HEBREW WORD STUDY – LYING LIPS – SEPATH SHEGER  – שפת שקר Sine Pei Taw   Shin Qop Resh

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

The news media is going bonkers, President Trump after a 2-year long investigation has been exonerated from any collusion with the Russians. There is a lot of talk today about the outright lies told by news media and those opposing Trump.  Biased news media is nothing new. When President McKinley was running for a second term as President he stood a tough challenge against the Christian outspoken Evangelical Williams Jennings Bryant. The three titans of industry, Rockefeller – oil, Ford – automotive and Carnegie – steel who could not stand each other got together to make sure McKinley would win the election as Bryant was a great proponent of anti-trust laws. They had McKinley in their back pocket but needed to put down Bryant so they used their wealth to buy off the leaders of the media of that day and let the media assassinate the character and faith of Bryant.  Practically all the stories of Bryant were negative showing him a religious fanatic who would destroy this country and McKinley as an almost angelic saint. Unfortunately, it worked and even today Bryant is pictured as a religious fanatic not hitting on every cylinder. You may know the rest of the story from history.  Six months into McKinley’s second term he was assassinated for real and his Vice President, Theodore Roosevelt who was more of a proponent of anti-trust laws than Bryant took office.  Who says God does not control nations.

Anyone in a leadership role faces lying lips and deceitful tongues.  David was a king and knew this first hand. You may be a boss, a pastor, a parent and you know the sting and pain of lying lips. 

At first reading it appears David is saying: “Lord make those gossiping about me shut up, punch ‘em in the mouth.”  I am sure that is what most of us would pray. But upon closer examination, David is not saying that at all, he just wants his soul to be delivered.

Many argue that the writer is not David, but it seems to fit his character so we will stay with that. If it is David, he is in exile. Some feel this is written at the time he was fleeing from Saul and could relate to the time he had the opportunity to kill Saul. His close friends and advisors were so encouraging him to do so, but he refused.  Because it was his soul that was his concern, not the lies. 

Soul in the Hebrew is nephesh which is used for your mind, your heart, or even your personality. It is closely associated with the flesh and it is that which has your pride which is highly wounded when someone lies about you.  Notice in verse 7 that David 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, he is not sure what is right or wrong.

The word lips is sepath which means lips, but only in the feminine form.  A woman’s lips are seductive and many a man has been led astray by the kiss of a woman’s lips. These lies are seductive, people will love to hear these lies to confirm their reason for disliking someone.  

The word lying is sheqer. This type of lying is a corrupt type, based in jealousy and/or judgment.  It is also a lying from a close friend, advisor, or members of a fellowship. It is in a close fellowship where you experience jealousy or judgmental words.  The writer is troubled over advice he is being given, or friends harshly judging him.   You can receive 100 compliments and not think much about it, but that one person who will judge you or criticize you, that will stay with you throughout the day, totally wearing you down.  

He also wants to be delivered from a deceitful tongue.  The word deceitful is ramyah.  These are words spoken which are self-seeking, deceptive, but words built upon revealed truth.   One way to express ramyah is 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.

Now note, David 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 imperative form.  “Lord, do something that will cause my soul to be delivered.”  

Colossians 3:15: “Let the peace of God rule (Greek – umpire) your heart.”  The writer is experiencing some harsh criticism.  Yet, like Watchman Nee said, in every criticism, there is some grain of truth.  David does not want to reject that criticism outright, but at the same time knows there is a lot of untruth in that criticism.  His critics or advisors are wanting war against King Saul.  This advice may be born out of jealousy or it may be self-serving, but it has David confused and he is asking God to deliver his trouble mind, give him peace. If peace will rule his heart, then he will know the decision he makes is right, that it is of God.