What is the meaning of Psalm 120:2? Deliver my soul The psalmist begins with a cry for personal rescue. He is not requesting mere relief from discomfort; he is asking God to snatch his very life away from danger. • Psalm 34:17 affirms, “The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears; He delivers them from all their troubles,” showing that divine rescue is God’s consistent pattern. • In Psalm 25:20 David prays, “Guard my soul and deliver me,” underscoring that the soul—our whole person—is at stake. • The plea recognizes human helplessness and God’s sufficiency. Like Psalm 121:2, “My help comes from the LORD,” the faith here is active, expecting real intervention. Takeaway: God is the believer’s first and final line of defense when truth is under attack. O LORD Calling on the covenant name, the psalmist appeals to God’s faithfulness. • Exodus 3:15 ties this name to God’s eternal, unchanging character. • Psalm 54:4 declares, “Surely God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul,” reminding us that the One addressed is both willing and able to act. • By invoking “LORD,” the writer acknowledges divine authority over every tongue and circumstance (Psalm 115:3). Takeaway: The reliability of God’s name fuels confidence that the plea will be heard. from lying lips The threat is specific: falsehood aimed like arrows. • Psalm 31:18 pleads, “May lying lips be silenced,” showing that deceitful speech can wound as deeply as weapons. • Proverbs 6:16-17 lists “a lying tongue” among things the LORD hates, confirming His opposition to false testimony. • Exodus 20:16 forbids bearing false witness, grounding this plea in the moral law. • Jesus warns in John 8:44 that lies align with the devil’s character, making untruth a spiritual assault. Takeaway: God’s people rightly ask for deliverance when slander threatens reputation, relationships, or ministry. and a deceitful tongue “Deceitful” adds the idea of manipulation—words crafted to mislead. • Proverbs 12:19 contrasts “truthful lips” that endure with “a lying tongue” that lasts only a moment, reinforcing the temporary nature of deceit. • James 3:6 describes the tongue as “a fire,” stressing its power to corrupt. • 1 Peter 3:10 urges believers to “keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceit,” linking personal holiness to speech. • God promises in Psalm 140:11 that “evil speakers will not endure,” assuring future justice even if present lies prosper. Takeaway: The psalmist seeks protection not only from overt lies but from subtle, calculating words intended to entrap. summary Psalm 120:2 is a heartfelt, literal prayer for rescue from verbal assault. The writer trusts the covenant-keeping LORD to guard his whole being against slander and deceit. By calling on God’s name, he anchors his hope in divine faithfulness, confident that truth will ultimately prevail and lying tongues will be silenced. |
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