Deliver Me from Lying Lips: A Devotional on Psalm 120

Psalm 120

PSALMDAILY DEVOTIONALS

10/9/20263 min read

Psalm 120 marks a major turning point in the Psalter: it is the very first of the fifteen Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120–134). These were the traveling songs sung by Hebrew pilgrims as they journeyed up to Jerusalem for the annual sacred festivals.

What makes Psalm 120 so striking as an opening song is where it begins. The journey to Zion doesn't start in a peaceful sanctuary or on a high mountain peak; it begins down in the dust of a hostile, dishonest environment. It is a devotional for anyone who feels exhausted by surrounding negativity, deceptive words, or cultural hostility, offering a roadmap for turning away from the friction of the world and setting your face toward home.

The Scripture

1 I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me. 2 Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues.

3 What will he do to you, and what more besides, deceitful tongue? 4 He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush.

5 Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar! 6 Too long have I lived among those who hate peace. 7 I am a man of peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

— Psalm 120 (NIV)

When Words Become Weapons

The psalmist begins his prayer from a place of intense emotional exhaustion:

"Save me, Lord, from lying lips and from deceitful tongues." (v. 2)

Notice the specific nature of the trouble here. It isn't a physical army or a sudden disaster—it is the subtle, destructive power of deceit and slander.

In verse 4, the psalmist compares deceitful words to "a warrior's sharp arrows" and "burning coals." Sharp arrows strike from a distance without warning, while coals from the broom bush burn slow, hot, and long after they appear extinguished. Slander, gossip, and dishonest words work the exact same way—they inflict deep wounds from afar and leave lingering embers of division.

If you have ever been on the receiving end of false accusations, sharp criticism, or manipulative words, you know how heavy that environment feels. Psalm 120 validates that pain: harsh and deceptive words are a legitimate burden to bring to the Lord.

Living in Meshek and Kedar

In verse 5, the traveler laments his current living situation:

"Woe to me that I dwell in Meshek, that I live among the tents of Kedar! Too long have I lived among those who hate peace." (v. 5–6)

Meshek was a region far to the north, and Kedar was a desert area far to the south. Geographically, a person couldn't live in both places at once. The psalmist is using these distant, nomadic tribes as a metaphor for spiritual exile. He feels completely out of place, living among people who thrive on conflict, division, and hostility ("when I speak, they are for war").

Do you ever feel like a spiritual outsider in your workplace, online spaces, or daily surroundings? That ache of "too long have I lived among those who hate peace" is a holy restlessness. It is a sign that this world, in its broken state, is not your ultimate home. The friction you feel in a culture of hostility is often the very nudge God uses to start you on your pilgrimage toward Him.

I Call on the Lord, and He Answers

Despite the toxic environment surrounding the psalmist, verse 1 stands out as a fortress of assurance:

"I call on the Lord in my distress, and he answers me."

Notice the shift in posture: the psalmist doesn't try to win a screaming match with those who hate peace, nor does he sink to their level by trading deceptive words for deceptive words. Instead, he packs his bags, turns his face toward Jerusalem, and opens a conversation with God.

The journey of faith always begins with a choice to stop arguing with the noise around us and start calling on the God who hears. You don't have to change the heart of everyone who hates peace; you simply need to set your own heart on the path of truth.

Reflection & Application

Packing for the Pilgrimage: What negative environments, gossip, or conflict-driven spaces have been exhausting your spirit lately? Take a moment to mentally hand those situations over to God and step back from the noise.
Guarding Your Own Lips: While the psalmist asks for protection from lying lips, examine your own heart. Are your words building peace, or adding fuel to unnecessary fires?
Declaring His Answer: Pray verse 1 out loud today. Let the certainty that "he answers me" anchor your mind when surrounding voices try to stir up anxiety.

Prayer

God, save me from lying lips, deceitful words, and the friction of a world that loves conflict. When I feel weary of the hostility around me, remind me that my citizenship is in Your Kingdom. Guard my tongue so that I remain a seeker of peace, and guide my feet as I walk upward with You today. In Jesus' name, Amen.

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