Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - The Brokenness of Words | The Writings | Psalm 12

Episode Date: January 16, 2024

Flattery, gossip and lying all seem to run rampant in today's culture. Has it always been that way? Psalm 12 examines the depravity of words and guides you to seek God's help. Join Tanya as she discusses how to use your words well. Read the Bible with us in 2024! This year, we’re tackling a group of Old Testament books traditionally known as “The Writings”— Psalms, Chronicles, Proverbs, Daniel, Ruth and more! Download your reading plan now. Your support makes TMBT possible. Ten Minute Bible Talks is a crowd-funded project. Join the TMBTeam to reach more people with the Bible. Give now. Like this content? Make sure to leave us a rating and share it with others, so others can find it too. Use #asktmbt to connect with us, ask questions, and suggest topics. We'd love to hear from you! To learn more, visit our website and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter@TenMinuteBibleTalks. Don't forget to subscribe to the TMBT Newsletter here. Passages: Psalm 12

Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life. In the time it takes to get to work. I'm Tanya Wilmeth. When we talked about going through the Psalms here on Team BT, I was intimidated. And I told a couple of friends about it this morning, so they asked why, and it gave me a chance to put words to my thoughts. I was intimidated because the Psalms are so theologically rich, and they reflect such a high view of God. They also talk so much about our human depravity and our need for God. I didn't want to minimize the message, and I also don't want to sound repetitive.

How many times can we talk about how much we need God and how willing he is to rescue us? Yet, this is one of the biggest benefits of being in the Psalms. Bringing our depravity to God never gets old. It never becomes unnecessary. And God's holiness and mercy never change and never disappoint. Yet, his word continues to reveal itself to us and change us. We don't have to understand the Psalm from top to bottom when we read it the first time, because God will teach us more and more as we come back to it.

Next time, we might have a different takeaway based on what the Holy Spirit knows we need. I'm so glad we're in the Psalms, and I'm so glad we're in it together. The daily rhythm of talking to God about what we need and remembering who he is and what he can do is so good for the condition of our hearts and minds. I believe that because the Bible is God's living word, it really does have the power to change us. It doesn't just teach us or tell us things about God and about man, but it transforms us. And where do we need to believe in more of God's power to change and transform us from the inside out than in the area of our tongues? Psalm 12 brings us into a

conversation with God about the depravity of human words. Those which are either designed to flatter and puff up or slander and divide. We have never been in a better time than now to experience the destruction that comes from those two sides. But what about the words that are honest and economical, well-chosen, patiently timed, and kind? What about modeling the words of our Lord and Savior? Is there room for that in today's culture? Psalm 12 will help us examine the brokenness of words in our culture and in ourselves. It will help us ask God for his protection against slander, and it will guide us into asking God to help us copy Him in the way we use our words. This is what Psalm 12 says about the binary nature of words on the lips of humans.

It says, Neighbors lie to each other, speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts. May the Lord cut off their flattering lips and silence their boastful tongues. They say, we will lie to our hearts content. Our lips are our own. Who can stop us? Now, there are three things that these verses tell us about human words. First, flattery is lying.

It says neighbors lie to each other speaking with flattering lips and deceitful hearts. In flattery, the words are empty, and they lack honesty and love, which is what people really need. Like your friend says, I feel like a bad mom because I've been working too much. And you say, you're a great mom. Your kids are going to see that you're a girl boss one day and they're going to be so thankful. Okay, maybe that's partly true. But if your friend feels like a bad mom, she might need you to listen and ask her why she feels that way. She might need you to encourage her to change

something that's on her heart. But flattery gets you off the hook for having to actually come alongside her. Second, we actually enjoy lying. Psalm 12 says, we will lie to our heart's content. We love lying because we love ourselves so much. We love ourselves more than we love God and others. So we lie to protect ourselves and make people like us. We love lying because it helps us love ourselves even more. Third, we think we have a right to say whatever we want. Psalm 12 says,

Our lips are our own. Who can stop us? If someone is hurt by our words, it's because they took them the wrong way. See something, say something has morphed into saying everything that comes to our mind. as loudly as we possibly can, without patience or reservation, or discernment, or kindness. In James, we learn about the absolute inability we have to tame our tongue on our own. James 3 says, among all parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body.

It can set your whole life on fire. So we say things that are harmful because of what is in our hearts. And then when we say it, it corrupts our hearts even more. It's a vicious cycle that we're unable to solve on our own. Yet, Psalm 12 says the godly do have another option. This is why it's so important for us to keep remembering that God sent his son to defeat sin and death. Those who put their identity and hope in the Lord have his power to speak differently. The psalmist is crying out to God to end the mocking and the slander and protect him from words that harm.

This is a reminder for us to ask God for protection from false or hateful words that would damage us. And the Lord answers. He says that he sees the violence done and hears the groans of the poor. And the voice of the Lord says, Now I will rise up to rescue them as they have longed for me to do. God hears your pleas for protection and your pleas for help. You aren't a slave to your tongue. Instead of copying the way the ungodly use their words, Psalm 12 helps us want to copy the way God uses words.

It says the words of the Lord are pure words. Like silver refined in a furnace on the ground purified seven times, you, O Lord, will keep them. The words of God never change and never fail. They are not self-seeking or puffed up. He never speaks out of insecurity or uncertainty. This might sound obvious to us, but because His Spirit lives in us,

we have the power to do the same. Where do you use flattery in a self-seeking way? Where do you overtly or covertly boast about yourself? And when does insecurity most afflict your tongue? If we search for the answers to these questions, we will uncover the deeper heart problems behind our words. Are we failing to believe that God has already secured our status? Are we forgetting that he will set everything right so we don't have to? Do we lose sight of the assurance that he loves us completely and holds us forever? We need God's help to use our words well as much as we need his help to protect us from people who don't. Lord, I spend my time among people and posts and tweets filled with words that are either empty or stinging.

I don't want to imitate them and want to imitate you. I confess, my words are not what they should be. Help me have words that are patient, pure, honest, and kind. Thill my heart with your love so my words come from the assurance of being loved and give me your grace when I fail so I can learn and try again. Amen.