To the end of the chapter are denunciations of like mischief under the guise of fair speech and flattery. It is deceit in various forms, against which we are energetically put on our guard: a needful caution in this evil age, especially for the Christian who walks in grace and refuses to avenge himself.
“Ardent lips, and a wicked heart [are] an earthen vessel overlaid with silver dross.
He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, but he layeth up deceit within him
When his voice is gracious, believe him not, for [there are] seven abominations in his heart.
Though hatred is covered by dissimulation, his wickedness shall be made manifest in the congregation.
Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein; and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return upon him.
A lying tongue hateth the injured by it, and a flattering mouth worketh ruin” (vers. 23-28).
There is no real difficulty, no sufficient reason to doubt the force of the opening words of ver. 23. They do not in the least imply in this connection the heat of wrath, which might well go with “a wicked heart” ordinarily.; but here is meant the extraordinary combination of expressing ardent affection with the desire to do evil. This, not that, is fitly compared to an earthen vessel overlaid not with silver but its “dross.”
So the hatred (24) which is eminently dangerous is not what explodes in violent words, but would work out unawares, and therefore dissembles with the lips. The benevolent words only conceal the deceit within the man.
Therefore (ver. 25) when such a one's voice is gracious, there is the strongest reason not to believe; for there is no sure faith, save in a testimony altogether reliable. Hence the blesssedness to a Christian that his faith and hope too are in the God Who cannot lie, Who has spoken to us in His Son, come in love as sure as the truth. But as to fallen man, how different! “for there are seven abominations in his heart.” It is filled with every evil of corruption no less than violence, as the Savior testified. Jehovah did not fail to make hidden evil manifest in the most public way.
“Dissimulations (ver. 26) may succeed among men for a season; but even before the kingdom of God appears in displayed power, He knows how to check Satan and expose malicious craft during the evil day. Thus from time to time is the covering stript from hatred, and “wickedness made manifest in the congregation.”
Again, when mischievous man (ver. 27) digs a pit for others, therein he is caused to fall; and where he rolls a stone for the head of his neighbor, it recoils on himself. Even the heathen expressed their sense of such retribution here below, though they knew not God.
The last verse tells us of the extreme wickedness of fallen man, that is not con tent with deceiving: “a lying tongue hateth those injured by it;” and “a flattering mouth worketh ruin” for subject as well as object. “Let the righteous smite me, it is kindness; and let him reprove me, it is an excellent oil which my head shall not refuse.” This is to humble oneself under God's mighty hand and be exalted in due time.