Read Psalm 120
Questions from the Scripture text: What is this Psalm called (superscript)? What had been the psalmist’s condition (Psalm 120:1)? What did he do? To Whom? And what did YHWH do? From what is the psalmist now asking deliverance (Psalm 120:2)? What has he concluded/discovered that liars deserve (Psalm 120:3-4)? Where has this distress come upon him (which is a further part of the distress, Psalm 120:5-6a)? What are the people there like (Psalm 120:6b, Psalm 120:7b)? As opposed to whom (verse 7a)?
What does slander do? Psalm 120 looks forward to opening portion of morning public worship on the coming Lord’s Day. In these seven verses of Holy Scripture, the Holy Spirit teaches us that slander hurts brethren and provokes God’s wrath.
This is the first of the songs of ascent, which Israel would sing as they approached Jerusalem for feast. It starts far away, but ends in the worship of the congregation of God’s people at the temple (Psalm 133–134).
Past performance is indicative of future results, Psalm 120:1. Why is to YHWH that the psalmist now resorts? Among other things, it is because YHWH has heard his prayers before. We should learn to be strengthened to make present prayer by the Lord’s answering of past prayer. And, knowing that we shall need encouragement in prayer in the future, let us pray much in the present, so that the Lord’s answers may strengthen us unto that future praying.
The present crisis: the false tongue, Psalm 120:2-4. The psalmist is now, again, asking for deliverance. This time, it is from some distress brought about by someone’s slandering him. For emphasis, he describes this three different ways (“lying lips,” “deceitful tongue,” “false tongue,”). What harm we can do to others with our words! Death (“mighty sharp arrows”) and hell (“coals of the broom tree,” cf. Revelation 21:8) are what all liars have to look forward to (Psalm 120:4).
What slander does, Psalm 120:5-7. Without knowing more about the context, it is difficult to determine whether the psalmist was actually at some intersection of Japhethites (Psalm 120:5a, cf. Genesis 10:2) and Ishmaelites (Psalm 120:5b, cf. Genesis 25:13). Either such foreigners are displaying the fruit of their unbelief, or this is a way for him to talk about Israelites whose conduct has made the godly as a stranger even among the covenant people. For, they are not reciprocating his love of peace and peacemaking (cf. Matthew 5:9), but rather they indulge enmity (Psalm 120:6-7). But the psalmist continues to be for peace (Psalm 120:7a), which he is enabled to be by leaving vengeance to God by prayer. Let us not act as enemies to God or brother, but guard our lips and hearts for peace.
About/with whom do you need to guard your tongue more? Toward whom do you need grace to incline you to peace?
Sample prayer: Lord, we thank You and praise You Who hear prayer. Deliver us from every trouble! Grant that our lips would be used in Your worship to praise you, and then in other circumstances to do good to the brethren. We thank You that we may leave all vengeance to You by prayer, so that we can seek peace with our lips. Now be praised by these same lips we ask through Christ, AMEN!
Suggested songs: ARP120 “I Cried in Trouble to the Lord” or TPH464 “The Beatitudes”
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