Short answer: Psalm 120 is the first of the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134), a collection of psalms sung by pilgrims traveling up to Jerusalem for the festivals. This short psalm is a lament in which the psalmist cries out for deliverance from lying lips and deceitful tongues. He expresses his distress at dwelling among people who hate peace. The psalm reflects the experience of God's people living in a hostile world and longing for God's deliverance.
The setting of the psalm
Psalm 120 is the first of the Songs of Ascents (Psalms 120-134), a collection of psalms sung by pilgrims on the journey up to Jerusalem for the annual festivals. This opening psalm establishes the theme of the journey — the pilgrim begins in a place of distress and conflict and longs for the peace of God's presence.
The psalmist cries out to the Lord from his distress and declares that the Lord answered him. The specific distress is identified as lying lips and a deceitful tongue. The psalmist is surrounded by people who speak falsehood and deception. The question 'What will be given to you?' implies that such deceit will receive its just punishment.
The psalmist describes his dwelling place as Meshech and Kedar — distant, foreign regions. Meshech was a people in Asia Minor, and Kedar was a nomadic tribe in Arabia. These names are used metaphorically to describe living among hostile people who are far from God. The psalmist feels like an exile in his own land.
The psalm ends with the lament that the psalmist has dwelt too long among those who hate peace. He is for peace, but when he speaks, they are for war. The contrast between the psalmist's desire for peace and the hostility of those around him creates the tension that drives the pilgrimage. The journey to Jerusalem is a journey toward peace.
For Christians, this psalm resonates with the experience of living in a world that is hostile to the gospel. Believers are called to be peacemakers but often face opposition and deception. The cry for deliverance from lying lips finds its answer in Christ, who is the truth. The journey of ascent points to our pilgrimage toward the heavenly Jerusalem.
The themes of Psalm 120 have encouraged believers throughout the centuries. The psalm's message of trust in God, dependence on his provision, and hope in his deliverance speaks to the deepest needs of the human heart. Whether read in times of joy or seasons of suffering, this psalm continues to nourish faith and inspire worship.
The language of Psalm 120 is both simple and profound. The psalmist uses ordinary words to express extraordinary truths about God's character and his relationship with his people. This accessibility is one of the reasons the Psalms have been the prayer book and hymnal of God's people for millennia.
In my distress, I cried to Yahweh. He answered me. Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
Psalm 120:1-4 (World English Bible)
Key words and their meaning
The Hebrew word for 'distress' (tzarah) in verse 1 describes narrowness, tightness, or trouble. The psalmist was in a tight place and cried out to the Lord. The word conveys the feeling of being trapped with no way out.
The word 'deceitful' (remiyah) in verse 2 describes treachery and fraud. The lying tongue is not just inaccurate but intentionally deceptive. The deceitful tongue causes real harm to the community.
The word 'peace' (shalom) in verse 7 describes wholeness, completeness, and well-being. The psalmist is for peace, but his opponents are for war. The contrast highlights the tension between God's desire for shalom and the hostility of the world.
Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.
Psalm 120:5-7 (World English Bible)
What the psalm claims
First, God hears the cry of the distressed. The psalm begins with the testimony that the Lord answered the psalmist's cry from his distress.
Second, deception and peace cannot coexist. The psalmist longs for peace but is surrounded by deceitful tongues that love war.
Third, the journey of faith begins with a cry for deliverance. The Songs of Ascents begin not with confident praise but with honest lament.
The psalm's message is as relevant today as when it was first written. The challenges of living faithfully in a fallen world have not changed, and the resources of God's grace remain the same. This psalm equips believers to face those challenges with confidence in God's steadfast love and faithfulness.
In my distress, I cried to Yahweh. He answered me. Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
Psalm 120:1-4 (World English Bible)
Where readers disagree
The relationship between this psalm and the Songs of Ascents has been discussed. As the first Song of Ascents, it sets the tone for the entire collection.
The identification of Meshech and Kedar has been discussed. These may be literal locations or metaphorical descriptions of living among hostile peoples.
The nature of the deceitful tongue has been discussed. Some see specific false accusations, while others understand the deceit as a general feature of life in a fallen world.
Woe is me, that I live in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has had her dwelling too long with him who hates peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.
Psalm 120:5-7 (World English Bible)
How this psalm connects to the gospel
The themes of Psalm 120 find their ultimate fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The New Testament frequently draws on the Psalms to explain who Jesus is and what he accomplished. The psalm's language of deliverance, kingship, and steadfast love all point toward the gospel.
In Jesus, believers see the perfect fulfillment of everything this psalm celebrates. The deliverance the psalmist experienced was a foreshadowing of the greater deliverance Christ would accomplish. The kingship celebrated in the psalm points to Christ's eternal reign. The steadfast love described in the psalm is fully revealed in Jesus's sacrificial death and resurrection.
For Christians, reading this psalm is an opportunity to see God's faithfulness across the entire biblical story. The same God who heard the psalmist's cry also hears the prayers of his people today. The same deliverance finds its ultimate expression in the salvation Christ offers. The psalm invites believers to trust in this faithful God and to make his praise known to all generations.
The New Testament writers understood the Psalms as a prophetic witness to Christ. Jesus himself told his disciples that everything written about him in the Psalms must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). When the apostles preached about Jesus, they regularly quoted the Psalms to demonstrate that his suffering, death, resurrection, and exaltation were all part of God's redemptive plan.
Psalm 120 participates in this prophetic witness. Whether through its language of kingship, its descriptions of suffering and deliverance, or its celebration of God's steadfast love, this psalm contributes to the biblical portrait of the Messiah. Reading it in light of Christ does not diminish its original meaning but reveals its deepest significance.
In my distress, I cried to Yahweh. He answered me. Deliver my soul, Yahweh, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. What will be given to you, and what will be done more to you, you deceitful tongue? Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
Psalm 120:1-4 (World English Bible)
Biblical fidelity check
Psalm 120 is theologically sound and consistent with the broader biblical witness. Its themes of God's steadfast love, faithfulness, and righteousness are central to biblical theology. The psalm contributes to the Psalter's comprehensive portrait of God's relationship with his people. While each psalm reflects its original historical context, its truths are enduring and applicable to believers today. The New Testament affirms and deepens the themes found in this psalm, particularly through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main message of Psalm 120?
The main message of Psalm 120 is deliver me, o lord, from lying lips. The psalm teaches that God is worthy of trust and praise. It calls believers to respond to God's character with faith, obedience, and worship.
How does Psalm 120 point to Christ?
Psalm 120, like all Scripture, ultimately points to Jesus Christ. The themes of God's deliverance, steadfast love, and kingship find their fullest expression in Christ. The New Testament frequently quotes the Psalms to explain Christ's person and work. As Jesus himself said, the Scriptures bear witness to him (John 5:39).
How does Psalm 120 apply to Christians today?
Psalm 120 applies to believers today by providing language for prayer, praise, and lament. It teaches about God's character and how believers should respond to him. The psalm's truths are timeless, addressing the universal human experiences of joy, suffering, hope, and trust.
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