This Psalm is being used by the music leader (choirmaster) and sheminith refers to a music score. It is being sung as a community lament when the people are faced with authority figures who are of “double hearts” (v2). The repeated occurrences of such words like lies (verse 2), lips (verses 2, 3 and 4) and tongue (verses 3 and 4) indicate that these leaders are dishonest in what they say with their mouths.

Verse 1 begins with a prayer to God for deliverance in the absence of godly and faithful individuals. The Psalmist’s plea before God in verses 3 and 4 is to remove these people with flattering lips and lying tongues. Interestingly, the pairing words of lips and tongue in verse 3, appear in reverse order in verse 4. This emphasizes the earnestness of such prayers.

Verses 5 and 7 suggest to us that these unrighteous people are in positions of authority who plunder the poor and make the needy groan. And verse 5 is also an encouragement from God when He promises that the poor and needy will be delivered in response to the prayers. And David in turns, echoes God’s promise that He will indeed keep and guard these individuals (verse 7). It is interesting to observe that in the midst of people who utter lies and flatteries, verse 6 is a total contrast using the words of the Lord. God’s words are pure and the metaphor is being used of a furnace that they are being purified seven times. This illustrates the absolute purity of God’s words.

Dear brothers and sisters are you being surrounded by people in school or work whose mouths are filled with lies and flatteries and you are getting frustrated of such distasteful words. Take heart from this Psalm and begin today by committing this matter to God in prayer.

Prayer

Dear Lord, please help me to trust in Your Word in a world that is filled with lies, pride, and injustice,. Let me not grow weary or cynical, but please lift my eyes to You—the God who sees, hears, and acts on my behalf. Please keep me safe in Your truth, and give me courage to live for You. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.