His close advisors were advising him to do that very thing, but he refused.

 

Soul in the Hebrew is nephesh which has many different usages and you really need to consider the context to determine what English word you will use for nephesh. I know it means soul, but what is the soul? Is it the same as your spirit, your heart or your mind? It is you character, personality, is it what makes you you?  In the context of this verse I would consider the soul to be your mind and the emotional part of you. It is that part of you that feels either peace or distress, joy or sorrow, happiness or sadness. We notice in verse 7 of Psalms 120 that the writer tells us that he is for peace while those lying lips and deceitful tongues are for war.

 

The writer is troubled, the lying lips and deceitful tongues are confusing him, and he is not sure what is right or wrong. The word lips is misepath which means lips, but is in the feminine form. I was doing a little study on kissing and I read an article that said that a  woman’s lips are seductive and many a man has been led astray by the kiss of a woman’s lips. Thus, these lying lips are saying things that are not so much hurtful but seductive. It sounds really good, too good to be true.

 

The word lying is seker. Seker is the type of lying which is a corrupt type, based in jealously and/or judgment. It is also a falsehood that comes from a close friend, advisor, or members of a fellowship. In other words someone who swears friendship and brother hood and gives you advise that sounds really good, but something just doesn’t taste right about it. This type of advice comes a close fellowship where your friend or brother is giving you seemingly good advice but is secretly jealous of you or judging you.  The writer is troubled over this advice he is being given and friends who are harshly judging him while all the time smiling, saying how much they love him and how they are only speaking these words out of love.  He is not sure who to trust or what to believe.

 

Note that the writer wants to be delivered from a deceitful tongue. The word deceitful in Hebrew in this passage is ramyah. These are words spoken which are not only self-seeking and deceptive, but also words built upon a revealed truth. One way to express ramyah is something we call proof texting.  That is pulling a Scripture verse out of context in order to prove a point or persuade you to do something that you are not sure is right or to prove that their criticism of you is not only correct but Biblical.

 

Now note, the writer is not asking that these critics or advisors be silenced, he is only asking to be delivered. The word delivered is hasalah. This is in a Hiphil (causative) imperative (command) form. “Lord, cause my soul to be delivered.” 

 

I think a key verse to keep in mind here is Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of God rule (Greek – umpire) your heart.” When you get some advice or direction from a trusted friend or spiritual leader or even a mentor and something just doesn’t seem right.  What do you do?  The Holy Spirit outranks any human spiritual leader out there and you have the Holy Spirit living inside of you talking to you. Maybe not words in English but the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart and if your heart is very unsettled, then what the Holy Spirit is saying to your heart, “Careful there Bunkie, I know this person’s heart and his advice is very self-seeking and he does not have your best interest in mind.”

 

The writer is also experiencing some harsh criticism. Yet, like Watchman Nee said, in every criticism, there is some grain of truth. The writer does not want to reject that criticism outright, but at the same time he knows there is a lot of untruth in that criticism. He is also receiving some very seductive advice as well.  He does not feel at peace with it. It is the Spirit of God umpiring his heart.  These critics or advisors are wanting war. This advice may be born out of jealousy or it may be self-serving, but it has the writer confused and he is asking God to deliver his trouble mind and not this, give him peace. If peace will rule his heart, then he will know the decision he makes is right and that it is of God.

 

I think this verse is teaching us that when we face harsh criticism and/or advice that just does not set right with us, no matter who it comes from or how trusted that person may be or what their reputation is, we still need to go to God and seek His peace, a peace that will rule our hearts. If we don’t get that peace then reject that advice even if it is from the President of your denomination.

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