Matthew Henry’s Modern English CommentaryPsalms 120

Prayer for Deliverance from Lying TonguesThis psalm begins with David sharing his experience of being hurt by false and deceitful words. He faced great trouble, not just from open enemies, but from people who lied to him and about him. Some pretended to be his friends but secretly planned to harm him. Others made up false accusations against him, putting his reputation and even his life in danger. These kinds of enemies are hard to defend against because they hide their real intentions. David’s suffering in this way also points forward to Jesus, who was lied about and betrayed by false tongues.v. 1: In his trouble, David turned to God. He says, In my distress I cried unto the Lord

v. 3–4: David also speaks about what will happen to those who use their tongues to hurt others. He warns, What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue? (Psalm 120:3 ). The future for liars is not good. He says they will face sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper (Psalm 120:4 ). This means God’s judgment will come quickly and powerfully, just like arrows that hit their target and burning coals that stay hot for a long time. God’s anger against lies is serious and lasts. The Bible warns that all that love and make a lie will have their part in the lake of fire (Revelation 22:15 ). God’s justice will reach those who do evil, even if they try to hide their actions (Psalm 64:7; Job 6:4 ).

Mournful ComplaintsIn these verses, the psalmist expresses his sadness about living among people who are deceitful and hostile. He feels like he is surrounded by those who use their tongues to hurt others, and he suffers from their lies and malice. The psalmist compares his situation to living in places known for being rough and unfriendly, like Mesech and Kedar. He does not literally live there, but he feels as if he does because of the bad company around him. This makes him long for the presence of God and the peace that comes from being near Him. It is very hard for someone who loves God to be far from worship and surrounded by people who do not care about God’s ways.v. 5: The psalmist cries out, Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar! . He feels like a stranger, far from home, because he is separated from God’s house and forced to live among people who are harsh and quarrelsome. This is a great sorrow for anyone who loves God, because being away from God’s worship and among wicked people is very painful. The psalmist’s situation is like Lot living in Sodom (2 Peter 2:8 ), surrounded by evil and feeling out of place.

v. 6–7: He continues, My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war (Psalm 120:6–7 ). The psalmist wants to live in peace and tries to get along with others, but the people around him only want to fight. Even when he speaks kindly and tries to make peace, they respond with anger and conflict. This shows the difference between a person who loves peace and those who love trouble. Jesus also faced this, as people hated Him even though He did good. If we find ourselves in a similar situation, we should not give up on peace, but keep trying to do good, even when others do not respond well (Romans 12:21 ).