They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
Psalm 62:4 exposes the secret and verbal malice of David’s enemies. The psalm begins with David’s soul waiting only upon God, for from Him comes salvation (v.1). Yet David is not resting in God because his circumstances are easy. Men are attacking, consulting, lying, flattering, and cursing inwardly. This verse shows why David must wait upon God alone. Human words are not safe when the heart behind them is false.
“They only consult.” The enemies are not acting in sudden passion only. They consult. They discuss, plan, advise, and arrange their evil together. This is the speech of conspiracy. Their mouths are used not for prayer, truth, or wisdom, but for counsel against the righteous. Wicked men often make their sin stronger by speaking together, for evil counsel gathers courage, sharpens accusations, and turns private malice into united action.
The word “only” shows the narrowness of their purpose. Their counsel is not mixed with mercy, truth, justice, or fear of God. It bends in one direction. They are settled upon harm. This is how corrupt hearts use speech when they have given themselves to an evil end. Their conversations return again and again to the same object: how to cast down the man they hate.
“To cast him down.” Their counsel aims at overthrow. They do not seek correction, reconciliation, righteous judgment, or peace. They want him down. They want him removed, humbled, disgraced, weakened, and brought low. Such men are not content to disagree; they must destroy. This spirit is hateful to God, for it uses the tongue and counsel to injure rather than to heal.
“From his excellency.” David’s excellency was not self-made pride. It was the dignity, office, reputation, and standing God had given him. Enemies often attack what God has bestowed. They cannot overthrow God directly, so they seek to cast down His servant from the place God appointed. Saul had done this against David, though David had served him faithfully. Others later did the same when David sat upon the throne. The hatred was not only personal; it was rebellion against God’s ordering of things.
This phrase should make the righteous careful. God may give a man honour, office, usefulness, influence, or a good name, and wicked men may consult to cast him down from it. That does not prove the honour was sinful. It proves the envy and malice of those who hate it. A godly man should not cling to his excellency proudly, but neither should he pretend it is nothing when God gave it and enemies seek to destroy it.
“They delight in lies.” Here the inward pleasure of the wicked is exposed. They do not stumble into falsehood reluctantly. They delight in it. A lie serves their purpose, and they enjoy the service it gives. If truth would protect the righteous, they prefer falsehood. If truth would restrain their plan, they distort it. If a lie will help cast him down, they welcome it.
This delight in lies is fearful. A man may tell a lie under pressure and be ashamed afterward; that is evil enough. But to delight in lies is deeper corruption. It means falsehood has become pleasant because it advances malice. Such men love the weapon because they love the wound it makes. The God of truth sees this delight and will judge it. “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 12:22).
“They bless with their mouth.” Now the mouth is named directly. These men can speak blessing outwardly while their purpose is evil. They may say kind things, offer fair words, express honour, speak peace, or pretend good will. The mouth gives a blessing sound. It may speak politely. It may sound friendly. It may even sound religious. But the blessing is not true.
This is one of the most dangerous uses of the mouth. Open hatred is easier to recognize. A cursing mouth declares itself. But a blessing mouth with a cursing heart hides the danger. It lowers caution. It gains access. It makes the righteous think peace exists where war is intended. Such speech is not graciousness; it is hypocrisy.
The Bible often warns against this kind of speech. Joab took Amasa by the beard as though to kiss him, saying, “Art thou in health, my brother?” and then smote him under the fifth rib (2 Samuel 20:9-10). Judas betrayed the Lord Jesus with a kiss and the word, “Hail, master” (Matthew 26:49). The mouth may sound like affection while the heart carries murder. God hates such double speech.
“But they curse inwardly.” This is the true state of the heart. The mouth blesses, but the inward man curses. Their words and hearts do not agree. Before men, they sound favourable; before God, they are full of hatred. The contrast is plain: mouth and inward parts, blessing and cursing, appearance and reality. Men hear the blessing; God hears the curse within.
This clause proves that God judges more than spoken words. He judges the heart from which words come. Men may be deceived by outward blessing, but Jehovah is not deceived. “The LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9). A man may hide malice under courtesy, but he cannot hide it from God.
This verse is especially searching because it condemns polite wickedness. Some men think they are innocent because their outward words are soft. They say the right thing in public, greet warmly, speak respectfully, and bless with the mouth. But inwardly they curse, envy, resent, plot, and wish the man cast down. God does not call such speech harmless. He calls it hypocrisy.
The verse also explains why David must wait only upon God. If men bless with their mouth but curse inwardly, then human favour is unsafe. Men of high degree may promise much and be a lie. Men of low degree may appear harmless and still be vanity. The soul must not rest on human smiles, human praise, human loyalty, or human assurances. God alone is the rock that cannot deceive.
This does not mean the righteous should become suspicious of every kind word. Charity is not paranoia. But neither is charity blindness. Words must be weighed by truth, fruit, faithfulness, and the fear of God. A blessing mouth is good only when it agrees with a true heart. “Let love be without dissimulation” (Romans 12:9). God requires sincerity, not performance.
Psalm 62:4 also warns every believer to examine his own mouth. Do I bless outwardly while cursing inwardly? Do I speak peace while nursing resentment? Do I praise a man while wishing him lowered? Do I use kind words to hide envy, anger, or rivalry? Such double speech is not a small fault. It is a divided heart speaking through a dishonest mouth.
The cure is not rough speech, as though honesty required cruelty. The cure is truth in the inward parts. Let the heart be made right before God, and then let the mouth speak accordingly. The righteous man should bless sincerely, reprove faithfully, warn plainly, and pray honestly. His mouth and heart should not be enemies. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD” (Psalm 19:14).
Jesus Christ met this sin perfectly and answered it without guile. Men came to Him with flattering words, saying, “Master, we know that thou art true,” while they sought to entangle Him in His talk (Matthew 22:15-18). Judas came near with a kiss while betraying Him. Yet Christ was never deceived by smooth mouths or false honour. He knew what was in man, spoke truth without hypocrisy, and committed Himself to the Father’s will.
“Selah.” The verse ends by calling for pause. This is not a line to hurry past. Men may consult to cast down, delight in lies, bless with the mouth, and curse inwardly. God tells us to stop and consider it. Consider the danger of hypocritical speech. Consider the vanity of trusting man. Consider the safety of waiting only upon God.
Psalm 62:4 therefore teaches the evil use of the mouth when the heart is false. Wicked men consult with words, delight in lies, bless outwardly, and curse inwardly. Let the saint not be shaken by such men. Let him not imitate them. Let him wait only upon God, whose word is true, whose heart never changes, and whose salvation cannot be overthrown by the lying lips of men.
They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
Psalm 62:4 exposes the secret and verbal malice of David’s enemies. The psalm begins with David’s soul waiting only upon God, for from Him comes salvation (v.1). Yet David is not resting in God because his circumstances are easy. Men are attacking, consulting, lying, flattering, and cursing inwardly. This verse shows why David must wait upon God alone. Human words are not safe when the heart behind them is false.
“They only consult.” The enemies are not acting in sudden passion only. They consult. They discuss, plan, advise, and arrange their evil together. This is the speech of conspiracy. Their mouths are used not for prayer, truth, or wisdom, but for counsel against the righteous. Wicked men often make their sin stronger by speaking together, for evil counsel gathers courage, sharpens accusations, and turns private malice into united action.
The word “only” shows the narrowness of their purpose. Their counsel is not mixed with mercy, truth, justice, or fear of God. It bends in one direction. They are settled upon harm. This is how corrupt hearts use speech when they have given themselves to an evil end. Their conversations return again and again to the same object: how to cast down the man they hate.
“To cast him down.” Their counsel aims at overthrow. They do not seek correction, reconciliation, righteous judgment, or peace. They want him down. They want him removed, humbled, disgraced, weakened, and brought low. Such men are not content to disagree; they must destroy. This spirit is hateful to God, for it uses the tongue and counsel to injure rather than to heal.
“From his excellency.” David’s excellency was not self-made pride. It was the dignity, office, reputation, and standing God had given him. Enemies often attack what God has bestowed. They cannot overthrow God directly, so they seek to cast down His servant from the place God appointed. Saul had done this against David, though David had served him faithfully. Others later did the same when David sat upon the throne. The hatred was not only personal; it was rebellion against God’s ordering of things.
This phrase should make the righteous careful. God may give a man honour, office, usefulness, influence, or a good name, and wicked men may consult to cast him down from it. That does not prove the honour was sinful. It proves the envy and malice of those who hate it. A godly man should not cling to his excellency proudly, but neither should he pretend it is nothing when God gave it and enemies seek to destroy it.
“They delight in lies.” Here the inward pleasure of the wicked is exposed. They do not stumble into falsehood reluctantly. They delight in it. A lie serves their purpose, and they enjoy the service it gives. If truth would protect the righteous, they prefer falsehood. If truth would restrain their plan, they distort it. If a lie will help cast him down, they welcome it.
This delight in lies is fearful. A man may tell a lie under pressure and be ashamed afterward; that is evil enough. But to delight in lies is deeper corruption. It means falsehood has become pleasant because it advances malice. Such men love the weapon because they love the wound it makes. The God of truth sees this delight and will judge it. “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD” (Proverbs 12:22).
“They bless with their mouth.” Now the mouth is named directly. These men can speak blessing outwardly while their purpose is evil. They may say kind things, offer fair words, express honour, speak peace, or pretend good will. The mouth gives a blessing sound. It may speak politely. It may sound friendly. It may even sound religious. But the blessing is not true.
This is one of the most dangerous uses of the mouth. Open hatred is easier to recognize. A cursing mouth declares itself. But a blessing mouth with a cursing heart hides the danger. It lowers caution. It gains access. It makes the righteous think peace exists where war is intended. Such speech is not graciousness; it is hypocrisy.
The Bible often warns against this kind of speech. Joab took Amasa by the beard as though to kiss him, saying, “Art thou in health, my brother?” and then smote him under the fifth rib (2 Samuel 20:9-10). Judas betrayed the Lord Jesus with a kiss and the word, “Hail, master” (Matthew 26:49). The mouth may sound like affection while the heart carries murder. God hates such double speech.
“But they curse inwardly.” This is the true state of the heart. The mouth blesses, but the inward man curses. Their words and hearts do not agree. Before men, they sound favourable; before God, they are full of hatred. The contrast is plain: mouth and inward parts, blessing and cursing, appearance and reality. Men hear the blessing; God hears the curse within.
This clause proves that God judges more than spoken words. He judges the heart from which words come. Men may be deceived by outward blessing, but Jehovah is not deceived. “The LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts” (1 Chronicles 28:9). A man may hide malice under courtesy, but he cannot hide it from God.
This verse is especially searching because it condemns polite wickedness. Some men think they are innocent because their outward words are soft. They say the right thing in public, greet warmly, speak respectfully, and bless with the mouth. But inwardly they curse, envy, resent, plot, and wish the man cast down. God does not call such speech harmless. He calls it hypocrisy.
The verse also explains why David must wait only upon God. If men bless with their mouth but curse inwardly, then human favour is unsafe. Men of high degree may promise much and be a lie. Men of low degree may appear harmless and still be vanity. The soul must not rest on human smiles, human praise, human loyalty, or human assurances. God alone is the rock that cannot deceive.
This does not mean the righteous should become suspicious of every kind word. Charity is not paranoia. But neither is charity blindness. Words must be weighed by truth, fruit, faithfulness, and the fear of God. A blessing mouth is good only when it agrees with a true heart. “Let love be without dissimulation” (Romans 12:9). God requires sincerity, not performance.
Psalm 62:4 also warns every believer to examine his own mouth. Do I bless outwardly while cursing inwardly? Do I speak peace while nursing resentment? Do I praise a man while wishing him lowered? Do I use kind words to hide envy, anger, or rivalry? Such double speech is not a small fault. It is a divided heart speaking through a dishonest mouth.
The cure is not rough speech, as though honesty required cruelty. The cure is truth in the inward parts. Let the heart be made right before God, and then let the mouth speak accordingly. The righteous man should bless sincerely, reprove faithfully, warn plainly, and pray honestly. His mouth and heart should not be enemies. “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD” (Psalm 19:14).
Jesus Christ met this sin perfectly and answered it without guile. Men came to Him with flattering words, saying, “Master, we know that thou art true,” while they sought to entangle Him in His talk (Matthew 22:15-18). Judas came near with a kiss while betraying Him. Yet Christ was never deceived by smooth mouths or false honour. He knew what was in man, spoke truth without hypocrisy, and committed Himself to the Father’s will.
“Selah.” The verse ends by calling for pause. This is not a line to hurry past. Men may consult to cast down, delight in lies, bless with the mouth, and curse inwardly. God tells us to stop and consider it. Consider the danger of hypocritical speech. Consider the vanity of trusting man. Consider the safety of waiting only upon God.
Psalm 62:4 therefore teaches the evil use of the mouth when the heart is false. Wicked men consult with words, delight in lies, bless outwardly, and curse inwardly. Let the saint not be shaken by such men. Let him not imitate them. Let him wait only upon God, whose word is true, whose heart never changes, and whose salvation cannot be overthrown by the lying lips of men.