Psalm 120 – A plea for deliverance from lying people

Psalms 120-134 are known as the Songs of ascents or degrees. These are 15 songs that were sung by pilgrims making their journey to Jerusalem for the annual feasts: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Pentecost; and the Feast of Tabernacle. Of the 15 Songs of degrees, David wrote four of them. They are Psalms 122, 124, 131, 133. Solomon wrote Psalm 127 and the rest were written anonymously. Psalm 120 is one of the ten Psalms that the author is not made known.

In this Psalm we detect the difficult circumstance that surrounded the Psalmist. He was truly distressed by people who had spoken falsely about him. Verse 2 said that they lied and spoke deceitfully about him. It could well be that his reputation was being slandered and his character seriously maligned. The tongue, we know, when not properly used, can be an instrument of wickedness. The book of James tells us that it is a world of evil and full of deceits. We can understand why the Psalmist would cry out to the Lord to deliver him from such slanderous people.

In verse 3 the Psalmist asked two rhetorical questions implying that a drastic end awaits those who spoke deceitfully. When one chooses to speak deceitfully, he is posturing himself for the ultimate judgment. Jesus once said, that man will have to give an account for every word he has spoken. In verse 4 lies and falsehood are first likened to sharp arrows that pierce a person and inflict pain to him. Then they are likened to coals that bring pain and hurt, like one who has been burnt by fire. 

It would be grievous for anyone finding himself among people who spoke lies and deceits about him. Here the people that spoke falsehood about the psalmist are represented by Meshech and Kedar. The Psalmist had actually lived among them. And he felt the heat of living among them. And for a long time, he was wounded by their falsehood about him. Although he sought to live peacefully they would find fault, to engage to confront him.  

We know that being a victim of lies and falsehood can be painful and stressful to us. Thankfully we do not have to trade slander for slander. By not retaliating we can unsettle them. We must trust the Lord and bring our distress to Him, and let Him bring us through victoriously. For He is more than able to do so.