Bridges on Proverbs 26:28
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 26:28
 
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28.  A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
 
Rarely do we see a solitary sin. One sin begets another. Lying and malice are here linked together. The lying tongue against our Lord was the fruit of hateful malice. (John 8:44, with 40.) The slander against Stephen originated from the same source. The tacit reproach of his godly profession was intolerable. (Acts 6:9, 14.) If men afflict because they hate; much more do they hate them whom they have afflicted, and thus made their enemies. Amnon, having afflicted his sister Tamar, hated her with greater hatred than his former love, as the witness against his own shame.†
But again and again — watch against the flatterer. Alas! where is he not welcomed as a friend? From some favorable position he presents an attractive face. But a nearer view shews him as a subtle, murderous enemy, working ruin. (Psalm 5:9; 10:7-10.) His great advantage is, that he has a friend in his own bosom. The sweet song of our own praises lulls us to sleep, and in the moment of security the net is too successfully spread. (Chapter 29:5.) The flattering tongue worketh the ruin of the world. The temptation — “Ye shall be as gods” — proved irresistible.† And still in the path of sin,† in the determinate indulgence of the wayward will,† flattering is the snare; ruin is the end.
What then should be our treatment of the flatterer? Homer puts it into his hero's heart to regard him as a fiend of hell.† Our safety then is in flight,† or at least in frowning resistance. (Compare chapter 25:23.) ‘Be as much troubled’ — said a godly man — ‘by unjust praises, as by unjust slanders.’† Shew plainly that they please us least, who praise us most. Give timely warning, that the repetition of the offense threatens the disruption of friendship. Cherish the deepest views of native corruption, such as will at once belie any fair picture of ourselves that may be presented to us. Pray for wisdom to discover the snare; for gracious principles to raise us above vain praises; for self-denial to be content, and even thankful without them. This will be our security.
All these Scriptures strongly teach, how hateful to a God of truth is the attempt to deceive. All warn us against the common habit of slight deviations from truth, and of any want of sincerity of expression, as totally inconsistent with a Christian profession, a breach of the law of love, and often leading to habitual deceit.†
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
John 8:44
44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. {of his own: or, from his own will or disposition}
 
John 8:40
40 But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
 
 
Acts 6:9, 14
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen. 14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. {customs: or, rites}
 
 
Footnote:
2 Samuel 13:5-15. ‘Humani est animi odisse quem laeseris.’ — Tacitus in Agricola.
 
 
2 Samuel 13:5-15
5 And Jonadab said unto him, Lay thee down on thy bed, and make thyself sick: and when thy father cometh to see thee, say unto him, I pray thee, let my sister Tamar come, and give me meat, and dress the meat in my sight, that I may see it, and eat it at her hand. 6 So Amnon lay down, and made himself sick: and when the king was come to see him, Amnon said unto the king, I pray thee, let Tamar my sister come, and make me a couple of cakes in my sight, that I may eat at her hand. 7 Then David sent home to Tamar, saying, Go now to thy brother Amnon's house, and dress him meat. 8 So Tamar went to her brother Amnon's house; and he was laid down. And she took flour, and kneaded it, and made cakes in his sight, and did bake the cakes. {flour: or, paste} 9 And she took a pan, and poured them out before him; but he refused to eat. And Amnon said, Have out all men from me. And they went out every man from him. 10 And Amnon said unto Tamar, Bring the meat into the chamber, that I may eat of thine hand. And Tamar took the cakes which she had made, and brought them into the chamber to Amnon her brother. 11 And when she had brought them unto him to eat, he took hold of her, and said unto her, Come lie with me, my sister. 12 And she answered him, Nay, my brother, do not force me; for no such thing ought to be done in Israel: do not thou this folly. {force...: Heb. humble me} {no such...: Heb. it ought not so to be done} 13 And I, whither shall I cause my shame to go? and as for thee, thou shalt be as one of the fools in Israel. Now therefore, I pray thee, speak unto the king; for he will not withhold me from thee. 14 Howbeit he would not hearken unto her voice: but, being stronger than she, forced her, and lay with her. 15 Then Amnon hated her exceedingly; so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. And Amnon said unto her, Arise, be gone. {exceedingly: Heb. with great hatred greatly}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Psalm 5:9
9 For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue. {faithfulness: or, stedfastness} {their mouth: Heb. his mouth, that is, the mouth of any of them} {very...: Heb. wickednesses}
 
Psalm 10:7-10
7 His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity. {deceit: Heb. deceits} {vanity: or, iniquity} 8 He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor. {are...: Heb. hide themselves} 9 He lieth in wait secretly as a lion in his den: he lieth in wait to catch the poor: he doth catch the poor, when he draweth him into his net. {secretly: Heb. in the secret places} 10 He croucheth, and humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones. {He...: Heb. He breaketh himself} {by...: or, into his strong parts}
 
 
Proverbs 29:5
5 ¶ A man that flattereth his neighbour spreadeth a net for his feet.
 
 
Footnote:
Genesis 3:5.
 
 
Genesis 3:5
5 For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 2:16; 5:3; 7:5, 21-23.
 
 
Proverbs 2:16
16 To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
 
Proverbs 5:3
3 For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil: {mouth: Heb. palate}
 
Proverbs 7:5, 21-23
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. 21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; {straightway: Heb. suddenly} 23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 22:6, 11, 12. Jeremiah 5:31; 14:14-16.
 
 
1 Kings 22:6, 11, 12
6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
11 And Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made him horns of iron: and he said, Thus saith the LORD, With these shalt thou push the Syrians, until thou have consumed them. 12 And all the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramothgilead, and prosper: for the LORD shall deliver it into the king's hand.
 
Jeremiah 5:31
31 The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? {bear...: or, take into their hands}
 
Jeremiah 14:14-16
14 Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. 15 Therefore thus saith the LORD concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed. 16 And the people to whom they prophesy shall be cast out in the streets of Jerusalem because of the famine and the sword; and they shall have none to bury them, them, their wives, nor their sons, nor their daughters: for I will pour their wickedness upon them.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Iliad, i. 312, 313.
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 20:19.
 
 
Proverbs 20:19.
19 ¶ He that goeth about as a talebearer revealeth secrets: therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. {flattereth: or, enticeth}
 
 
Proverbs 25:23
23 ¶ The north wind driveth away rain: so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue.
 
 
Footnote:
Philip Henry's Life, chapter 10.
 
 
Footnote:
See the wise caution, Ecclesiasticus 19:1.
 
 
Ecclesiasticus 19:1
1 A labouring man that is given to drunkenness shall not be rich: and he that contemneth small things shall fall by little and little.