Introduction: As in days of old, Satan is continually against the people of God. He is striving to discourage us from the ways of God, and to encourage us to sin and reap the consequences of that sin. Things have not changed from that day to this. But now it is our turn to fight Satan and be victorious.

Verse 1 - Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.

The word "cease" indicates that the godly man is coming to an end; that he is ceasing to exist. This is not the way it is, but it seems that way to us.

It is easy for us to think holiness is decreasing, just as Elijah thought he was the last one to be faithful to God.

Matthew 24:12 – "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." This prophecy is certainly true today. There is much iniquity, sin and rebellion against God, and this is very discouraging to the people of God.

Faithful man – as in Hebrews 11: The man who believes God regardless of physical circumstances.

Verse 2 - They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

This verse is speaking about the wicked, whether they be outright against God, or disguised and against him.

They speak vanity (emptiness or falsehood). Tell a lie enough and people begin to believe it is the truth. Call a lie the truth enough and people begin to believe it is the truth.

Flattering lips – This reveals that half-truths are spoken. Only the part that will falsely build up the hearer. Make them feel comfortable when they ought to be very concerned.

Double heart – The Indians said the white man speaks with forked tongue. They would say one thing when they meant another. They would change the definitions of words, then use these redefined words to explain their plan, which they know will be misunderstood.

Judas is a man with a double heart.

This is certainly happening today – in the news, in the classroom, so forth.

Galatians 1:6-8 – The perversion of the gospel.

Easy believism leads many to hell.

Catholics proclaiming they believe in salvation by grace, when they actually believe in salvation by works.

Verse 3 - The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:

The end of all this wicked talk is the judgment of God. We know this is so, but I need help NOW!!

God judges everything we think, say, or do. He judges the thoughts, intends of the heart.

The end of false talk is hell.

The person that speaks with a double heart also speaks from pride.

Pride causes the person to forsake the Word of God and establish his own word instead.

The person filled with pride will not see the truth because they have already established themselves in their own lies.

Verse 4 - Who have said, With our tongue will we prevail; our lips are our own: who is lord over us?

These wicked people believe their speaking lies will last, but lies will never last.

These wicked people have denied God is watching over them, and will bring them into judgment.

We should never worry about what people say, because God can give us speech that no man can stand against.

Luke 12:11 states, "And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: 12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say."

Lips are our own – The words we have and the knowledge we have is gained all by ourselves, without God or anybody else.

Note:

Nothing we have is only ours.

Whatever we have is for the service of God.

There is a lord over everybody – whether it is God or Satan.

Verse 5 - For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the LORD; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

God will protect those that depend on him.

Exodus 2:23-25 – God heard the groanings of Israel is Egypt and delivered them.

Matthew 22:6,7 – Parable of the marriage of the kings son – "And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city."

James 5:4 – "Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth."

God will put his people in a place of protection, even though they walk in the very place of the wicked. God’s people may have to endure suffering, but God will reward for that suffering.

A tear has no noise, but God hears it. "God hath heard the voice of my weeping." God hears our groans, our signs, or panting, and mourning and God answers with blessings.

The word "puff" refers to the talk of the wicked. God will save his people from the false theology and wicked talk of the oppressor. God will give his word, which shall protect his people.

Verse 6 - The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Compare the words of God to the words of the wicked. Which had you rather hear?

This reference is to the Word of God, which is pure and undefiled and gives wisdom to the simple.

As silver and gold is melted in the fire to remove all impurities, so the word of God is proven over and over again to have no impurities.

Seven times – complete – as the seven church of Asia, or the seven ways God has dealt with man since creation.

Verse 7 - Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.

God will keep his word

Verse 8 - The wicked walk on every side, when the vilest men are exalted.