What Psalm 120:1-2 really means: God Hears Your Cry

Set Among the Songs of Ascents

Psalm 120 is the first of fifteen 'Songs of Ascents,' a collection of psalms pilgrims likely sang as they traveled to Jerusalem for festivals, each one climbing higher toward the temple.

Though this psalm doesn’t mention a specific event, it captures the raw emotion of someone worn down by deceit, crying out from personal pain. The opening lines - 'In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me. Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue' - show how honest prayer meets a faithful God, much like Psalm 34:17 says, 'The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them.'

The Weight of Words: Lying Lips and a Deceitful Tongue

The pain in Psalm 120:1-2 comes not from physical harm but from the wounds of betrayal spoken in lies, where 'lying lips' and 'a deceitful tongue' are not two separate complaints but two sides of the same hurt, reinforcing each other through a poetic rhythm called synthetic parallelism.

This style links ideas that build together, so 'lying lips' and 'deceitful tongue' don’t contradict but deepen the cry - both point to the same kind of betrayal through speech. The psalmist is more than annoyed by lies; they are crushed by words that manipulate, harm, or deceive, similar to the false talk warned about in Jeremiah 9:3. When words are twisted, trust breaks, and the soul feels isolated.

The main point is that God takes our pain over dishonesty seriously, and when we cry out, He hears the ache behind our voice, not merely the sound.

God Hears the Hurting

This psalm shows us that God is not distant or indifferent when we’re crushed by lies, but close and ready to listen.

When we cry out like the psalmist, we are not merely shouting into the wind; God hears because He cares deeply about the pain caused by deceit. And while the psalm doesn’t mention Jesus by name, we can imagine Him praying this during His own unjust trials, when false witnesses lied and twisted His words - yet He trusted the Father to deliver justice not by revenge, but by resurrection.

Voices of Truth in a World of Lies

This cry for deliverance from deceit echoes throughout the Psalms, showing how deeply God values honest speech and hearts that seek peace.

Psalm 5:9 says, 'Their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue,' revealing how destructive smooth words can be when they hide evil intent. Similarly, Psalm 34:13 urges, 'Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit,' calling us not only to resist lies but to actively choose truth in everyday moments.

So when you're tempted to twist the truth to look better, or stay silent while someone is misrepresented, remember this: living out Psalm 120 means asking God to guard your own mouth too - and finding courage to speak with love, not fear. That kind of honesty builds trust, heals relationships, and reflects the God who hears every cry.

Application