When Your Words Are Twisted: Finding Peace and Protection in Psalm 120:7

The psalmist describes a toxic culture not uncommon to us. Have you been in situations where the words you use are misinterpreted, misquoted, or used against you?

My friend was not on talking terms with me for over a decade. The reason seems simple! When he emailed me about his travel plans, I replied, “Are you going for good?” I wanted to clarify whether this move is permanent, but he took it literally, as if I were asking whether it was good for him! He did not reply! That misunderstanding led to bad-mouthing me, misrepresenting me, and the loss of a good friendship until, after many years, I met him personally to clarify what I intended.

This is a case of ignorance. But there could be intentional misquoting of words, quoting words out of context to harm you. We often hear politicians disowning their statements, saying they were misunderstood and quoted out of context.

This becomes painful when your partner, your family members, and your trusted colleagues intentionally misuse your words against you. That results in job losses, delays in promotions, sour relationships, and so on.

But the psalmist is reporting a resolved issue. In the first verses of this psalm, he says: “In my distress I called to the LORD, and he answered me. Deliver me, O LORD, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue” (Psalm 120:1).

The rest of the psalm describes how liars made his life miserable, prompting him to pray to God.

Pray for protection from people prone to falsehood. The psalmist confidently says, “He answered me.”

Are you struggling in a toxic situation? Look to the same God that the psalmist trusted.