Psalms 78:36 Commentary: The Deception of Lip Service

Psalm 78 is a historical recital of Israel’s repeated rebellion in the wilderness and God’s persistent mercy. Verses 32, 35 set the scene: after God consumed their days in terror, the people “sought God earnestly” and remembered Him as their Rock and Redeemer. But verse 36 reveals the true nature of that seeking, it was flattery, not faith. The surrounding verses (37, 40) make the contrast sharp: “their heart was not right with him,” yet God “being merciful, forgave iniquity.” This pattern of crisis-induced repentance followed by relapse runs throughout the wilderness narrative (see Exodus 24:3, where the people vow obedience, then quickly turn to the golden calf).

Barnes observes that such professions are typical under affliction: “Under the pressure of heavy judgments, the loss of property, the loss of friends, or the failure of health, people become serious, and resolve to give attention to religion. It is rarely that such purposes are founded in sincerity.” The Cambridge Bible adds that the verse suggests “as though God were a man who could be deceived by hypocrisy.” The absurdity of trying to flatter the all-knowing God is the verse’s driving irony. Cross-references like Isaiah 29:13 reinforce the theme: “This people draws near with their mouth and honors me with their lips, but they have removed their heart far from me.”

Within the psalm’s larger structure, verse 36 is the hinge between Israel’s feigned repentance and God’s costly compassion. Their words were correct; their hearts were not. The wilderness was a place where both God’s glory and human duplicity were fully revealed.

The supplied sources note no significant textual variants for Psalm 78:36. The Cambridge Bible observes that the Masoretic reckoning places this verse as the middle of the Psalter (verse 36 of 150 psalms, though titles are sometimes counted). The reading is stable across Hebrew manuscripts and ancient versions.

Psalm 78:36 has served as a classic warning against hypocrisy in worship. Early Christian writers, including Augustine, cited it to contrast external observance with inner devotion, a theme echoed in the Reformation’s emphasis on faith versus works. The old English Psalter, preserved by Adam Clarke, paraphrased the verse as “they said they loved God, but they lied, as their deeds showed.” The Puritan tradition used this verse to probe the sincerity of conversion, asking whether prayers of desperation were true repentance or temporary flattery. Cross-references to Isaiah 29:13 and Ezekiel 33:31 have linked the verse to Jesus’ critique of lip-service in Matthew 15:8, 9. Across eras, it has been a mirror held before the worshiper: do our words match our hearts?

Three-point outline

1. Words without a changed heart. The people spoke well of God, called Him their Rock, and promised obedience, but their mouth ran ahead of their heart. Barnes calls it “hollow professions.”
2. The folly of trying to deceive God. Hebrew patah carries the idea of seduction or deception, as if God could be taken in by smooth talk. Gill is blunt: “He is not to be deceived, nor will he be mocked.”
3. God’s mercy in the face of hypocrisy. Verse 38 immediately pivots: “But he, being merciful, forgave their iniquity.” Our insincerity does not exhaust His patience. The gap between our confession and our condition meets only grace.

Five-point outline

1. Context: The wilderness cycle of sin, judgment, feigned repentance, relapse (vv. 32, 35).
2. Exposure: The flattery is exposed as a lie. The Hebrew kazav (to lie) means to fail, disappoint, or prove false.
3. The sin: It is not the words themselves that are wrong, they are theologically correct, but the separation between lip and life. The heart was “not right” (v. 37).
4. The warning: Cross-reference Isaiah 29:13; Ezekiel 33:31, words of devotion used to mask self-interest.
5. The gospel turn: Verse 38, God forgives anyway, not because the repentance was sincere, but because He is merciful. This points forward to a High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses.

Illustration hooks

• A person in a hospital bed promises God, “If You get me through this, I’ll serve You forever.” Months later, healthy, they forget the promise.
• A child caught misbehaving says “I’m sorry” to avoid punishment, then repeats the same behavior the next day.
• In a worship service, a person sings “I Surrender All” while holding tightly to a grudge or an addiction.

Questions your congregation is asking

• Does God accept my worship even when I feel half-hearted?
• How can I know if my repentance is genuine or just emotional flattery?
• What do I do when I realize my words to God have been hollow?

Psalm 78:36 stops us short. It describes people who said all the right things to God, they remembered Him, called Him their Rock, promised obedience, but their words were a cover for an unfaithful heart. This verse invites us to examine the distance between what we say to God and where our hearts actually live.

Discussion questions

1. Read Psalm 78:34, 39. What prompted the people’s “earnest” seeking (v. 34)? How does that context shape the meaning of verse 36?
2. The Hebrew verb patah can mean “to seduce, deceive, or persuade.” Which nuance do you think best fits this verse, and why?
3. Verse 37 says “their heart was not right with him.” How does the condition of the heart affect the value of our worship, according to Scripture?
4. Cross-reference Isaiah 29:13 and Ezekiel 33:31. What patterns do these verses share with Psalm 78:36? What do they suggest about God’s view of lip service?
5. Barnes writes that such professions “are often made in affliction” but “rarely founded in sincerity.” Why do you think suffering can produce either genuine repentance or hollow promises?
6. The very next verse (v. 38) says God forgave and didn’t destroy them. How does God’s mercy in this passage challenge or comfort you?
7. In what areas of your own life might you be tempted to “flatter God” with words while your heart holds back?