Psalm 144 8

Psalm 144:8 kjv

Whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Psalm 144:8 nkjv

Whose mouth speaks lying words, And whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Psalm 144:8 niv

whose mouths are full of lies, whose right hands are deceitful.

Psalm 144:8 esv

whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.

Psalm 144:8 nlt

Their mouths are full of lies;
they swear to tell the truth, but they lie instead.

Psalm 144 verses

Psalm 144 8 Meaning

Psalm 144:8 describes the characteristics of the psalmist's enemies or "aliens" mentioned in the surrounding verses. It portrays them as people whose speech is full of emptiness, deceit, and worthlessness, and whose actions, represented by their powerful right hand, are consistently marked by treachery and falsehood. This verse highlights a fundamental issue of integrity: what they say is untrustworthy, and what they do is deceptive, revealing a deep moral corruption.

Psalm 144 8 Context

Psalm 144 is a Davidic psalm, likely composed in a time of warfare or national distress. It opens with praise to God for empowering David in battle (vv. 1-2) and then transitions to a reflection on human transience and frailty (vv. 3-4), contrasting it with God's enduring majesty. David then calls upon God for intervention, specifically asking for deliverance from foreign enemies (vv. 5-8). Verse 8 directly characterizes these adversaries, preparing for the subsequent plea for deliverance from them in verse 11, where similar language is used. The psalm concludes with a vision of national prosperity and blessing under God's favor, which contrasts sharply with the emptiness of the "foreigners" described.

Historically, this psalm fits David's experiences fighting surrounding nations like the Philistines, Ammonites, Moabites, and Syrians. These nations often operated on principles of deceit, idol worship, and self-serving ambition, directly contrary to the covenant truth and justice of Israel's God, YHWH. The depiction of "vanity" (shav) can indirectly polemicize against the "nothingness" of their pagan idols and the empty promises of their false gods, whose nature reflected the character of their worshippers, devoid of true power or integrity.

Psalm 144 8 Word analysis

• Whose: Refers to the "aliens" or "foreigners" (bne nekhar – "sons of the foreigner") mentioned in the preceding context of Ps 144:7 and re-emphasized in 144:11. These are typically understood as hostile gentile nations or those who act inimically towards God and His people.
• mouth: Hebrew: peh (פֶּה). This is a metonym for speech, communication, and declaration. It is the primary organ of verbal expression, representing promises, oaths, testimony, and wisdom or folly. The focus here is on the untrustworthiness of their words.
• speaks: Hebrew: dibber (דִּבֵּר), a form of dabar, meaning to speak, utter, declare. It emphasizes the active production of speech.
• vanity: Hebrew: shav (שָׁוְא). This is a rich and critical term. It denotes emptiness, futility, falsehood, worthlessness, delusion, or nothingness. It is often used in the context of:
  • Empty words (false oaths, false testimony – e.g., Exo 20:7, Psa 24:4).
  • Idolatry (idols are "nothing" or "vain" – e.g., 1 Sam 12:21, Isa 41:29).
  • Useless effort (toiling "in vain" – e.g., Psa 127:1).Here, it highlights that their speech is devoid of truth, integrity, or substance, often aimed at deception.
• And whose: Continues the parallel description of the same group, emphasizing that their character is consistently corrupt.
• right hand: Hebrew: yamin (יָמִין). The right hand is highly symbolic in ancient Near Eastern culture and throughout Scripture. It signifies strength, power, authority, action, blessing (often God's right hand), and pledge. It was used for making agreements, shaking hands to seal a deal, taking oaths (often by raising the right hand), and performing deeds.
• is: The Hebrew implies a state of being, characterizing the essence of their right hand.
• a right hand of falsehood: Hebrew: yamin sheqer (יְמִין שָׁקֶר). This phrase specifies the nature of their strength and action. Sheqer (שֶׁקֶר) means a lie, deception, fraud, delusion, or betrayal. Unlike shav which implies emptiness and futility (especially in speech), sheqer strongly emphasizes active deception, treachery, and misrepresentation.
  • Words-group Analysis: The verse employs synonymous parallelism, a common feature of Hebrew poetry, where the second line reinforces or expands on the first. "Mouth speaks vanity" (empty, deceitful words) is paralleled by "right hand is a right hand of falsehood" (deceitful, treacherous actions). This highlights that the inner character of these enemies is reflected in both their verbal declarations and their physical actions. They are people of complete untrustworthiness, internally corrupt in thought and outwardly manifested in word and deed.

Psalm 144 8 Bonus section

The connection between "vanity" (shav) and "falsehood" (sheqer) is strong. While shav can denote emptiness or futility (as in idols being nothing), when coupled with "mouth" and "right hand," both terms point to active deception. Shav in a legal or testimonial context means bearing false witness or swearing falsely (Exo 20:7, Deut 5:11). Sheqer explicitly means lying, betrayal, or fraud (Prov 12:19; Jer 5:31). Together, they form a powerful indictment: these enemies are intrinsically given to every form of unreliability, dishonesty, and treachery. This moral corruption defines their very essence. The parallelism also suggests that their lies are not accidental but flow from a deeply entrenched habit of deception, both in their verbal interactions and in their dealings with others.

Psalm 144 8 Commentary

Psalm 144:8 provides a piercing character assessment of those who oppose God's people. It asserts that their words are hollow and deceitful, intended to mislead or to convey falsehood rather than truth. This "vanity" of speech often refers to meaningless promises, broken oaths, or slander. Simultaneously, their "right hand of falsehood" indicates that their actions, power, and agreements are likewise unreliable and inherently treacherous. The hand, often used to make covenants or administer justice, is corrupted into an instrument of deception.

This depiction underscores a fundamental opposition between those who operate by deceit and the covenant people of God, who are called to truthfulness (cf. Zech 8:16; Eph 4:25). The consistent nature of the enemy’s perfidy—from what they say to what they do—contrasts with the unwavering faithfulness of YHWH. For believers, this serves as a warning about the character of those who reject God’s ways, emphasizing that spiritual warfare often involves countering not just overt aggression but also subtle deceptions and treacherous dealings. It encourages dependence on God, who is Truth, against such enemies.