Peaceful Pilgrims Sojourning Among the Heirs of Hell

Psalm 120 is sooooo relevant for today. The peaceful pilgrim in the psalm identifies himself "I am for peace". If we omit the Itallicised words "am for" the text reads "I...peace" or "I am peace" he means I am really about peace; you could almost say "peace is my middle name" (Alec Motyer: Journey Psalms For Pilgrim people). But the peaceful pilgrim is in deep distress and frankly great danger because he travels in a culture characterized by serpent speech: "Lying lips and deceitful tongues." This is far more than name calling or passing insults. Lying lips and deceitful tongues are capable of extreme devastation. Think for example of Naboth's vineyard and how Jezebel's lying lips obliterated Naboth and his sons. Think about Hitler's lying lips and deceitful tongue: Mein Kampf. The holocaust was precipitated by lying lips and a deceitful tongue. Think Marxism. Think CNN. Think modern identity politics. Then consider verses 3,4: Divine archery. God is the archer, the liar is His target. He does not miss. Soberly reflect that Jehu could not miss the King that God was removing: II Kings 9:24-26. R.G. Lee said famously regarding this text, "Payday Someday is written in the constitution of God's universe." Indeed. If you have not heard "Payday Someday" by R.G. Lee, treat yourself. It is on You Tube. Then the pilgrim needs to procede through life wearing pilgrim footwear which is available to them: Ephesians 6:15; Philippians 4:6,7. The last word in this psalm is "war". Serpent speech escalates to violence. The "Cains" are still mad with hate against the "Abels". Got pilgrim footwear?