Psalms 116:10

THE MOST DIFFICULT VERSES OF THE PSALM

"I believe, for I will speak:

I was greatly afflicted:

I said in my haste,

All men are liars."

It is by no means clear to this writer exactly what is meant here. As Leupold said, "These verses are admittedly difficult, even to the despair of some commentators."[12]

The various versions translate this with amazing differences.

RSV: I kept my faith even when I said, "I am afflicted." I said in my consternation, "Men are a vain hope."

MOFFATT: Though I cried out, "I am crushed," thinking in my distraction, all men are a failure," yet I had faith.

NIV: I believed, therefore I said, "I am greatly afflicted." And in my dismay, I said, "All men are liars."

DOUAY: I was confident, even when I said, "I am greatly afflicted"; I said in my fear, "Every man is deceitful."

GOOD NEWS BIBLE: I kept on believing, even when I said, "I am completely crushed," even when I was afraid and said, "No one can be trusted."

LXX (translated): I believed, wherefore have I spoken: but I was greatly afflicted. And I said in mine amazement, Every man is a liar.

(Apparently, this is the version Paul referred to when he wrote, "But having the same spirit of faith, according to that which is written, "I believed, and therefore did I speak"; we also believe, and therefore also we speak, 2 Corinthians 4:13).

One must admit that the exact meaning of the passage fails to appear in any of the above versions. We shall offer two explanations, one by Professor Cheyne, and the other by Kidner.

CHEYNE: He rendered the passage: "I was confident that I should speak thus," even while my affliction was going on. I felt confident that relief would come, and that I should one day speak as I have just spoken. I was, however, too afflicted to give utterance to my feelings. Instead of so doing, I vented my unhappiness in abuse of my fellow-men. Rawlinson's comment on this `explanation' was, "Both the rendering and the connection are doubtful."[13]

"KIDNER: James Denney remarked that, "The open confession of God as a duty of faith, pervades the psalm." So the author here makes the point that to feel `crushed' (Psalms 116:10) or `disillusioned' (Psalms 116:11) and to say so, even in the wild tones of panic (The New English Bible's word for `consternation') is no proof that faith is dead. It may even vouch for its survival, as pain betokens life.[14]

Among so many different opinions, this writer feels quite secure in offering some of his own. From the usage Paul made of the first half of Psalms 116:10, that verse evidently means that, "Faith carries with it the duty to speak the truth." The statement in Psalms 116:11 that "All men are liars. or deceivers" simply means that lying and deceitful enemies of the gospel should not prevent the proclamation of it. It also may apply to what such men had been saying about his illness prior to his recovery, and that his refusal to believe them contributed to his recovery.

In my Bible class, I confessed my uncertainty regarding the meaning of this line that says, "All men are liars"; and L. W. Carpenter said, "Maybe his doctor had told him he could never get well"! This was greeted with a storm of laughter.