What is the main theme of Psalm 120?

Psalm 120 begins the Songs of Ascents with an honest cry for help in the midst of lies, hostility, and spiritual pressure. The psalm teaches that the Christian journey begins with distress, honesty before God, and confidence in His faithfulness.

Why does Psalm 120 talk about deceitful tongues?

The psalmist laments the pain and damage caused by lies, slander, and hostile speech. The psalm warns that God will ultimately judge deceit and reminds believers to respond to falsehood with truth, prayer, and trust in the Lord.

How does Psalm 120 apply to Christians today?

Psalm 120 reminds Christians that they are pilgrims and outsiders in a fallen world. In a culture of hostility, manipulation, and moral confusion, believers are called to walk in truth, pursue peace, and cry out to God in distress knowing He hears.

What does it mean to seek peace in a hostile world?

Seeking peace doesn't mean avoiding truth or conflict. It means pursuing reconciliation, speaking truth in love, and depending on Christ's work and the Holy Spirit to help us live faithfully in a world opposed to biblical values.

Psalm 120, Peace in a World of Lies

Name: Psalm 120: Peace in a World of Lies
Uploaded: 2025-12-05
Duration: 32 min
Channel: Dave Jenkins
Description: A teaching on Psalm 120 exploring distress, truth, deceit, and peace in a hostile world. Part of the Walking Through the Psalms teaching series on Servants of Grace.

⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 1 min read

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Psalm 120, Peace in a World of Lies

Servants of Grace Podcast | Walking Through the Psalms

by Dave Jenkins on Friday, December 5, 2025

Episode Summary

Psalm 120 begins the Songs of Ascents with a cry from a believer living in a world filled with lies, hostility, and spiritual tension. Before the ascent toward Zion begins, the psalmist looks honestly at where he is surrounded by deceitful tongues and dwelling among those who hate peace.

In this sermon, Dave Jenkins walks through Psalm 120 to show that the journey of faith does not begin with strength or triumph, but with distress, honesty, and a desperate plea for deliverance. We see how the Lord hears the cries of His people, sustains them in a deceitful culture, and calls them to be peacemakers while living as pilgrims in a hostile world.

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Dave Jenkins

Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.

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