Help, Lord, for no one is faithful any more;
    those who are loyal have vanished from the human race.
2 Everyone lies to their neighbour;
    they flatter with their lips
    but harbour deception in their hearts.

3 May the Lord silence all flattering lips
    and every boastful tongue –
4 those who say,
    ‘By our tongues we will prevail;
    our own lips will defend us – who is lord over us?’

5 ‘Because the poor are plundered and the needy groan,
    I will now arise,’ says the Lord.
    ‘I will protect them from those who malign them.’
6 And the words of the Lord are flawless,
    like silver purified in a crucible,
    like gold refined seven times.

7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe
    and will protect us for ever from the wicked,
8 who freely strut about
    when what is vile is honoured by the human race. NIVUK

What a remarkable Book the Bible is! This ancient Book, and yet so relevant. Ever modern. Don’t you find that the last line of verse 8 resonates with you? When you think about much of the content of current television (and the media in general), it is a celebration of ”what is vile”. This is what entertains people. Back in the 1960’s, as a child growing up in a Christian home, I was aware of certain TV programmes which were regarded as ‘beyond the pale’ by believers. But it is a sad reflection on a decades-long decline in standards, that many of those programmes probably seem quite tame today. Who could have foreseen such a plummeting of taste over 60 or so years? Well, one person who did was a lady by the name of Mary Whitehouse. She had prescient foresight, and was generally mocked and reviled for it. But she saw, and warned of the moral avalanche to come.

At the core of this psalm there lies a contrast between the lying words of humans (especially those who seem to run the world), and the pure and perfect Word of God. His trustworthy Word.

Everyone talks in lie language;
Lies slide off their oily lips.
They doubletalk with forked tongues...


…I’m tired of hearing, “We can talk anyone into anything!
Our lips manage the world.” The Message

In spite of the power of those engaged in political deception and intrigue, God sees, and knows, and cares about those who are its victims. He says He will act, and His Word is His bond. He can be trusted.

Into the hovels of the poor,
Into the dark streets where the homeless groan, God speaks:
“I’ve had enough; I’m on my way
To heal the ache in the heart of the wretched.”

 God’s words are pure words,
Pure silver words refined seven times
In the fires of his word-kiln,
Pure on earth as well as in heaven.
God, keep us safe from their lies,
From the wicked who stalk us with lies,
From the wicked who collect honours
For their wonderful lies. The Message

‘This is the choice which always confronts the believer: to be distracted and disorientated by the word of man or to rest upon the word of God.’ Alec Motyer

‘God’s Word is pure, proved, and preserved, and you can depend on it. So much of what man says is cheap and temporary, but God’s Word is like pure silver that is valuable and lasting. Let your words be controlled by His Word and God will make your words valuable (Prov.10:20;25:11).’ Warren W. Wiersbe.

PRAYER: Thank you Lord for your wonderful Word. May it hold the place it should in my heart and life.