“Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment…Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight” (Prov. 12:19, 22, ESV).
One of the primary purposes of Proverbs is to give instructions to young people and those who want to live out God’s way in daily living (1:2-7). Lying lips are everywhere in society. Nevertheless, truthful lips are hard to find. Truthful lips and lying lips set a sharp contrast in the book. The phrase “abomination to the Lord” is a very serious expression (Cf. Prov. 3:32; 11: 20; 12:22; 15:8, 9, 26; 16:5; 17:15; 20:10, 23). It is used to “indicate the utmost divine censure against something. It offends Yahweh’s ‘ritual or moral order.’”[1]
The book of Proverbs is given to a people of God who wants to “receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity” (1:3). We are invited and exhorted to deal with things in fairness and equity. Truthful lips promote a moral ethic that all of us can be based on. Truthful lips invite all of us to look at the Truth, and we allow, or even restrain, ourselves to be measured by it. What is right or wrong is not easy to distinguish sometimes. At least, we know we’re not dealing with deception and falsehood. Those who have truthful lips may not be wise in the eyes of others. But they are His delight because they show integrity in life and promote honesty in society.
[1] Tremper Longman III, Proverbs. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), p. 248.
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