Be Careful, O Tongue, What You Say!

1   Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?
The goodness of God endures continually.
2   Your tongue devises destruction,
Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
3   You love evil more than good,
Lying rather than speaking righteousness.
Selah

4   You love all devouring words,
You deceitful tongue.

(Verse 1) - Why boastest thou thyself in mischief? - Why dost thou “exult” in that which is wrong? Why dost thou find pleasure in evil rather than in good? Why dost thou seek to triumph in the injury done to others? The reference is to one who prided himself on schemes and projects which tended to injure others; or who congratulated himself on the success which attended his efforts to wrong other people.  Doeg had small matter for boasting in having procured the slaughter of a band of defenseless priests. A mighty man indeed to kill men who never touched a sword! He ought to have been ashamed of his cowardice. He had no room for exultation! Honorable titles are but irony where the wearer is mean and cruel. If David alluded to Saul, he meant by these words pityingly to say, “How can one by nature fitted for nobler deeds, descend to so low a level as to find a theme for boasting in a slaughter so heartless and mischievous?” Note that the word “mischievous” had a far different meaning in the day we are considering than it does now.  No one today would think to call murder a mischief.  It ahs come to refer to the small disobediences and troubles children get into.  However, that was not its meaning at the time of this translation, mischief referred to much more serious things then.

O mighty man – Some translators render this, “tyrant.” The original word would be properly applied to one of rank or distinction; a man of “power” - power derived either from office, from talent, or from wealth. It is a word which is often applied to a hero or warrior: (Isa. 3:2; Ezek. 39:20; 2 Sam. 17:10; Ps. 33:16; 120:4; 127:4; Dan. 11:3; Gen. 6:4; Jer. 51:30). So far as the “word” is concerned, it might be applied either to Saul or to any other warrior or man of rank; and one writer supposes that it refers to Saul himself. The connection, however, seems to require us to understand it of Doeg, and not of Saul, This appears to be clear:

(a)   From the general character here given to the person referred to, a character not particularly applicable to Saul, but applicable to an informer like Doeg (Ps. 52:2-4); and

(b)   From the fact that he derived his power, not from his rank and office, as Saul did, but mainly from his wealth Ps. 52:7. This would seem to imply that some other was referred to than Saul.

The goodness of God endureth continually - literally, “all the day.” That is, the wicked man could not hope to prevent the exercise of the divine goodness toward him whom he persecuted, and whom he sought to injure. David means to say that the goodness of God was so great and so constant, that he would protect his true friends from such machinations; or that it, was so unceasing and watchful, that the informer and accuser could not hope to find an interval of time when God would intermit his care, and when, therefore, he might hope for success. Against the goodness of God, the devices of a wicked man to injure the righteous could not ultimately prevail. It is a beautiful contrast. The tyrant’s fury cannot dry up the perennial stream of divine mercy. If priests be slain their Master lives. If Doeg for awhile triumphs the Lord will outlive him, and right the wrongs which he has done. This ought to modify the proud exultations of the wicked, for after all, while the Lord lives, iniquity has little cause to exalt itself.

(Verse 2) - Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs - The word rendered “mischiefs” means

(a)   Desire, cupidity: (Prov. 10:3); then

(b)   Fall, ruin, destruction, wickedness: (Ps. 5:9; 38:12).

Thou speakest with an ulterior design. The information given was for Saul’s assistance apparently, but in very deed in his heart the Edomite hated the priests of the God of Jacob. It is a mark of deep depravity, when the evil spoken is craftily intended to promote a yet greater evil.  The meaning here is, that he made use of his tongue to ruin others. (Compare Ps. 50:19). The particular thing referred to here is the fact that Doeg sought the ruin of others by giving “information” in regard to them. He “informed” Saul of what Ahimelech had done; he informed him where David had been, thus giving him, also, information in what way he might be found and apprehended. All this was “designed” to bring ruin upon David and his followers. It “actually” brought ruin on Ahimelech and those associated with him, (1 Sam. 22:17-19).

Like a sharp razor – (See Isa. 7:20). His slanders were like a sharp knife with which one stabs another. So we say of a slanderer that he “stabs” another in the dark. This is a marvelous representation of the hurtful and damaging nature of the words of the deceitful tongue.  The can cut and slice easily and quickly, and deeply will little effort on the part of the user.  As such, they must be used carefully.

Working deceitfully - literally, making deceit. That is, it was by deceit that he accomplished his purpose. There was no open and fair dealing in what he did. David represents the false tongue as being effectual for mischief, like a razor which, unawares to the person operated on, is making him bald; so softly and deftly do Oriental barbers perform their work. Or he may mean that as with a razor a man’s throat may be cut very speedily, under the pretence of shaving him, even thus keenly, basely, but effectually Doeg destroyed the band of the priests. Whetted by malice, and guided by craft, he did his cruel work with accursed thoroughness.

(Verse 3) - Thou lovest evil more than good - Thou dost prefer to do injury to others, rather than to do them good. In the case referred to, instead of aiding the innocent, the persecuted, and the wronged, he had attempted to reveal the place where he might be found, and where an enraged enemy might have an opportunity of wreaking his vengeance upon him. He loved not good at all. If both had been equally profitable and pleasant, he would have preferred evil.

And lying rather than to speak righteousness - He preferred a lie to the truth; and, when he supposed that his own interest would be served by it, he preferred a falsehood that would promote that interest, rather than a simple statement of the truth. The “lying” in this case was that which was “implied” in his being desirous of giving up David, or betraying him to Saul - as if David was a bad man, and as if the suspicions of Saul were well-founded. He preferred to give his countenance to a falsehood in regard to him, rather than to state the exact truth in reference to his character. His conduct in this was strongly in contrast with that of Ahimelech, who, when arraigned before Saul, declared his belief that David was innocent; his firm conviction that David was true and loyal. “For” that fidelity he lost his life, (1 Sam. 22:14). Doeg was willing to lend countenance to the suspicions of Saul, and practically to represent David as a traitor to the king. He was more at home at lying than at truth. He spoke not the truth except by accident, but he delighted heartily in falsehood.

The word “Selah” here is doubtless a mere musical pause. (See Ps. 3:2). It determines nothing in regard to the sense of the passage. On the other hand, it could certainly be interpreted as David saying: “Let us pause and look at the proud, blustering liar. Doeg is gone, but other dogs bark at the Lord’s people. Saul’s cattle–master is buried, but the devil still has his drovers, who fain would hurry the saints like sheep to the slaughter.”

(Verse 4) - Thou lovest all devouring words - All words that tend to devour or “swallow up” reputation and happiness. Thou hast a taste, a gusto for evil language. Luther translated it: “Thou speakest gladly all things (anything) that will serve to destruction.” Anything, everything, that will serve to ruin people. The word rendered “devouring” occurs only here and in Jer. 51:44, though the verb from which it is derived occurs frequently: (Isa. 28:4; Exo. 7:12; Jonah 2:1 1:17; Gen. 41:7, 24, et al). The verb means to swallow; and then, to consume or destroy. There are words that, like boa constrictors, swallow men whole, or like lions, rend men to pieces; these words evil minds are fond of. Their oratory is evermore furious and bloody. That which will most readily provoke the lowest passions they are sure to employ, and they think such pandering to the madness of the wicked to be eloquence of a high order.

O thou deceitful tongue - “and the deceitful tongue.” The sense is best expressed in the text. It is an address to the tongue as loving deceit or fraud.

Men can manage to say a great many furious things, and yet cover all over with the pretext of justice. They claim that they are jealous for the right, but the truth is they are determined to put down truth and holiness, and craftily go about it under this transparent pretence.  This is a very clear and obvious condemnation of such devious and deceitful speech.  We ought to avoid such terrible, damaging and wicked actions.  God certainly will hold us responsible for them, and really, pretty much everyone sees through them plainly anyway! 

I need to speak plainly and be sure that I am not speaking deceitfully and hurtfully.