What is the meaning of Psalm 5:9? Not a word they speak can be trusted • David laments that the wicked have no integrity; every sentence is a potential snare. • Psalm 12:2 echoes this: “They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.” • Jesus identifies Satan as “the father of lies” (John 8:44), linking all deceitful speech to its ultimate source. • For believers, Ephesians 4:25 calls us to the opposite: “Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor.” Destruction lies within them • The harm isn’t only in their words; ruin dwells at the core of their being. • Proverbs 26:24–26 warns that malicious intent hides behind smooth talk, but “their wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.” • Matthew 12:34 reminds us that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks,” so inner corruption inevitably surfaces. • This verse urges vigilance: discern character, not merely conversation. Their throats are open graves • An “open grave” pictures rot, stench, and contamination—spoken words that spread death. • Romans 3:13 cites this very line to show universal human sin apart from Christ. • Ezekiel 37:12 speaks of God opening graves to give life; the contrast highlights how the wicked open graves to emit death, while God opens them to restore. • Guarding the throat—our vocal gateway—protects others from spiritual contagion (James 3:6). Their tongues practice deceit • Deceit isn’t occasional; it’s a practiced craft. • Psalm 52:3–4 describes the wicked as loving “evil more than good, falsehood more than speaking truth.” • Revelation 21:8 warns that “all liars” face judgment, underscoring that deceit invites eternal consequences. • In contrast, 1 Peter 3:10 urges those who love life to “keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech,” offering a clear path of righteousness. summary Psalm 5:9 paints a four-fold portrait of the wicked: their words are unreliable, their hearts harbor ruin, their speech spreads death, and their tongues deliberately deceive. David’s vivid imagery warns believers to recognize and reject such corruption while embracing truthful, life-giving speech shaped by the indwelling Word of God. |
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