Psalms 78:36
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
Original Language Analysis
וַיְפַתּ֥וּהוּ
Nevertheless they did flatter
H6601
וַיְפַתּ֥וּהוּ
Nevertheless they did flatter
Strong's:
H6601
Word #:
1 of 5
to open, i.e., be (causatively, make) roomy; usually figuratively (in a mental or moral sense) to be (causatively, make) simple or (in a sinister way)
בְּפִיהֶ֑ם
him with their mouth
H6310
בְּפִיהֶ֑ם
him with their mouth
Strong's:
H6310
Word #:
2 of 5
the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech); specifically edge, portion or side; adverbially (with prepos
וּ֝בִלְשׁוֹנָ֗ם
unto him with their tongues
H3956
וּ֝בִלְשׁוֹנָ֗ם
unto him with their tongues
Strong's:
H3956
Word #:
3 of 5
the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or speech), and figuratively (speech, an ingot, a fork of flame,
Cross References
Ezekiel 33:31And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.Isaiah 29:13Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Historical Context
Ancient Near Eastern treaty language required oath-taking and verbal commitment. Israel's covenant relationship with Yahweh involved public confessions and vows. Asaph exposes these solemn commitments as fraudulent when the heart remained rebellious—a violation of the third commandment about not taking God's name in vain.
Questions for Reflection
- What worship practices in your life might constitute "flattering God with your mouth" while your heart is distant?
- How can you identify gaps between your professed beliefs and actual trust in God?
- What does it mean to "lie to God"—and how might you be doing it without realizing?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. The brutal "nevertheless" (way, וַיְ) demolishes the pious confession of verse 35. Pātâ (פָּתָה, "flatter") means to deceive or seduce, exposing their worship as manipulation—attempting to appease an angry deity through empty words. Kāzab (כָּזַב, "lied") describes deliberate falsehood, not mere insincerity.
This verse dissects religious hypocrisy at its core: using God's own vocabulary (Rock, Redeemer) while hearts remain uncommitted. Their mouths spoke orthodox confessions, but tongues lied because hearts were far from God—precisely what Isaiah would later prophesy (Isaiah 29:13) and Jesus would quote against Pharisees (Matthew 15:8).
The indictment is terrifying: you can lie to God with true words if your heart contradicts them. External religious performance—prayers, songs, confessions—becomes perjury when divorced from internal reality. This anticipates James's warning that faith without works is dead (James 2:17).