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Psalms Chapter 120 (JPS)

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Psalms 120 – Deliver Me from Lying Lips
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1 A Song of Ascents. In my distress I called unto HaShem, and He answered me.

2 O HaShem, deliver my soul from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue.

3 What shall be given unto thee, and what shall be done more unto thee, thou deceitful tongue?

4 Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of broom.

5 Woe is me, that I sojourn with Meshech, that I dwell beside the tents of Kedar!

6 My soul hath full long had her dwelling with him that hateth peace.

7 I am all peace; but when I speak, they are for war.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Psalm 120 about?
The psalmist cries out in distress against "lying lips" and "a deceitful tongue" (vv.1-2), lamenting that he dwells among people hostile to peace.
What do "Mesech" and "Kedar" represent in verse 5?
V.5 says, "Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!" naming distant, war-associated peoples to describe life surrounded by hostility.
How does the psalm end?
V.7 closes with "I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war," the psalmist's frustration at being a peacemaker among combative people. Compare Matthew 5:9.

Today's Verse

Behold, I send an angel before thee, to keep thee by the way, and to bring thee into the place which I have prepared.

Exodus 23:20 | ASV

Verse Of The Day

The closing complaint, 'I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war,' stands in contrast to the blessing on peacemakers in Matthew 5:9, before the ascent continues in Psalms 121.