Vs 2. Everyone lies to their neighbour; they flatter with their lips but harbour deception in their hearts. The bible speak negatively of liars and their end is everlasting destruction. “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars - they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulphur”, Revelations 21:8. Our Lord Jesus Christ also made the devil to be the Father of lies and those who live in lie that is reject His truth are the devil’s children. ‘..When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it’. Lying therefore belongs to our old nature for the Apostle writes to the Christians ‘do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds’, Colossians 3:9. But the Psalmist in his environment is repulsed at the lack of integrity his neighbours convey to one another. This is the spirit of selfishness for each is after their own gain and in order to achieve their goal they are willing to use deceptive means and methods. They flatter with charming words, it drips like honey but it is poisonous to the soul. Many have been the preys of vipers and many more have been wounded by a neighbour who for a time spoke sugary words and then in the fullness of time with uncaring mercy he thrust his neighbour with the sword penetrating their soul. So I warn you to be careful of those who flatter constantly for they may harbour deception in their hearts and I bid you to be alert especially of the fathers of all deceptive flattery who is the devil. For he comes to entice you with sin, he flatters you with the pleasures of it but your good is not what motivates his wicked soul but your destruction. He hates you with a passion that as mush as it hurts him to say pleasing words to you yet it is full of malice and evil intent. Therefore take heed and cling to your Heavenly Father who is able to keep you and by His Spirit allow you to discern the vipers from the doves.
The Psalmist hating the dominance of lies which prevails his culture pleads to God that vs. 3-4 May the LORD silence all flattering lips and every boastful tongue; those who say, “by our tongues we will prevail; our own lips will defend us - who is lord over us”. May God silence them the psalmist cries and we know from the New Testament that the Father has given us such a promise. The promise being that every tongue will eventually confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. In that day those who are apt to boast of their own sovereignty will recognize with full intensity that Jesus Christ is their Lord and God. In the final analyses it is His reign and sovereignty which will prevail, it is His rule which will triumph and it His government which shall be established. But many men living today are blinded by their pride of this coming reality, they surf in God’s world as if it was their hands which fashioned the seas and rooted the mountains; they do as they like plundering the poor and saying that our own power and money will defend us. They boast of their riches and ask the question who is lord over us. Jesus is Lord over you and his law will silence you so that you have no excuse. In that day your tongue will shut itself and be a witness against you, it will testify against you and condemn you but there is hope. Jesus Christ being Lord was also the sin bearer and He has taking upon himself the sins of liars and those who flatter with their lips. If you would today confess that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead; all of your flattering sins will immediately be forgiven you and you shall share an inheritance with the righteous.
Yahweh is a God who listens to the just pleas of His saints. He looks over the world and searches for those who pray and call on Him to come and execute his righteousness. It delights his soul when men are raging in their souls because of the injustice of wicked men and turn to him to help. Yahweh takes pleasure in the righteous man’s plea therefore vs. 5 He will arise because the poor are plundered and the needy groan. Yahweh arises from His throne and deals with the ways of wicked men, he deals with those who flatter with their lips and cheat the innocent. Yahweh comes with his mighty arm to dash in pieces those who take pleasure in destroying the poor for Yahweh is the poor man’s champion. Men may dislike and look down upon the poor but it is not so with God. God loved them so much that it delighted His soul that His Son should be just like them. His Son had no home to lay his head and was also despised by men but God His Father loved him and defended his cause. “I will protect them from those who malign them”. Although Christ was crucified yet his flesh did not see corruption, He was raised from the dead and crushed his sneering enemies. If you are poor mark this, the Lord does not despise you but he loves you. But some poor men are fools. Because of their poverty they curse God and forsake the presence of Him who is able to deliver them. They turn to pervasive means and become like those who cheat them. They return evil with evil and therefore they sentence their own souls to damnation. But it is not to be with you - in your poverty rejoice in the coming Salvation of Yahweh and learn the secret of contentment which is Christ Jesus. In him you have all treasures which surpasses all of the treasures gathered by all the kings of the earth. You are richer than the angels and you posses the world. Your inheritance is incorruptible and undefiled. It is waiting for you, only have faith to live in hope and to not waver despite of the lack of worldly goods. No Christian should ever feel poor although we are to be poor in spirit yet we are a family and ought to have the necessities of life as we share and live in communion with one another.
The Psalmist hearing these sweet words of Yahweh that is that Yahweh will now arise and protect the poor, excited the psalmist soul with great delight because the psalmist is sure of the certainty of Yahweh’s words. Vs. 6 And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times. These metaphors are to show the degree to which God’s words are pure but yet these metaphors fall short. God’s words are flawless that is infinitely flawless and although there be a million linguist and those who specialize in language and analyses should for a million years examine God’s words, they shall in no degree find any fault with them but they too will agree of its superb perfection*. Men may flatter and speak vain words, there words may come to nothing but Yahweh’s words will accomplish its task. “So shall my word be that goes forth from my mouth; it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it”, Isaiah 55:11. This is the view the Psalmist has of Yahweh’s words and it is a high degree of confidence which glorifies His maker. Many today are quick to bring God’s word into disrepute, they say like that serpent ‘did God really say that and can we trust it’? yet in their disbelief they are given the wages of their errors which is death and damnation in the pits of hell where all unrepentant liars and flatterers will make their eternal beds. The promises of Yahweh are sweet and tender, they are of a comforting nature to those who are willing to trust and believe them. God will not force your hand but invites you the opportunity to exercise that divine attribute of submission to His words. He says to the weak and weary ‘come to me all you who are troubled and heavy laden and I will give you rest’. He says to all men ‘I love you so much that I have given you the Christ my Son, if you believe you shall not perish but have eternal life’. He has made you his sons and daughters - he has clothed you with the garment of righteousness and sealed you with His Holy Spirit. Shall you now dare to question all this great privileges and therefore bring upon yourself a heart of unbelief which will not serve you at all. But I encourage you my fellow saints to whole heartedly believe every grain of promise and words that is found in the scripture because by believing them you are saying that God’s words are flawless.
The Psalmist is no fool to his surroundings; he finds himself in the midst of a deceitful and perverse generation and thus far He has sought help from the Lord who is His maker. Only God is able to make things right and only God is able to change the hearts of all men as well as leaving them to their iniquities in order to exercise His divine justice so that future generations may know His fear and dread the table of wickedness. God is Love therefore the Psalmist resolves in his heart that, Vs 7-8 You, LORD, will keep the needy safe and will protect us forever from the wicked, who freely strut about when what is vile is honoured by the human race. God will protect his people and the needy will forever be protected from the wicked. The wicked will be kept in one place for all eternity lamenting on their wickedness while the poor, yea, those who are poor in spirit will sing with joy that whilst wicked men reigned here on earth, they repaid evil with good and are now enjoying the eternal feast of their heavenly Father. Do not fear when what is evil and vile is honoured by the human race but be grieved - be moved with compassion for their souls and close your door, fasten your hands and begin to pray vs. 1 Help LORD.
K.Oni
* Also this examination is also upon the execution of the words promised that God has in no means failed to bring about any of His promises of which He has determined to do by His own sovereign will and pleasure which are based upon no conditional offers.
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