#DailyDevotion Not The Most Flattering View Of Mankind
Psalm 12 Help, O Lord, for there are no more godly people! The faithful have vanished from the world. 2Everyone tells lies. They talk with flattering lips and a double mind. 3May the LORD cut off every lip that flatters and every tongue that talks big, 4saying, “We’ll show with our tongues how mighty we are. We say what we please. Who can be our master?”
David better than many may know how true this is. He was king. People vie for power and influence around kings. Sometimes they do it to take over the kingship. Other times they are just trying to keep power, use power or get more power. Seeing all this happening around him, it is no wonder he cries out, “there are no more godly people!” There are unfortunately people around us also who vie for power. Just because it isn’t great power, doesn’t mean they don’t use whatever influence they have in their circles to keep, get and use what little power and authority they may seem to have. They tend to do this with their speech.
Everyone tells lies. Lying speech a man to his neighbor is how the Hebrew says it. Not a flattering view of mankind which is kind of funny here because it is followed by David’s complaint that they talk with flattering lips and a double mind. Perhaps it was why I was told in college by associates, don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. It’s not a positive view of life or of man. Then again, the scriptures have a pretty low view of man as he is, though it has a great view of what he was and what God intends him to be in Christ.
No doubt that is why David cries out, “Help, O Lord, for there are no more godly people!” I think we all think this at times, particularly when watching the news which seems to be driven by negativity. What about in our own lives? We may experience this in many places when what we desire is not what other people desire. You can encounter it at church, work, school, parent meetings at school, the kids sports programs, any group your kids are involved with, any organization because they are all generally run by power. Unfortunately, many people try to influence other people through lies, half-truths and flattery.
Jesus experienced this himself as he had to deal with the Pharisees, Scribes and Priests. They felt he was a threat to their power. We see at his dealings with him how they tried flattery to get him off his guard. They pursued false witnesses to testify against him at trial. They even had one of his disciples betray him.
David has a prayer for this. “May the LORD cut off every lip that flatters and every tongue that talks big…” This too is Jesus’ prayer into the ear of the Father. We can join them in this prayer leaving to God the Father the place, time, how and the like He will accomplish this. We hope it is through repentance. We leave it to God as to how the prayer is answered. At the moment, they think they are hot stuff. No one is their master. They do what they please. We leave them to the LORD our God to deal with them and show them He alone is Lord and He cuts down everyone who opposes Him, thinking they are not answerable to Him for every word that comes out of their mouths. We commit ourselves to Jesus who has experienced this in his life, trial, crucifixion and death. We look to his victory over the grave and remember the promise of a new heavens and new earth where righteousness reigns and commend ourselves to His loving care.
Heavenly Father, the world seems hopeless and so it is outside of your Son Jesus Christ. Grant us faith to trust in him to put down all evil in this creation and restore to us a world where you reign over all things. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.