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They tell lies to one another,
    speak with deceiving lips and a double heart.(A)

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May the Lord silence all flattering lips(A)
    and every boastful tongue—(B)

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Do not drag me off with the wicked,
    with those who do wrong,(A)
Who speak peace to their neighbors
    though evil is in their hearts.(B)

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Do not drag me away with the wicked,
    with those who do evil,
who speak cordially with their neighbors
    but harbor malice in their hearts.(A)

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I must lie down in the midst of lions
    hungry for human prey.(A)
Their teeth are spears and arrows;
    their tongue, a sharpened sword.(B)

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Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.(A)

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Even highly placed people
    plot to overthrow him.
They delight in lies;
    they bless with their mouths,
    but inwardly they curse.(A)
Selah

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Yes, my soul, find rest in God;(A)
    my hope comes from him.

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They sharpen their tongues like swords,
    bend their bows of poison words.(A)

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They shoot from ambush at the innocent;(A)
    they shoot suddenly, without fear.(B)

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24 With their lips enemies pretend,
    but inwardly they maintain deceit;
25 When they speak graciously, do not trust them,(A)
    for seven abominations[a] are in their hearts.
26 Hatred can be concealed by pretense,
    but malice will be revealed in the assembly.[b]
27 Whoever digs a pit falls into it;
    and a stone comes back upon the one who rolls it.(B)
28 The lying tongue is its owner’s enemy,
    and the flattering mouth works ruin.

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Footnotes

  1. 26:25 Seven abominations: many evil intentions.
  2. 26:26 Hate may be concealed for a time, but it will eventually issue in a deed and become known in the public assembly. There is a play on words: the consonants of the word “hatred” (ś’n) are literally concealed in the word “pretense” (mś’n).

24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,(A)
    but in their hearts they harbor deceit.(B)
25 Though their speech is charming,(C) do not believe them,
    for seven abominations fill their hearts.(D)
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
    but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit(E) will fall into it;(F)
    if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.(G)
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
    and a flattering mouth(H) works ruin.

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A murderous arrow is their tongue,
    their mouths utter deceit;
They speak peaceably with their neighbors,
    but in their hearts they lay an ambush!(A)

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Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says:

“See, I will refine(A) and test(B) them,
    for what else can I do
    because of the sin of my people?

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