Let their lying lips be silenced. Yes, it's a line in Psalm 31. And David had his reason for writing it. These days, almost anything anyone says could be the target of that thought. There was a time when truth meant something. Now, it has almost no real meaning. Similarly, we used to know when people lied. Now, it's like we either don't know or don't care.
Psalm 31 - Let their lying lips be silenced is article #31 in the series: Psalms. Click this button to view all titles for entire series.
It feels like, whenever anyone says anything, someone's going to say the truth was spoken.
But someone else will say it's a lie.
Maybe that's why the little dragon looks kind of confused?
He thought he was speaking truth. Maybe the devil's truth, since he is a dragon.
And yet, lots of people say no, it's God's truth.
It's sad, disappointing, and downright scary when words are spoken in God's name, to God's people, and we can't tell the difference between the truth and a lie.
We should be able to tell something though. Do you know the saying, actions speak louder than words? Let's look at Psalm 31, the issues just raised, and then see what David did when he wrote the words, "Let their lying lips be silenced".
Psalm 31
31:1-4 pp — Ps 71:1-3
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
Ps 31:1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
Ps 31:2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
Ps 31:3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
Ps 31:4 Free me from the trap that is set for me,
for you are my refuge.
Ps 31:5 Into your hands I commit my spirit;
redeem me, O LORD, the God of truth.
Ps 31:6 I hate those who cling to worthless idols;
I trust in the LORD.
Ps 31:7 I will be glad and rejoice in your love,
for you saw my affliction
and knew the anguish of my soul.
Ps 31:8 You have not handed me over to the enemy
but have set my feet in a spacious place.
Ps 31:9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.
Ps 31:10 My life is consumed by anguish
and my years by groaning;
my strength fails because of my affliction,
and my bones grow weak.
Ps 31:11 Because of all my enemies,
I am the utter contempt of my neighbors;
I am a dread to my friends—
those who see me on the street flee from me.
Ps 31:12 I am forgotten by them as though I were dead;
I have become like broken pottery.
Ps 31:13 For I hear the slander of many;
there is terror on every side;
they conspire against me
and plot to take my life.
Ps 31:14 But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, “You are my God.”
Ps 31:15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
Ps 31:16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
Ps 31:17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
but let the wicked be put to shame
and lie silent in the grave.
Ps 31:18 Let their lying lips be silenced,
for with pride and contempt
they speak arrogantly against the righteous.
Ps 31:19 How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.
Ps 31:20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them
from the intrigues of men;
in your dwelling you keep them safe
from accusing tongues.
Ps 31:21 Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
Ps 31:22 In my alarm I said,
“I am cut off from your sight!”
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
Ps 31:23 Love the LORD, all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.
Ps 31:24 Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.
Background on Psalm 31
Psalm 31 is longer than most of those immediately preceding it. Only Psalms 18 and 22 are longer. But Psalm 31 has this interesting distinction. As a psalm of trust growing out of an individual lament—“a magnificent psalm of confidence”—it has appealed to many Bible characters.
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Hi,
About a proud person, Psalmist said in (Psalms 31 :23) :
‘God plentifully rewardeth
the proud doer.’
This is one way of explanation, with other consistent verses, about a proud person.
(James 4:6) states :’God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
(Psalms 138 : 6) states :’ God knoweth the proud afar off.’
Psalmist says,’ Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed. ‘(Psa. 119 :21)
How to recognize a proud person?
##########
Answer :
1) A proud man thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing.’ ( Galatians 6 : 3 )
2) A proud person has selfish ambition or vain conceit.He does not value others above himself.
( Philippians 2:3)
3) ‘Proud person is not willing to associate with people of low position. (Romans .12:16)
4)’ A proud person is desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. ‘( Gal. 5 : 26
5)A proud person strifes.
(Proverbs 16:5)
6) A proud person boasts of his wisdom or of his strength or of his riches. (Jeremiah 9:23)
7) (Proverbs 21:24) says:’Proud & haughty scorneris his name, who dealeth in proud wrath.’
These are the biblical examples :.
!) Moab
(Isaiah 16:6) states :’ We have heard of the pride of Moab; he is very proud: even of his haughti ness,& his pride & his wrath.’
!!) Hezekiah
(2 Chronicles 32:36) says: “Then Hezekiah repented of the pride of his heart. ‘
!!!) King Nebuchadnezzar:
(Daniel 4:30) says :’ The king said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power & for the honour of my majesty ?’
!v) King Uzziah:
(2 Chronicles 26:16)says:’When Uzziah was strong, he grew proud, to his destruction.’
v) King Saul:
(1 Samuel 15:11) says :’God said to Samuel, “It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for
he is turned back from following me & hath not performed my commandments.’
v!) Satan:
(Isaiah 14:12-15) states :”How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning ! How you are cut down to the ground,
you who weakened the nations! For you have said in your heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will sit on the mount of the congregation on the farthest sides of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High”.
The other verses state :
‘Pride goeth before destruction,& an haughty spirit before a fall.’
(Proverbs 16:18)
‘Where there is pride, there is contention.’ ( Proverbs 13:10)
‘Blessed is the man who respecteth not the proud. ‘
( Psalms 40 : 4 )
Hi – thank you for adding that. If the point wasn’t clear already, this certainly brings more light to the issue.
Have a blessed day!
chris