Nevertheless they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
Parallel translations
- WEB But they flattered him with their mouth, and lied to him with their tongue.
- BSB But they deceived Him with their mouths, and lied to Him with their tongues.
- NKJV Nevertheless they flattered Him with their mouth, And they lied to Him with their tongue;
- NASB But they flattered Him with their mouth And lied to Him with their tongue.
- NLT But all they gave him was lip service; they lied to him with their tongues.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Their professed devotion was mere flattery and falsehood. Their words did not match their hearts.
Overview
They 'flattered him with their mouth' while lying with their tongues. Their repentance was outward and insincere, honoring God with lips but not lives. Jesus indicts the same hypocrisy in His day (Matthew 15:8), pressing the need for worship that is in spirit and truth.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 7
- Ezek 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.
- Isa 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:
- Isa 57:11And of whom hast thou been afraid or feared, that thou hast lied, and hast not remembered me, nor laid it to thy heart? have not I held my peace even of old, and thou fearest me not?
- Deut 5:28–29And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.
- Ps 106:12–13Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.
- Hos 11:12Ephraim compasseth me about with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit: but Judah yet ruleth with God, and is faithful with the saints.
- Ps 18:44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 78:36 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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