Bible Strands
Psalms 31:18
May lying lips be silenced—lips that speak with arrogance against the righteous, full of pride and contempt.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — The psalmist addresses God directly, sandwiched between a plea for deliverance from shame and a declaration of divine mercy. This moment occurs within a prayer of distress where the speaker seeks divine intervention against hostile accusers.
The words — תֵּ֥אָלַ֗מְנָה (te.'a.Lam.nah) literally means "may they be silenced," and שָׁ֥קֶר (Sha.ker) denotes "falsehood" or "lying." These terms anchor the petition against deceptive speech directed at the righteous.
The thread — The condemnation of arrogant, deceitful speech recurs in Psalms 94:4, 1 Samuel 2:3, and Jude 1:15. These passages consistently link boastful falsehood with divine judgment.
Why it lands — The text demands recognition that God opposes the proud and will silence those who use deceit to attack the righteous. It calls the reader to reject arrogant speech and trust divine justice rather than human vindication.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.
Cross-references
- Psalms 94:4 They pour out arrogant words; all workers of iniquity boast.
- Jude 1:15 to execute judgment on everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of every ungodly act of wickedness and every harsh word spoken against Him by ungodly sinners.”
- 1 Samuel 2:3 Do not boast so proudly, or let arrogance come from your mouth, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by Him actions are weighed.
- Isaiah 54:17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.
- Psalms 64:3 who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows,
- Matthew 12:24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “Only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, does this man drive out demons.”
- John 8:44 You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out his desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, refusing to uphold the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, because he is a liar and the father of lies.
- John 8:48 The Jews answered Him, “Are we not right to say that You are a Samaritan and You have a demon?”
- Acts 25:7 When Paul arrived, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around him, bringing many serious charges that they could not prove.
- Revelation 21:8 But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.”