Psaume 31:18

18 Qu'elles deviennent muettes, les lèvres menteuses, Qui parlent avec audace contre le juste, Avec arrogance et dédain!

Psaume 31:18 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 31:18

Let the lying lips be put to silence
Being convicted of the lies told by them, and so silenced and confounded; or being cut off and destroyed, as all such will be in the Lord's own time, ( Psalms 12:3 ) . It is very likely the psalmist may have respect either to Doeg the Edomite, who loved lying rather than righteousness; or to others that were about Saul, who lying said to him that David sought his harm, even to take away his kingdom and his life, ( Psalms 52:3 ) ( 1 Samuel 24:9 ) ;

which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the
righteous;
meaning himself; not that he thought himself righteous in the sight of God by any righteousness of his own, but by the righteousness of Christ imputed to him; see ( Psalms 143:2 ) ( Romans 4:6 ) . Though he may have regard here to the righteousness of his cause before men, and assert himself righteous, as he might with respect to the "grievous things", the hard and lying speeches, which were spoken against him, in a proud, haughty, and contemptuous manner. And it is no unusual thing for such false charges to be brought against righteous men; nay, such hard speeches were spoken by ungodly men against Jesus Christ the righteous himself, ( Jude 1:15 ) . The Targum interprets it of "reproaches".

Psaume 31:18 In-Context

16 Fais luire ta face sur ton serviteur, Sauve-moi par ta grâce!

17 Eternel, que je ne sois pas confondu quand je t'invoque. Que les méchants soient confondus, Qu'ils descendent en silence au séjour des morts!

18 Qu'elles deviennent muettes, les lèvres menteuses, Qui parlent avec audace contre le juste, Avec arrogance et dédain!

19 Oh! combien est grande ta bonté, Que tu tiens en réserve pour ceux qui te craignent, Que tu témoignes à ceux qui cherchent en toi leur refuge, A la vue des fils de l'homme!

20 Tu les protèges sous l'abri de ta face contre ceux qui les persécutent, Tu les protèges dans ta tente contre les langues qui les attaquent.