Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
Psalm 5:6 declares Jehovah’s certain judgment against liars, murderers, and deceitful men. David has already confessed that God has no pleasure in wickedness, evil shall not dwell with Him, the foolish shall not stand in His sight, and He hates all workers of iniquity (vv.4-5). Verse 6 advances from God’s hatred to His action: He shall destroy those who speak leasing, and He will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. These are not uncontrolled words from an angry man. David was the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), and he the sweet psalmist of Israel, testified, “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2). This is God’s judgment written by inspiration, and it must be believed without apology.
“Thou.” David addresses God directly. The Judge in this verse is not public opinion, an earthly court, an offended neighbour, or David himself. God will act. Men may fail to discover lies, lack power to punish bloody men, or be deceived by flattering tongues; Jehovah sees the inward part and judges perfectly. David brings the matter to the One whose eyes cannot be blinded and whose sentence cannot be overturned.
“Shalt destroy.” The words are certain. David does not say God may destroy them, threaten them, or disapprove of them. “Thou shalt destroy.” The time and manner belong to God, but the sentence is fixed. Liars may prosper long enough to imagine their words are safe. Bloody men may escape human judgment for a season. But delay is not acquittal. “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished” (Proverbs 11:21).
To destroy is to bring down, cut off, overthrow, and ruin. God may execute this sentence openly in the present life. Ananias and Sapphira agreed together in a lie, and both fell dead under divine judgment (Acts 5:1-10). Jezebel employed false witnesses to murder Naboth, but the LORD afterward destroyed Ahab’s house and left Jezebel to be eaten by dogs (1 Kings 21:8-14,23; 2 Kings 9:30-37). Men may use lies to advance themselves, but God knows how to make their falsehood the path to their destruction.
The final destruction is still more fearful. Scripture does not leave liars with a light warning: “all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8). Outside the holy city are those who love and make a lie (Revelation 22:15). The mouth that loved leasing on earth will not talk its way out of judgment. Every lie is known, and every liar shall meet the God of truth.
“Them.” The judgment falls upon the persons who speak the lies. Verse 5 says God hates “all workers of iniquity.” Verse 6 says He shall destroy “them” that speak leasing and abhor “the bloody and deceitful man.” The text does not say God hates wickedness while continuing to look with favour upon the man who loves and practices it. He hates the workers, destroys the speakers, and abhors the man.
This strikes down the worldly saying that God hates the sin but loves the sinner. Psalm 5 says more. God has no pleasure in wickedness (v.4), He hates workers of iniquity (v.5), He destroys speakers of leasing, and He abhors bloody and deceitful men (v.6). Sin does not exist apart from sinners who conceive it, love it, speak it, and commit it. God judges persons according to their works.
Yet the context describes men settled in wickedness, not a saint overtaken in a fault who is grieved, corrected, and brought to confession. These are workers of iniquity whose inward part is very wickedness and whose mouths have no faithfulness (vv.5,9). Peter lied in fear, then went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:69-75). Judas lived in deceit, betrayed innocent blood, and went to his own place (John 12:6; Acts 1:25). The child of God may fall grievously, but he cannot safely make lies his trade and refuge.
“That speak leasing.” Leasing is lying and falsehood spoken by the mouth. Scripture defines it by its contrasts. Psalm 4:2 joins it with vanity: “how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?” Psalm 52:3 speaks of “lying rather than to speak righteousness.” Later in Psalm 5, David says there is “no faithfulness in their mouth” and that “they flatter with their tongue” (v.9). Leasing is speech opposed to truth, faithfulness, and righteousness.
The word “speak” makes the guilt outward. Falsehood has left the heart and entered the world by the tongue. The lie may accuse an innocent man, conceal wickedness, gain money, escape blame, flatter for advantage, or stir others to hatred. Once spoken, it may pass from man to man and work injury far beyond the first speaker’s sight. But the LORD traces every lie to the mouth that released it.
A lie is not made small because it is spoken softly, politely, or with religious words. The serpent questioned God with subtle speech and brought death into the world (Genesis 3:1-5). Judas said, “Hail, master,” and kissed Christ while delivering Him to murderers (Matthew 26:48-49). False witnesses spoke in a lawful assembly and used the forms of testimony to murder Naboth (1 Kings 21:10-13). Smooth circumstances do not cleanse false words.
God hates lying because He is the God of truth. “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22). Among the things Jehovah hates are “a lying tongue” and “a false witness that speaketh lies” (Proverbs 6:16-19). Jesus identified the devil as a liar and the father of it (John 8:44). Every lie follows the speech of the devil rather than the God who cannot lie.
This makes deceitful religion especially dreadful. Men may lie while professing faith, use Scripture to conceal ambition, flatter while pretending charity, or bear false witness while claiming zeal for righteousness. Their religious place does not protect them. Ananias and Sapphira lied within the church. Judas lied among the apostles. The chief priests sought false witness while holding the highest religious offices in Israel. God shall destroy them that speak leasing.
“The LORD.” The sentence is repeated under the divine name. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah, the self-existent, faithful, covenant-keeping God of His people. The God who cannot lie will not make peace with liars. The God who keeps every promise will judge those whose words cannot be trusted. His faithfulness is comfort to the righteous and terror to the deceitful.
“Will abhor.” Verse 5 helps define the word: “thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” To abhor is to hate, reject, and hold as loathsome before His holiness. This is not the unstable hatred of men, which may be selfish, ignorant, partial, or unjust. Jehovah’s abhorrence is clean, righteous, settled, and perfect. He sees the man altogether and never judges falsely.
“Will” again gives certainty. The LORD will abhor. No worldly approval can cancel His judgment. A bloody man may be honoured as powerful. A deceitful man may be praised as clever. A liar may be accepted because his lies are useful to others. But human admiration cannot turn divine abhorrence into favour. The question is never how the man appears before a crowd, but how he stands before Jehovah.
This word must not be softened. God does not look upon bloody and deceitful men with mild disappointment. He abhors them. Scripture says His soul hates the wicked and him that loveth violence (Psalm 11:5). It says the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire and blesses the covetous, “whom the LORD abhorreth” (Psalm 10:3). God’s hatred is part of His goodness. A god who welcomed cruelty and deceit would not be the holy God of Scripture.
“The bloody.” A bloody man is violent, murderous, cruel, or willing that innocent blood should be shed. He may strike with his own hand, command others to strike, approve the murder, or prepare it by false words. David elsewhere joined the same classes together: “bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days” (Psalm 55:23). Bloodshed and deceit frequently work together because murder often needs a lie to prepare it or hide it.
Cain gives the first clear example. He murdered Abel and then answered God, “I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:8-9). His hand was bloody, and his mouth was deceitful. Jezebel arranged false witnesses so Naboth could be stoned. The Jewish rulers sought false witnesses against Jesus so they might put Him to death (Matthew 26:59-60). The lie was not separate from the bloodshed; it was one of the weapons that caused it.
A man does not need a sword in his own hand to become party to blood. A false witness can place the sword in another man’s hand. A deceitful accusation can turn a judge, crowd, ruler, or friend against the innocent. “A false witness that speaketh lies” is followed in Proverbs by “he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:19). The lying tongue can prepare hatred, division, imprisonment, and death.
“And deceitful.” The deceitful man is false in heart and dealing. His outward words do not agree with his inward purpose. He conceals, twists, flatters, promises falsely, assigns invented motives, and manages appearances for advantage. Psalm 5:9 describes him fully: there is no faithfulness in his mouth, his inward part is very wickedness, his throat is an open sepulchre, and he flatters with his tongue.
Deceit is more than one badly chosen sentence. It is a crooked manner of dealing. The deceitful man uses falsehood as a tool. He may appear friendly while planning harm, speak peace while his heart holds war, or praise a man while seeking his fall. The LORD is not deceived by the polished mouth, because He sees the inward part. Men hear the flattering tongue; God sees the open sepulchre behind it.
“The bloody and deceitful man.” The verse closes upon the man himself. God does not only condemn the bloody deed and deceitful sentence. He abhors the bloody and deceitful man. His character, choices, words, and works agree. He is known by the evil he practices. The God who searches hearts does not divide a man from the wickedness he loves.
This gives every reader cause for serious examination. Do I speak leasing? Do I bend truth to protect myself? Do I repeat accusations without knowledge? Do I flatter for advantage? Do I conceal facts to create a false impression? Do I wish harm upon another or use words that may bring it? No man should comfort himself with the favour of verse 12 while walking in the deceit of verse 6. Jehovah blesses the righteous, but He abhors the bloody and deceitful man.
The contrast within the psalm is exact. The wicked speak leasing, have no faithfulness in their mouths, and flatter with their tongues (vv.6,9). David gives his words to prayer, comes into God’s house in the multitude of mercy, worships in fear, and asks to be led in righteousness (vv.1,7-8). The difference is not sinless perfection in David. It is mercy sought, truth loved, sin confessed, and righteousness desired. The wicked hide in deceit; the righteous flee to Jehovah.
Jesus Christ was condemned by the very men described in this verse. Bloody rulers sought His death, deceitful witnesses spoke against Him, Judas betrayed Him with a kiss, and the multitude preferred a murderer to the Prince of life (Matthew 26:47-50,59-61; Acts 3:14-15). Yet no guile was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). God raised the Holy One whom deceitful men condemned, and that same Jesus shall judge the secrets and words of men in righteousness.
Psalm 5:6 therefore speaks with dreadful certainty. God shall destroy them that speak leasing. Jehovah will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. Let no preacher soften it. Let no liar explain it away. Let no bloody man imagine that delay means favour. Put away lying, and “speak every man truth with his neighbour” (Ephesians 4:25). Flee deceit, confess sin, and seek the multitude of God’s mercy. The God who abhors bloody and deceitful men will bless the righteous and compass him with favour as with a shield.
Thou shalt destroy them that speak leasing: the LORD will abhor the bloody and deceitful man.
Psalm 5:6 declares Jehovah’s certain judgment against liars, murderers, and deceitful men. David has already confessed that God has no pleasure in wickedness, evil shall not dwell with Him, the foolish shall not stand in His sight, and He hates all workers of iniquity (vv.4-5). Verse 6 advances from God’s hatred to His action: He shall destroy those who speak leasing, and He will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. These are not uncontrolled words from an angry man. David was the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), and he the sweet psalmist of Israel, testified, “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2). This is God’s judgment written by inspiration, and it must be believed without apology.
“Thou.” David addresses God directly. The Judge in this verse is not public opinion, an earthly court, an offended neighbour, or David himself. God will act. Men may fail to discover lies, lack power to punish bloody men, or be deceived by flattering tongues; Jehovah sees the inward part and judges perfectly. David brings the matter to the One whose eyes cannot be blinded and whose sentence cannot be overturned.
“Shalt destroy.” The words are certain. David does not say God may destroy them, threaten them, or disapprove of them. “Thou shalt destroy.” The time and manner belong to God, but the sentence is fixed. Liars may prosper long enough to imagine their words are safe. Bloody men may escape human judgment for a season. But delay is not acquittal. “Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished” (Proverbs 11:21).
To destroy is to bring down, cut off, overthrow, and ruin. God may execute this sentence openly in the present life. Ananias and Sapphira agreed together in a lie, and both fell dead under divine judgment (Acts 5:1-10). Jezebel employed false witnesses to murder Naboth, but the LORD afterward destroyed Ahab’s house and left Jezebel to be eaten by dogs (1 Kings 21:8-14,23; 2 Kings 9:30-37). Men may use lies to advance themselves, but God knows how to make their falsehood the path to their destruction.
The final destruction is still more fearful. Scripture does not leave liars with a light warning: “all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8). Outside the holy city are those who love and make a lie (Revelation 22:15). The mouth that loved leasing on earth will not talk its way out of judgment. Every lie is known, and every liar shall meet the God of truth.
“Them.” The judgment falls upon the persons who speak the lies. Verse 5 says God hates “all workers of iniquity.” Verse 6 says He shall destroy “them” that speak leasing and abhor “the bloody and deceitful man.” The text does not say God hates wickedness while continuing to look with favour upon the man who loves and practices it. He hates the workers, destroys the speakers, and abhors the man.
This strikes down the worldly saying that God hates the sin but loves the sinner. Psalm 5 says more. God has no pleasure in wickedness (v.4), He hates workers of iniquity (v.5), He destroys speakers of leasing, and He abhors bloody and deceitful men (v.6). Sin does not exist apart from sinners who conceive it, love it, speak it, and commit it. God judges persons according to their works.
Yet the context describes men settled in wickedness, not a saint overtaken in a fault who is grieved, corrected, and brought to confession. These are workers of iniquity whose inward part is very wickedness and whose mouths have no faithfulness (vv.5,9). Peter lied in fear, then went out and wept bitterly (Matthew 26:69-75). Judas lived in deceit, betrayed innocent blood, and went to his own place (John 12:6; Acts 1:25). The child of God may fall grievously, but he cannot safely make lies his trade and refuge.
“That speak leasing.” Leasing is lying and falsehood spoken by the mouth. Scripture defines it by its contrasts. Psalm 4:2 joins it with vanity: “how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing?” Psalm 52:3 speaks of “lying rather than to speak righteousness.” Later in Psalm 5, David says there is “no faithfulness in their mouth” and that “they flatter with their tongue” (v.9). Leasing is speech opposed to truth, faithfulness, and righteousness.
The word “speak” makes the guilt outward. Falsehood has left the heart and entered the world by the tongue. The lie may accuse an innocent man, conceal wickedness, gain money, escape blame, flatter for advantage, or stir others to hatred. Once spoken, it may pass from man to man and work injury far beyond the first speaker’s sight. But the LORD traces every lie to the mouth that released it.
A lie is not made small because it is spoken softly, politely, or with religious words. The serpent questioned God with subtle speech and brought death into the world (Genesis 3:1-5). Judas said, “Hail, master,” and kissed Christ while delivering Him to murderers (Matthew 26:48-49). False witnesses spoke in a lawful assembly and used the forms of testimony to murder Naboth (1 Kings 21:10-13). Smooth circumstances do not cleanse false words.
God hates lying because He is the God of truth. “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Proverbs 12:22). Among the things Jehovah hates are “a lying tongue” and “a false witness that speaketh lies” (Proverbs 6:16-19). Jesus identified the devil as a liar and the father of it (John 8:44). Every lie follows the speech of the devil rather than the God who cannot lie.
This makes deceitful religion especially dreadful. Men may lie while professing faith, use Scripture to conceal ambition, flatter while pretending charity, or bear false witness while claiming zeal for righteousness. Their religious place does not protect them. Ananias and Sapphira lied within the church. Judas lied among the apostles. The chief priests sought false witness while holding the highest religious offices in Israel. God shall destroy them that speak leasing.
“The LORD.” The sentence is repeated under the divine name. LORD in all capital letters is the King James Bible’s usual way of representing the divine name Jehovah, the self-existent, faithful, covenant-keeping God of His people. The God who cannot lie will not make peace with liars. The God who keeps every promise will judge those whose words cannot be trusted. His faithfulness is comfort to the righteous and terror to the deceitful.
“Will abhor.” Verse 5 helps define the word: “thou hatest all workers of iniquity.” To abhor is to hate, reject, and hold as loathsome before His holiness. This is not the unstable hatred of men, which may be selfish, ignorant, partial, or unjust. Jehovah’s abhorrence is clean, righteous, settled, and perfect. He sees the man altogether and never judges falsely.
“Will” again gives certainty. The LORD will abhor. No worldly approval can cancel His judgment. A bloody man may be honoured as powerful. A deceitful man may be praised as clever. A liar may be accepted because his lies are useful to others. But human admiration cannot turn divine abhorrence into favour. The question is never how the man appears before a crowd, but how he stands before Jehovah.
This word must not be softened. God does not look upon bloody and deceitful men with mild disappointment. He abhors them. Scripture says His soul hates the wicked and him that loveth violence (Psalm 11:5). It says the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire and blesses the covetous, “whom the LORD abhorreth” (Psalm 10:3). God’s hatred is part of His goodness. A god who welcomed cruelty and deceit would not be the holy God of Scripture.
“The bloody.” A bloody man is violent, murderous, cruel, or willing that innocent blood should be shed. He may strike with his own hand, command others to strike, approve the murder, or prepare it by false words. David elsewhere joined the same classes together: “bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days” (Psalm 55:23). Bloodshed and deceit frequently work together because murder often needs a lie to prepare it or hide it.
Cain gives the first clear example. He murdered Abel and then answered God, “I know not: Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Genesis 4:8-9). His hand was bloody, and his mouth was deceitful. Jezebel arranged false witnesses so Naboth could be stoned. The Jewish rulers sought false witnesses against Jesus so they might put Him to death (Matthew 26:59-60). The lie was not separate from the bloodshed; it was one of the weapons that caused it.
A man does not need a sword in his own hand to become party to blood. A false witness can place the sword in another man’s hand. A deceitful accusation can turn a judge, crowd, ruler, or friend against the innocent. “A false witness that speaketh lies” is followed in Proverbs by “he that soweth discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:19). The lying tongue can prepare hatred, division, imprisonment, and death.
“And deceitful.” The deceitful man is false in heart and dealing. His outward words do not agree with his inward purpose. He conceals, twists, flatters, promises falsely, assigns invented motives, and manages appearances for advantage. Psalm 5:9 describes him fully: there is no faithfulness in his mouth, his inward part is very wickedness, his throat is an open sepulchre, and he flatters with his tongue.
Deceit is more than one badly chosen sentence. It is a crooked manner of dealing. The deceitful man uses falsehood as a tool. He may appear friendly while planning harm, speak peace while his heart holds war, or praise a man while seeking his fall. The LORD is not deceived by the polished mouth, because He sees the inward part. Men hear the flattering tongue; God sees the open sepulchre behind it.
“The bloody and deceitful man.” The verse closes upon the man himself. God does not only condemn the bloody deed and deceitful sentence. He abhors the bloody and deceitful man. His character, choices, words, and works agree. He is known by the evil he practices. The God who searches hearts does not divide a man from the wickedness he loves.
This gives every reader cause for serious examination. Do I speak leasing? Do I bend truth to protect myself? Do I repeat accusations without knowledge? Do I flatter for advantage? Do I conceal facts to create a false impression? Do I wish harm upon another or use words that may bring it? No man should comfort himself with the favour of verse 12 while walking in the deceit of verse 6. Jehovah blesses the righteous, but He abhors the bloody and deceitful man.
The contrast within the psalm is exact. The wicked speak leasing, have no faithfulness in their mouths, and flatter with their tongues (vv.6,9). David gives his words to prayer, comes into God’s house in the multitude of mercy, worships in fear, and asks to be led in righteousness (vv.1,7-8). The difference is not sinless perfection in David. It is mercy sought, truth loved, sin confessed, and righteousness desired. The wicked hide in deceit; the righteous flee to Jehovah.
Jesus Christ was condemned by the very men described in this verse. Bloody rulers sought His death, deceitful witnesses spoke against Him, Judas betrayed Him with a kiss, and the multitude preferred a murderer to the Prince of life (Matthew 26:47-50,59-61; Acts 3:14-15). Yet no guile was found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22). God raised the Holy One whom deceitful men condemned, and that same Jesus shall judge the secrets and words of men in righteousness.
Psalm 5:6 therefore speaks with dreadful certainty. God shall destroy them that speak leasing. Jehovah will abhor the bloody and deceitful man. Let no preacher soften it. Let no liar explain it away. Let no bloody man imagine that delay means favour. Put away lying, and “speak every man truth with his neighbour” (Ephesians 4:25). Flee deceit, confess sin, and seek the multitude of God’s mercy. The God who abhors bloody and deceitful men will bless the righteous and compass him with favour as with a shield.