“But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.”
My Notes
What Does Psalms 63:11 Mean?
David contrasts two destinies: the king will rejoice in God and those who swear by Him will glory, while the mouth of liars will be stopped. The word "stopped" (sakhar) means to be shut, closed, blocked—the liars who have been speaking freely will finally be silenced. Their stream of deception will be dammed.
The phrase "every one that sweareth by him" refers to those who take oaths in God's name—people who have committed their loyalty to God and live under His authority. They "shall glory," meaning they will celebrate and be vindicated. Their allegiance to God, which may have been mocked during David's exile, will be proven right.
The threefold outcome—the king rejoices, the faithful glory, the liars are silenced—creates a comprehensive picture of divine justice. Everyone gets what their choices deserve. Those who aligned with God's purposes find joy and vindication. Those who spoke lies find their mouths closed. The world as it ought to be finally arrives.
Reflection Questions
- 1.Have you ever been lied about? How did you handle the gap between the false narrative and the truth?
- 2.What does it look like to trust God to silence liars rather than trying to defend yourself?
- 3.How do you maintain your commitment to truth when lying seems to be 'winning'?
- 4.When the mouths of liars are finally stopped, what does vindication look like for the people who stayed faithful?
Devotional
"The mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped." If you've ever been lied about—if someone has spread false stories, twisted your words, or constructed a narrative that bears no resemblance to the truth—this verse promises an ending. The mouth that spoke those lies will be stopped. Not by you. By God.
Waiting for liars to be silenced is one of the hardest exercises of faith. Lies travel fast, and the damage they cause often outpaces any correction you can offer. You can't out-speak someone who's willing to say anything. You can't out-argue someone who isn't constrained by truth. But you can trust that God stops mouths. He shuts down deception on His timeline, not yours.
The parallel outcome is worth celebrating: those who are faithful—who "sweareth by Him"—will glory. Your alignment with God isn't wasted. Your commitment to truth when it's costly isn't unnoticed. The day is coming when the faithful are vindicated and the liars are silenced. Both happen. Both are certain.
In the meantime, your job isn't to silence the liars yourself. Your job is to keep swearing by Him—to keep your allegiance to God and to truth, regardless of what's being said about you. The king shall rejoice in God. Be the person who, when the lies are finally stopped, has nothing to be ashamed of.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
But the king shall rejoice in God,.... Not Saul, as R. Obadiah; as if David wished him well, and that he might have…
But the king shall rejoice in God - This passage, as was remarked in the Introduction to the psalm, shows that this…
David, having expressed his desires towards God and his praises of him, here expresses his confidence in him and his…
But the king The connexion is unintelligible unless the king is identified with the Psalmist, whose enemies are…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture