Part 1 Exegesis of Psalm 120: 1-4 song of ascent
The psalms we will be looking at display the connection between the deliverance of the soul/person and the recompense of the Lord against the wicked. That is, deliverance for the righteous → the justice of the Lord against the wicked. We will flush out how they go hand in hand.
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In going through this exegesis, I realized this is not a deliverance petition but rather an outpouring of pathos given to us as a narrative poem. I find myself seeing more clearly how this is an exemplary piece of pathos writing. Just as psalm 121 is an exemplary piece of parallelism.
As a reminder: the pathetic; from the Greek, pathos - as in affecting or moving the feelings. And the sublime; impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power; inspiring awe, veneration, leading to ecstasy.
I read a great book on pathos and the sublime in the scriptures. Here is the link: Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews by Lowthe, Robert.
₁ In my trouble I cried to the Lord, and He answered me.
₁ el Adonai (YHWH) ba-tsah-rah-tah li karati vaiya' aneni.
A more accurate translation has: To the Lord, in the distress that belongs to me, I called and He answered me.
Grammar:
We have 'called' in the qal perfect tense using an active voice which reflects a completed action by the subject of the verb. The qal perfect gives us the past tense in an active voice.
This is followed by the waw consecutive imperfect tense used with the verb 'answered'. The waw cons. imp. tense "serves to express actions, events, or states, which are to be regarded as the temporal or logical sequence of actions, events, or states mentioned immediately before" (Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar). These types of consecutive verbal forms are used in narrative primarily to denote sequences of consecutive actions, either in the past, present or future.
We see that the poem is employed by Narrative Poesy. Narrative poetry gives us plot, characters, setting etc. combined with literary figures or poetical devices such as form, meter, metonymy etc.
Vocab:
Tsah-rah - “derived from the root verb tsarar meaning 'to bind' or 'to be narrow'. Meaning 'distress' or 'anguish'. It conveys the idea of being in a narrow or confined space, reflecting the pressure and difficulty of the circumstances". About distress: "Distress and adversity were often seen as consequences of disobedience or as divine discipline intended to bring about repentance and restoration. The Israelites understood that turning back to God and seeking his deliverance was the path to relief from tsahrah" (Srong's Lexicon).
Kahrah – to call, to proclaim, to read, to name, to call out. To summon or be named, to invite, or commission. “The Hebrew verb primarily means to call or to proclaim. It is used in various context, including calling out to someone, proclaiming a message, reading aloud, or naming something or someone. The word conveys the act of vocalizing or declaring something with intention and purpose. In ancient Hebrew culture, the act of calling or naming was significant. Proclamations were important in communal and religious settings, where messages from God or leaders were declared to the people, reading aloud was a common practice” (Strong's Lexicon).
This might suggest that this was a public calling on of the Lord. Though from first glance I immediately assume this is a private cry of woe. Let's observe the different words that are often used and their meanings to suss this out. I think we find our answer in the difference between this word kahrah and the word tsak and shahvah.
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Is the word 'cried' the best translation? There are many Hebrew words that seem similar. let's look at a few.
Psalm 42:1 “As the deer pants for the streams of water, so my soul pants for you my God”. Ahrahg – to long for intensely, to pant, to cry.
Psalm 17:1 "Hear a just cause, Oh Lord, give heed to my cry; give ear to my prayer, which is not from deceitful lips. Rinnah - joyful shouting, rejoicing.
Psalm 34:4 “I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears”. Dah-rash for sought, or inquire, seek, follow, ask or worship.
Using tsak:
Psalm 34:17 “the righteousness cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their trouble”.
Psalm 77:1-3: I cried out God, I cried aloud to God to hear me. In the day of trouble I sought the Lord; through the night my outstretched hands did not grow weary...I remembered You Oh God and I groaned.
For cry out the word tsahk – to shout, cry out, shriek. "It primarily means to cry out or to call for help, often in a loud voice. It is used in context of expressing distress, seeking assistance, or making a public proclamation. The term conveys a sense of urgency and desperation, often associated with prayer or a plea for divine intervention. The act of crying out was not only a vocal expression but also a demonstration of one's dependence on the Lord. In a communal society, such cries would often prompt immediate action from those nearby” (Strong's Lexicon). The western culture is not accustomed to wailing cultures and its sociological, spiritual and psychological meaning and effects. I won't be taking on this tangent right now as it is something I am little studied in and unnecessary for this study.
Using Shahvah:
Psalm 5:1-2 “Give ear to my words Oh Lord, consider my groaning. Hearken the sound of my cry for help, my king and my God, for to you I pray”. Shavah is used for cry here.
Shahvah – to cry out, to call for help, to shout. “The Hebrew verb Shava primarily means to cry out or call for help, often in a context of distress or need. It conveys a sense of urgency and desperation, typically directed towards God or a figure of authority. This term is used in the Hebrew Bible to express a plea for divine intervention or assistance. The act of calling upon the Lord was deeply rooted in the belief that God is a deliverer and protector of his people” (Strong's Lexicon).
Passages using Kah-rah:
Psalm 86:1-7 is a deliverance prayer “Incline your ear, 0h Lord and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am godly. You are my God; save your servant who trusts in you. Be merciful to me, Oh Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, for to you, Oh Lord, I lift up my soul. For you, Oh Lord, are kind and forgiving, rich and loving in devotion to all who call on you. Hear my prayer, O Lord, and attend to my plea for mercy. In the day of my distress I call on you, because you answer me”.
Psalm 116:1 ”I love the Lord, because He hears my voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, therefore I shall call upon him as long as I live.
Psalm 50:15 "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you and you will honor Me".
Psalm 145:18-19 "the Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call out to Him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cries(shah-vah) and saves them.
Isaiah 65:24 "And it will also come to pass that even before they call, I will answer, and while they are speaking, I will hear...says the Lord ".
Psalm 57:2-3 “I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things. He will send help from heaven and save me; He rebukes the one who tramples upon me”.
Psalm 18:6 “In my distress I called(kah-rah) to the LORD; I cried(shah-vah) to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears”.
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While looking through these different words I discovered that I was inclined to give meaning to this first verse as if either shavah or tsak were being used. But they both feel very different then the word that is actually employed - kahrah.
The translations that use the word 'cried' instead of 'called' are less accurate and lead the mind astray concerning the sentiment expressed.
It is best translated 'I called on the Lord'. The poet is telling us he proclaimed the name of the Lord, he invited the Lord into the situation, he looked to the Lord for his help, he trusted in the Lord. And that in doing so, the Lord answered and helped him. This is what the poet wants most to be conveyed as he begins this narrative.
Yet, as we read through the psalm and our poet beings to release his pathos, it is surely likely that at the time our poet called on the Lord it was something more like crying out, shrieking. Our poet was desperately seeking assistance and had a sense of desperation and urgency. We begin to feel this strongly by verse 5. But this pathos is not unleashed in the first verse. Yet I do think this is why verse one often gets translated as 'cried'. Because the scholars want this to be impressed upon the mind as one goes through the psalm, that we are surmising our poet did make a desperate plea.
Yet this gives light to the nature of narrative and story-telling. As one looks back at a past event and how it was, they have time to digest the experience and will in the present moment express/share information in a different way. Looking back at things, we can assess and summarize all that happened and what to say about it; it is usually focused on bringing forth conclusions/overviews rather than making a play by play of the thoughts and feelings as they occurred. Yet good narrative may also thrust us into those emotions and moments, transporting us to the past as if it were now the present that we are experiencing. This is where the sublime beings to bloom in this psalm. And our poet does exactly this with verse 5 and 6. We begin to see the bloom in verses 3 and 4.
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Psalm 4:1 |
Answer me when I call, Oh God of my distress! You have relieved me in my distress. Be gracious to me & hear my prayer. |
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Psalm 120:1 | I called on the Lord in my distress and He answered me. Deliver my soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. |
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Psalm 30:
1-2 |
I will extol You oh Lord, for you have lifted me up and have not allowed my foes to rejoice over me. Oh Lord my God, I cried to You for help, and You healed me. |
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Psalm 40:
1-2 |
I waited patiently for the Lord. He inclined to me and heard my cry. He lifted me up from the pit of despair, out of the miry clay; He set my feet upon a rock & made my footsteps firm. |
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Psalm 116:
1-2 |
I love the Lord, for He has heard my voice - my appeal for mercy. Because He has inclined His ear to me, I will call on Him as long as I live. |
Other passages that demonstrate trusting in the Lord through acknowledging His name:
Psalm 18:3 “I called to the Lord, who was worthy of praise and this is how I am saved from my enemies”.
Again, this is in line with Psalm 91:14 as was mentioned in the previous exegesis Exegesis of Psalm 121:1-4 which says the Lord "sets him securely on high, because he has acknowledged My name".
₂ Deliver my soul Oh Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.
₂ Adonai (YHWH) hatz-tzi-lah nafshi mis' phat sheker mil-lashon remiyah
Some translations say “from lips that lie and from a tongue that is deceitful”.
So now verse 2 gives us our antagonists and the narrative gives us an event or ordeal that our protagonist was going through. We have the first action in the sequence of events being given to us as present tense petition. The call to the Lord. Though we made a distinction between cry and call with the first verse. From the present telling of this past call, our poet identifies it as an acknowledgment of the Lord yet this petition 'deliver my soul' when it was made is likely a crying out. The verb that is used implies an intense prayer. As the poem progresses, we come to understand the deep feelings of despair our poet had when he made this petition.
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Use of Metonymy. Nefesh – soul, is put for life or person.
Use of Hendiadys or two for one. Hendiadys is when “two words are employed, but only one thing, or one idea is intended. One of the two words expresses the thing, and the other intensifies it by being changed into an adjective of the superlative degree, which is, by this means, made especially emphatic” (Bullinger, 657). Bullinger goes on to describe this figure as 'exceedingly picturesque' and is frequently used in both the OT and NT. The two for one being employed here are 'lips that lie' and 'a deceitful tongue' for liars.
Now we have some idea to what the trouble or distress was referring to. The kind that comes from slander and lies and deceitful interactions. Or in the least we can say the trouble is related to such things. This just instantly makes me think of the deceptive discourse and infighting in king David's court. And this particular passage also comes to mind: Prov 17:7 "Eloquent words are unfit for a fool; how much worse are lying lips to a ruler". And also Psalm 62 which talks about counselors being deceitful to thrust one down from their position of authority. I am inclined to ascribe this psalm to king David. And I am thinking about his story and how much trouble he had from his counselors and even family who were scheming against him.
Use of metonymy - lip is put for language or words. thus 'lying lips' for the words of liars (Bullinger, 546). For instance, with the above verse proverbs 17:7 a more accurate translation has 'eloquent lip '.
Use of metonymy - tongue is put for what is spoken by it. For example, Ps 5:9 "They flatter with their tongue" i.e. with what it says. Prov 10:20 "The tongue of the just is as choice silver" i.e. the words or speech. Jer 18:18 "Let us smite him with the tongue" i.e. with hard words. Thus 'deceitful tongue' for false words or deceitful speech.
Vocab:
Lying – sheker – falsehood, lie, deception, deceit, an untruth, a sham. Often used when referring to statements, actions or practices that held to truth and integrity.
Deceitful – remiyah – deceit, treachery, slackness(negligent), laziness(idle), remissness, to beguile or to deceive. Used when referring to deceitful or treacherous moral or ethical conduct. And in dealings with work and business deals "The Hebrew root for 'deceitfully' , it means to betray or to deal treacherously. This highlights the intentional nature of the deceit being described. The deceitful speech is not accidental but a deliberate act of betrayal" (Berean Bible Study commentary).
The verb nahtsal - to save, to deliver, rescue, snatch away, save. It implies an intense prayer. The verb at its root basically means to snatch away, like prey from the predator's mouth.
Proverbs 14:8 links foolishness and deceit saying "the foolishness of fools is deceit".
Here is a link concerning human speech from free bible commentary : SPECIAL TOPIC: HUMAN SPEECH
Psalm 12:1-7 “Help Oh Lord, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart. May the Lord cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue. They say, with our tongues we will prevail. We own our lips, who can be our master?"
Proverb 26:26-28 ” The words of a gossip are like choice morsels that go down into the in most being. Like glaze covering an earthen vessel, are burning lips and a wicked heart. A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart. When he speaks graciously, do not believe him, for seven abominations fill his heart. Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it rolled back on him. A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin”.
Psalm 64 is a deliverance psalm from liars. The poet asks the Lord to hear his complaint and hide him from their schemes. he goes on to say of them "They aim their bitter speech as their arrow, to shoot from concealment at the blameless. Suddenly they shoot at him and they do not fear. They hold fast to themselves an evil purpose. They talk of schemes and say 'who can see them'? They devise injustices and say 'we are ready with a well conceive plan'. For the inward thought and the heart of a man are deep" (v 3-6).
Proverbs 12:17-22 “He who speaks truth tells what is right, but a false witness, deceit. There is one who speaks rashly like the thrust of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Truthful lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only for a moment. Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil, but counselors of peace have joy. No harm befalls the righteous, but the wicked are filled with trouble. Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord; but they who deal faithfully are his delight".
Psalm 55:20-21 " My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His speech is smooth/charming as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed." Lying lips could be referring to charmers and false prophets.
"In the Hebrew text, the word for "smooth" can also imply deceitfulness or flattery. This suggests that the speaker's words are designed to charm and disarm, much like butter that melts easily and spreads smoothly. ...Oil in biblical times was a symbol of blessing, healing, and anointing. The phrase "softer than oil" suggests words that are gentle, soothing, and seemingly beneficial. However, the softness here is deceptive. The Hebrew root for "softer" can imply a false gentleness, much like the false prophets who spoke peace when there was no peace (Ezek 13:10)" (Berean Bible Study).
Let's look at some passages that show us the opposite of liars which is a truthful mouth. We will do this by looking at the name of the seventeenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet pey, which signifies the mouth, the organ of speech.
- Ps 37:30 The mouth (pey) of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.
- Prov 31:26 She openeth (patach) her mouth (pey) with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.
- Ps 119:131 I opened (pa'ar) my mouth (pey), and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
- Mal 2:6 The law of truth was in his mouth (pey), and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity. For the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at his mouth (pey): for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.
₃ What shall be given to you & what more shall be
done to you, you deceitful tongue?
₃ mah yiten lecha oomah yosif lach lashon remiyah
The poet knows the answer and he also knows the liar does too. But most importantly, the question is asserting that God will give them what they deserve. This part of the psalm captures the essence of the moral of the narrative.
Now in other psalms, we see the poet stating clearly that the Lord will do this, 'the Lord will recompense them the works of their hands' (psalm 62) and 'the Lord will destroy them in their wickedness' (psalm 94). In these instances, we are given the response as a statement instead of the question. This puts the focus on the truth of the Lord's power and testimonies. Our poet has already done this specifically with the first verse.
In other instances we have a literal request to rend judgement by way of Maledicto or Imprecation. A denunciation, a cursing using execration - deep feelings of loathing (Bullinger, 940). We see that here - Lam 3:65 'Oh Lord give them a hard heart and put Your curse upon them! Pursue them in anger and destroy them from heaven and earth!'. And the less colorful psalm 28:4 'Repay them for their deeds and evil works; repay them for what their hands have done'. And even used here in Isaiah 3:1 "Woe to the wicked; disaster is upon them! For they will be repaid with what their hands have done".
But here our poet asks a rhetorical question. The poet does this to bring out the sense of doom and realization to what the liar has brought upon themself. This is so the feeling the poet wishes to be conjured is the focus of the verse. The question is a reminder of the fear of the Lord and a reminder that liars have forgotten this fear in their transgression.
Remember, to transgress the law is first a sin against the Lord and then the person. This should be a weighty and deep feeling to comprehend, sinning against the Lord. The poet places big emphasis on those who do not consider this very specific element to sinning. Those who forget the Lord, those who have no thoughts of him in their speaking and acting.
Psalm 10:3-13 gives us this picture of the liars David is speaking about. "For the wicked man boasts in the cravings of his heart, he blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord. In his pride the wicked man does not seek the Lord, in all his schemes there are no thoughts of the Lord. He is secure in his ways at all times, Your lofty judgments are far from him Lord. He sneers at all his foes. He says to himself 'nothing will hinder me, in all my days I will never deal with distress'. His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence. Trouble and malice are under his tongue. He lies in wait like a lion in a thicket, he lurks to seize the oppressed. He says to himself 'God isn't paying attention, He hides his face and never sees'. Why has the wicked man renounced You Lord? He says to himself, 'You will never call me to account' ".
And then comes the same sentiment expressed here in verse 3, specifically when the poet says in verse 14-16 " But You oh Lord have regarded trouble and grief, You see to repay it by Your hand. The victim entrusts himself to You Oh Lord, for You are the helper..." And then another instance of maledicto, "Break the arm of the wicked and evil doer, call him to account for his wickedness until none are left to be found. The Lord is king forever and ever...".
Our poet is one who loves the Lord and deeply trust in Him. In this pathos we also feel the poets heart breaking that people would treat the Lord like this. Remember psalm 119:53 which says, "burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked who forsake Your law". Our poet is one who lives in the fear of the Lord and this is a dual emotion. When a person is operating under the spirit of the fear of the Lord, we will see a humbleness and a trembling by one who takes seriously the commandments of the Lord (in this instance, considers his speech). We see this in psalm 39. But we will also see a courage and strength, as it is also meant to lead us to hate what is evil and stand up in the authority to boldly ask the Lord, to redeem the righteous and judge the wicked.
Our poet's pathos begins to spread in many directions. I mentioned the poet made a question of this to create the feelings of doom. This passive pathos our poet is purposefully creating then is terrifying menace, a striking down by way of fear. Our poet creates feelings of strong dread and fear of the Lord as he reminds the liar that the retribution and justice of the Lord will never be null and void. But the verse's whole context and the straight forward pathos given which I want to note is by way of epitimesis were we see "an expression of feeling by way of a rebuffing, a reproach, censure, disapproval" which is what our poet is doing through making a question instead of a statement (Bullinger, 930).
愁
Psalm 57:1-3 gives us pathos by indignation, bringing us to awareness of the poet's vexation and pain and irritation due to unfair treatment "How long Oh Lord! How long will the wicked exult? They pour forth arrogant words; they boast in their works of iniquity. They crush your people Oh Lord, they oppress Your heritage. They kill the widow and the foreigner, they murdered orphans. They say 'the Lord doesn't see, the God of Jacob doesn't pay attention" (Bullinger, 934).
Psalm 139:19-21 uses pathos by detestation a repelling, a spurning "Oh if only You would slay the wicked Oh Lord! Away from me you bloodthirsty men! They speak deceitfully (against You wickedly), Your enemies take Your name in vain. Do I not hate those who hate You Oh Lord? Do I not detest those who rise against You Oh Lord?" (Bullinger, 935).
In Psalm 58:1-2 we have pathos by way of contempt: "Do you indeed speak justly, oh rulers? Do you judge uprightly oh sons of men? No, in your heart you devise injustice, with your hands you dole out violence on the Earth." (Bullinger, 939). Here we have scorn and disparagement. Verse 3 continues in the pathos saying, "you have been wicked since birth, liars have gone astray from the womb".
Psalm 58:6-7 also gives us pathos by way of menace with some maledicto "Oh God, shatter their teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions. May they run off like water runs off a rock. When they draw their bow, let all their arrows miss their mark. Let them be like the slug that melts away as it goes along; Even like the miscarriages of a woman that never see the light of day" (Bullinger, 938).
Exodus 20:16, Deuteronomy 5:20 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.”
Exodus 23:27 “Keep yourself far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous do not kill; for I will not justify the wicked”.
Leviticus 19:11-12 “You shall not steal; neither shall you deal falsely, nor lie one to another. You shall not swear falsely by my name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the Lord”.
Zechariah 13:3 “The remnant of Israel shall not do iniquity, nor speak lies, neither shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth”.
According to Deuteronomy 19, “If the malicious witness rise up against a man to accuse him of wrong-doing then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the Lord, before the priest and the judges who will be in office in those days. The judges shall investigate thoroughly, and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus, we shall purge the evil from among you“.
So we see it is actually the law to return back to the wrong doer that which he was trying to do the victim - heap on them what they tried to heap another. We see this sentiment in passages that say “those who dug a pit will fall into it themselves” proverbs 26 or psalm 94 “the lord will destroy them in their own wickedness” or “the Lord will turn all their weapons of wickedness back on themselves” psalm 37.
These verses also express this sentiment - Isaiah 51:4 " Woe to the wicked! It will go badly with him, for what he deserves will be done to him". Revelation 21:2-3 "Woe to the wicked; they will suffer the consequences of their actions". We saw this above with Isaiah 3:1 as a use of maledicto. When woe is used this way, it becomes a curse, a condemnation. In agreement with Deuteronomy this brings to forefront the truth that the wicked curse themselves. And this leads us back to the meaning behind this verse and the moral of the narrative - that liars dig their own grave.
Passages that condemn lying:
Psalm 101:7 “He that does deceit shall not dwell within My house; he that speaks falsehood shall not be established before My eyes. “
Often, liars are linked in general with wickedness. Proverbs 6 gives us a picture of a liar or a wicked man's attributes with these qualities of their behavior and inner man. Verse 12-19 “A worthless person, a wicked man, walks with a perverse mouth, winking his eyes, speaking with his feet, and pointing with his fingers. With the seat in his heart he devises evil; he continually sows discord. Therefore, calamity will come upon him suddenly; in an instant he will be shattered beyond recovery. There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him; haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked things, feet that run swiftly to evil, a false witness who gives false testimony, and one who stirs up discord among brothers".
Passages that confirm lying lips are recompensed:
Psalm 7:13-16 “If a man does not repent, He (the Lord) will sharpen His sword; He has bent His bow and made it ready. He has also prepared for Himself deadly weapons; He makes His arrows fiery shafts. Behold, the wicked man travails with evil, and he conceives mischief and brings forth falsehood. He has dug a pit and hollowed it out; he has fallen into the hole which he made. His mischief will return upon his own head, and his violence will descend upon his own head”.
Proverb 26:26-28 "Though his hatred is concealed by deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. He who digs a pit will fall into it, and he who rolls a stone will have it rolled back on him. "
psalm 62:3-4,11-12 “How long will you attack a man, that you might murder him, all of you, who are like a leaning wall or like a tottering fence? For they counsel him only that they might thrust him down from his high position. They delight in falsehood, outwardly they bless with their mouth, but inwardly they curse with their hearts....One thing that I have heard from the Lord, two things that I have understood: that power belongs to the Lord and he is all loving kindness. For you Lord recompense a man according to his work”.
proverbs 10:5-11 "Blessings are on the head of the righteous, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence. The memory of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. A wise man will receive commandments come up with foolish lips will come to ruin. He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will be found out. He who winks the eye causes grief, and foolish lips will come to ruin. The mouth of the Righteous is a fountain of life but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence."
Psalm 31;23-24” Let the lying lips be silenced, which speak arrogantly against the righteous with pride and contempt. Oh love the Lord, all you his godly ones! The Lord preserves the faithful and fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord.”
Proverbs 10:13-32 “Wisdom is found on the lips of the discerning, but a rod is for the back of him who lacks judgment. The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of the fool invites destruction...The labor of the righteous leads to life, but the gain of the wicked brings punishment. Whoever heeds instruction is on the path to life, but he who ignores reproof goes astray. The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool. When words are many, sin is unavoidable. He who restrains his lips is wise. The tongue of the righteous is as choice silver, but the heart of the wicked has little worth. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of judgment. The blessing of the Lord enriches, and he adds no sorrow to it...What the wicked man dreads will overtake him, but the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the whirlwind passing over, the wicked are no more, but the righteous are secure forever. The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be cut short...The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom but a perverse tongue will be cut out".
Isaiah 54:15-17 " If anyone stirs up strife, it is not from Me; whoever stirs up strife with you shall fall because of you. Behold, I have created the smith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose. I have also created the ravager to destroy; no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord and their vindication from Me, declares the Lord.”
extra passages: Isaiah 29:20, 54:17, Ezekiel 35:13
Passages that recompense a deceitful tongue or lying lips:
Jeremiah 9:1-12 “Therefore this is what the Lord of Hosts says. 'Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do because of the daughter of my people? Their tongues are deadly arrows, they speak deception. With his mouth a man speaks peace to his neighbor but in his heart he sets a trap for him. Should I not punish them for these things? Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this? I will take up a weeping and a wailing for the mountains, a dirge over the wilderness pasture, for they have been scorched so no one passes through, and the lowing of cattle is not heard. Both the birds of the air and the beasts have fled; they have gone away. I will make Jerusalem a heap of rubble, a haunt for jackals. I will make the cities of Judah a desolation without inhabitant' ".
Psalm 52:4-5 "you love every word that devours oh deceitful tongue. Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin. He will snatch you up and tear you away from your tent. he will uproot you from the land of the living".
Lamentation 3:61-66 " O Lord, you have heard their insults, all their plots against me, the slander and murmuring of my assailants against me all day long. When they sit and when they rise, see how they mock me in song. You will pay them back what they deserve oh Lord, according to the work of their hands. Put a veil of anguish over their hearts! May Your curse be upon them! You will pursue them in anger and exterminate them from under Your heavens oh Lord".
psalm 58:4-9 “The wicked are estranged from the womb; those who speak lies have gone astray from birth...Before you can enjoy the fruit of your wickedness (before your pots can feel the heat of thorns), the Lord will suddenly and swiftly sweep them away – the plots you are scheming (your green ones) and the ones you already set in motion (your burning ones).”
"In Hebrew context, thorns were known for their rapid combustion, indicating that God's intervention will be sudden and decisive, thwarting the wicked before their plans come to fruition. 'Green' and 'burning' represents the different stages of readiness, suggesting that regardless of the state of preparedness of the wicked man's plans, God's judgement will be executed” (Berean Bible Study).
Extra passages (see below): Psalm 7:13-16, Psalm 140:9-11
passages of the Lord recompensing the righteous:
2 Samuel 22: 23, Ps 18:24 " For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes. And I have been blameless before Him and kept myself from iniquity. So the Lord has repaid me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in His sight".
Ps 24:4-5 "He who has clean hands, and a pure heart, and has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Neither has he spoken falsehood; He will receive the blessings of the Lord and vindication from the God of his salvation"
₄ Sharp arrows of the warrior, with the burning coals of the broom tree.
₄ chitz-tzei giboar she nunim im gachalei retamim
When I first ran through this passage, I had immediately taken this for the poets amplified illustration of what comes from the mouth of liars. Many other passages came to mind. But I stand now on the belief that it is indeed a response to the previous question. With this verse, our poet confirms what lying and deceit will get you - the Lords sharp arrows will be shot at you, and burning coals will be heaped upon you i.e. God's retribution/recompense → specifically with piercing precision and long burning.
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But before we go further, let us look at a few passages that do portray that which comes from the mouths of liars as weapons.
Psalm 57:4 " My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts — with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a sharp sword".
psalm 140:1-3 "Rescue me Oh Lord, from evil men, who devise evil in their hearts. They sharpen their tongues like a snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips".
Proverbs 12:18 "Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing".
Psalm 64:2-3 "Hide me from the scheming of the wicked, who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows".
Psalm 52:1-4 "Why do you boast of evil, strong man? The loving devotion of God endures all day long. Your tongue devises destruction like a sharpened razor, oh worker of deceit. You love evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth. You love every word that devours - your tongue devises destruction, like a sharp razor".
Jeremiah 9:2-3 "they are all adulterers, a crowd of faithless people. They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. Thye proceed from evil to evil and they do not take Me into account".
Psalm 55:20-21 " My companion attacks his friends; he violates his covenant. His speech is smooth/charming as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed."
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All of these passages make use of simile and metaphor. Instances in which our poet says one thing resembles another and even that one thing is another.
When we look at verse 4 in this way, we do understand the power and destruction of the mouth. The lies of the tongue are small and substanceless (having no material form) yet when spoken/shot they can and do cause great harm just like a material weapon.
An arrow is precise, lethal, stealthy. In ancient warfare they were shot, striking from a distance and often without warning. With arrows, you usually didn't know exactly where they were coming from. They were made with intent to pierce armor.
A razor cuts swiftly and deeply. in the ancient world the razor was a common tool and can bring to the surface the likeness of lies as a everyday use tool. How easily people are careless with their words, how much people easily release malicious words!
Wow what an image - words that devour! Consuming everything, they can have devastating consequences.
Words are like poison. Poison and venom speak to the truth that words can cause deep emotional and mental and spiritual harm. Words can be like poison and infectious, how soon until it spreads and does its work at great peril for the wicked intent! Sometimes a rumor is all it takes to break the public's trust in someone. Even when proven false, the damage is done.
Sharpening a sword indicates preparation and planning with intent to harm. the sword was the primary weapon in ancient times, it symbolizes strength, you were in close range to your opponent when wielding it and in most cases were looking them in the face or stabbing them in the back.
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Okay, so now we focus on the arrows and coals as the Lord's recompense by looking at passages that describe the Lord's retribution as weapons of war.
Sharp arrows of the warrior, with the burning coals of the broom tree
So the imagery with arrows is given to speak of precision and intent. The warrior "underscores the skill and strength behind the action. This suggests that the arrows are not just any arrows but are wielded by someone with expertise and power". The burning coals speak of intense pain, long burning. "Burning coals in biblical times were used for cooking and purification, but they also symbolized judgment and wrath. The combination of arrows and burning coals in this verse paints a picture of compounded suffering—both immediate and enduring" (Berean Bible Study).
Psalm 64 is a deliverance psalm from liars. The poet asks the Lord to hear his complaint and hide him from their schemes. "But God will shoot at them with an arrow. Suddenly they will be wounded, so [the arrows] will make them stumble" (v7-8).
psalm 7 says of those who do wicked and do not repent "God will sharpen His sword, He has bent and strung His bow. He has prepared His deadly weapons. He ordains His arrows with fire" (v12-13).
Let's dissect these coals bit more.
The broom tree, or the juniper “rises to a height of ten to twelve feet, and growing in clustered bushes, the broom affords a grateful shade in the desert, which fact referred to in 1 kings, while the allusion in Ps. 120:4 agrees with the fact that the coals of the broom burn a long time and emit intense heat” (Jewish Encyclopedia).
interesting passages to consider:
Proverb 26:24 “Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, a conflict ceases. Like charcoal for embers and wood for fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife".
Proverbs 25:22-23 " If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. For in doing so, you will heap burning coals on his head , and the Lord will reward you".
With this passage, "the phrase 'heap burning coals' is often understood metaphorically. In ancient Egyptian culture, carrying a pan of burning coals on one's head was a sign of repentance. Thus, the act of kindness could lead the enemy to feel shame and remorse, potentially leading to reconciliation. The Hebrew word for heap suggests an abundance" (Berean Bible Study). This is a possibility of what is meant in this proverb, but it is not what is meant in this verse.
In light of psalm 11 and 140, the coals mentioned in this verse are intended to harm, they are weapons of the Lord's retribution.
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Psalm 120 |
Psalm 18 |
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1-3: Oh God of my praise, be not silent. For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues. They surround me with hateful words and attack me without cause. |
1-3: In my distress, I called to the Lord and He answered me. Deliver me from lying lips and a deceitful tongue. |
6: In my distress, I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice; my cry came before Him into His ears |
| 6-20: Let an accuser stand at his right hand...May his days be few...May he be cut off...May the iniquity of his father's be remembered ...May their sins always be remembered before the Lord...The cursing that he loved, may it fall on him...May this be the Lord's reward to my accusers, to those who speak evil against me. | 3-4: What will be given to you, what more will be done to you oh deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior and burning coals of the broom tree. | 7-8:He burned with anger. Smoke rose from His nostrils and consuming fire came from His mouth, glowing coals blazed forth. 13-14: The Lord thundered from heaven, the voice of the Most High resounded - with hailstones and coals of fire. He shot His arrows and scattered the foes; He hurled lightning and routed them. |
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Psalm 109, 140 and 35 are deliverance psalms while Psalms 120 and 18 are narrative psalms. Yet they are all closely linked together. Psalm 109 and 35 give us more of the anguish the poet is in presently while requesting help and specifically asking the Lord how to recompense the wicked. These are common features of a deliverance psalm. The narrative psalms focus more on telling the whole picture and what the Lord did. Psalm 18 is the song David sang to the Lord after he had won a campaign and had been delivered from the hand of his enemies (see 2 Samuel 22). For a narrative poem, psalm 120 is quite short, but must be linked back to a particular time, and possibly a particular intense by the fact that it is a narrative poem. I don't have any suggestions for these answers at this time. Now, we know that these arrows and coals of the Lord the poet is talking about in this verse are symbolic imagery. Psalm 18 gives us this identical depiction. We know that there is no account of such divine acts during any of David's campaigns, for it would have been well logged and correctly attributed to God. Psalm 109 and 35 give us more understanding into what the imagery points to. But before we close in on those passages, let us acknowledge that there were accounts of divine acts with material substance in the scriptures. Here are some of those accounts in which we see literal lightening, thunder, hail and coals as divine retribution from the Lord: Gen 19:24, Ex 9:23-26, Joshua 10:11, 1 Sam 7:10, 2 Kings 1:10-12, Job 38:22-23, Ps 77:16-18, Ezek 38:22.
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David was indeed a poet. For this way of describing such attributes of the Lord's divine power are vivid, entertaining, emotionally and spiritually moving, awe inspiring.
They are sublime. Verse 4 is talking about figurative arrows and coals but such an expression holds weight due to the Lord showing up through these divine material manifestations.
Here are some other passages that speak of the Lord's Divine Retribution figuratively, though I wonder if some of them are also meant literally:
Psalm 140:9-11 "May the heads of those who surround me be covered in the trouble their lips have caused. May burning coals fall on them; May they be thrown into the fire, into the miry pits, never to rise again. May no slanderer be established in the land; may calamity hunt down the man of violence".
Psalm 11:5-6 " The Lord tests the righteous and the wicked. His soul hates the lover of violence. On the wicked He will rain down fiery coals and sulfur; a scorching wind will be their portion".
Psalm 144:5-8 "Part your heavens Oh Lord and come down, touch the mountains that they may smoke. Flash forth Your lightning and scatter them. Shoot Your arrows and route them. Reach down from on high, set me free and rescue me from the deep waters, from the grasp of foreigners whose mouths speak falsehood, whose right hands are deceitful".
Isaiah 30:27-33 "Behold the name of the Lord comes from afar, with burning anger and dense smoke. His lips are full of fury, and his tongue is like a consuming fire. His breath is like a rushing torrent that rises to the neck. He comes to sift the nations in a sieve of destruction... the Lord will cause His majestic voice to be heard and His mighty arm to be revealed, striking in angry wrath with a flame of consuming fire, and with cloudbursts, storm, and hailstones.... and with every stroke of the rod of punishment that the Lord brings down on them, the tambourines and lyres will sound as he battles with weapons brandished".
In this passage from Isaiah, we have another viewpoint of interpretation. It gives us a picture of our poet, expressing through verse 4 that he will be used by the Lord. It shows that even though the man is overcoming the enemy, it is because of the hand of the Lord. ISaiah 49:2-3 "The Lord has made my mouth like a sharp sword, in the shadow of His hand He has concealed me; and He has also made me a select arrow, He has hidden me in His quiver. He has said to me, 'you are My servant, Israel, in whom I will show My glory'".
In his book Lectures on the Sacred Poetry of the Hebrews, the Right Reverend Lowthe clarifies the purpose of the use of imagery and how the Hebrews made use of them saying, “comparisons are introduced for three purposes; illustration, amplification, and variety. For the first an image is requisite, apt, well known, and perspicuous; it is of little consequence whether it be sublime or beautiful, or neither; hence comparisons from objects which are in themselves mean and humble may be sometimes useful. For the purpose of amplification an image is requisite which is sublime, or beautiful, even though it should be less apt and perspicuous and on this plea a degree of obscurity, or remoteness in the resemblance, may sometimes be excused...Variety is the mixture of new and varied imagery.Variety is the object, splendid, beautiful, and elegant imagery must be sought for and which has an opt agreement with the object of the comparison in the circumstances or adjuncts, though the objects themselves may be different in kind. Variety will promote entertainment for the reader. The most perfect comparison is that, in which all these excellencies are united" (Lowthe, 155).
How well our poet is leading us to the sublime with his imagery. How wonderfully he uses such an excellent figure of speech to do this. Verse 4 makes use of these 3 types of comparison so that we might be fully wrapped up in the emotions. At first the objects of comparison seem simple enough yet that which is being compared to the divine has obscurity and power that at once the comparison becomes more splendidly reverential. Should not one tremble at the idea of the Lord's retribution? Should not one feel his smallness in the face of the Lord of Hosts greatness and the power or His heavens? Should not these feelings be considered before we speak as psalm 39 suggests?
Who can say what the recompense of the Lord will be exactly, yet by making this comparison, one might find themselves trembling as their soul grasps the meaning even if the head has not yet.
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So is the figure of speech verse 4 makes use of Metaphor? Analogy? Allegory? It is more than just an analogy, although the comparison of two unlike things is there. It is allegorical as it characterizes retribution and judgment, symbolizing its destruction as weapons. Indeed, it is the weaponry of war in human terms to convey the moral that God's judgement is inescapable and full of woe. Is it Hyperbole? It is certainly intended to evoke and create strong feelings. But is this a figure in use for emphasis by exaggeration? No, the poet does not exaggerate; he tells it true.
Now “a metaphor is confined to a distinct affirmation that one thing is another thing, owing to some association or connection in the uses or effects of anything expressed or understood. The two nouns themselves must both be mentioned and are always to be taken in their absolutely literal sense, or else no one can tell what they mean. The figure lies wholly in the verb, or copula, which, in English must always be expressed, and never understood by ellipsis” (Bullinger, 735-736).
If this is a metaphor then it must mean that ellipsis is in use as well. For the first thing being compared would be omitted then. It would read “They are”. Remember that ellipsis is when a gap is left in the sentence; an omission of some word. “It should be observed that the Hebrew has no verb substantive or copula answering to the Greek and English verb 'to be'” yet the accent marks used give us one big package that clarifies there is no omission of the first thing being compared to the second (daily dose of Hebrew video). Now, we know that a metaphor cannot exist with ellipsis at play (Bullinger, 736). So, all of this directly points us to Hypocatastasis.
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THEREFORE – this is not metaphor but Hypocatastasis, also known as implication.
“While, with a metaphor, two nouns are both named and given, in Hypocatastasis, only one is named and the other is implied, or as it were, is put down underneath out of sight. Hence Hypocatastasis is implied resemblance or representation i.e an implied simile or metaphor.
If metaphor is more forcible than simile, then Hypocatastasis is more forcible than metaphor, and expresses as it were the superlative degree of resemblance. This figure therefore, is calculated to arouse the mind and attract and excite the attention to the greatest extent. This beautiful and far-reaching figure frequently occurs in Scripture” (Bullinger, 744).
This type of figure allows the poet's pathos to express the inexpressible, and in so it allows the reader to touch the sublime. The awesome awe and terror of the Lord most Highs divine wrath! Does it not call forth fear and trembling in the spirit? For "who can comprehend the power of Your anger and wrath, according to the fear that is due to You" Oh Lord!?
And in this instance, this type of figure creates an opportunity for the poet to produce verse in which the sublime is connected with the pathetic(pathos) “By reducing all the circumstances, into as narrow a compass as possible, and causing them to flash at once upon the mind“ (Lowthe, 229). For this is a graceful and elegant comparison yet forcible expressed. The affection is terror and pain and grief. Why? This is so the excessive amount of grief is experienced not by a straightforward expression of terror, like in psalm 109, but in that undertone, that taste that comes last and lingers on the tongue.
And it is interesting to note that this figure of speech comes out and almost punches us in the face and then our poet recedes back into a subtlety. The verse is singular in this poem. And it is a perfect example of Hebrew poetic style in that, "in the very parts in which other poets (Greek) are copious and diffuse, the Hebrews, on the contrary, are brief, energetic and animated; not gliding along in a smooth and equal stream, but with the inequality and impetuosity of a torrent" (Lowthe, 170). Chef's kiss ~ sublime indeed.
For the mind in reading this verse must go through a journey. As it contemplates these objects of resemblance to decide whether they do so agree, it will naturally also ponder on the things in which they might diverge. And in doing so a conglomeration of thoughts build through judgement and imagination. Then the fanciful may come to play in which a whole realm of imagery springs to life. And this was the intent of our poet through the use of such a figure of speech.
The chief purpose of the comparison is for impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or power; inspiring awe, veneration that leads to ecstasy. It is not so trite or common whenever we discuss heavenly things, though it may be in comparing earthly common things. The beauty of the sublime here is of heavenly things and not the natural world. And the pleasure of the sublime is that the pain is not actually suffered but is in the mind and palpable and verily so to lying lips.
Is poetry not the encapsulation of a person's physical and emotional experience? Through poetry one takes finite incomplete things like words to express something uncontainable. Our poet creates feelings of movement by way of the use of narrative and the figures of speech. He is not so plainly telling us to feel a certain way as he is creating a river that takes us to these places. His firm trust in the Lord, his desperation, the great fear of the Lord. And we are only in the fourth verse, we haven't yet finished this river run!
conclusion:
Have you lost rationality yet? Being pulled into swirling emotions, alienated from the self to find yourself in the shoes of the poet? Are you feeling our poet's deep emotions of woe and even exaltation for deliverance? Has our poet aroused you reader yet to full bodied feelings concerning his situation and even more, how you feel about lying in general? Has the sublime touched you by way of our poet's pathos yet? No? Then let us continue in the next post discussing verses 5-7 to see if our poet will take us there. Does our poet not encourage our spirits to great veneration for the Lord and truthfulness, lawfulness, obedience!?
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For now, let us conclude by wrapping up in simple terms what our psalm is saying so far.
1. I was in trouble once, and I asked the Lord to help me. He did.
2. I cried out to the Lord to deliver me from liars and deceitful people.
3. All liars will be recompensed.
4. I remind us all of the furry and wrath of the Lord according to the fear that is due to Him.
And honestly, I went back and forth between whether verse 4 was talking about either God's retribution or what comes out the mouths of liars. Psalm 143 is the best evidence for the argument that it is speaking about what comes out of the mouths of liars. But our question in verse 3 is not erotesis, it is not stating a fact in question form. Though it is a rhetorical question, even still, logically it makes sense that we are to be given the answer. When reading a narrative poem, the story will have one main linear line of flow and we as readers will recall what has already been said as we read what is being said and our mind will natural being to fit them together as the author intended. And further what really cements this as the correct interpretation is the evidence we will get with the comparison that we will make with Psalm 109 in the third part of this study.
Works citied:
The Bible. multiple translations. using Biblehub.com.
Bullinger, E.W. Figures of Speech used in the Bible.1898.
Martino Publishing. Eyre & Spottiswoode London.
Rev. Lowthe, Robert. Lectures on the sacred poetry of the Hebrews.1815.
Printed & Published by Joseph Buckingham. Winter-Street, Boston.
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