Psalms 78:36

36 They flattered him with their mouths and lied to him with their tongues.

Psalms 78:36 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 78:36

Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth
In prayer to him, they only drew nigh to him with their mouths, and honoured him with their lips; they showed much love to him and his ways and ordinances hereby; but their hearts were not with him, but after their lusts; they made fine speeches and fair promises, but their hearts and mouths did not agree; they spoke with a double heart, thinking and endeavouring to "deceive" the Lord, as the word ^F2 here used signifies; but he is not to be deceived, nor will he be mocked; the Targum is,

``they allured (or persuaded) him, with their mouth;''

they attempted to do so; the Syriac and Arabic versions are, "they loved him with their mouth"; professed great love and sincere affection to him, when they had none:

and they lied unto him with their tongues;
to lie unto men is bad, but to God is worse; and it is a most vain and foolish thing, since there is not a word in the tongue of any but is known to him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F2 (whwtpyw) "quamvis conarentur eum decipere", Junius & Tremellius; "attamen decipiebant eum", Cocceius.

Psalms 78:36 In-Context

34 When he killed [some of] them, [the rest] searched for him. They turned from their sins and eagerly looked for God.

35 They remembered that God was their rock, that the Most High was their defender.

36 They flattered him with their mouths and lied to him with their tongues.

37 Their hearts were not loyal to him. They were not faithful to his promise.

38 But he is compassionate. He forgave their sin. He did not destroy them. He restrained his anger many times. He did not display all of his fury.