Psalm 116 (11 of 19 notes)

11. I said in my haste, all men are liars. All men will prove to be liars if we unduly trust in them; some from want of truthfulness, and others from want of power. But it is clear that the psalmist did not justify his own language, but considered it as the ebullition of a hasty temper. He had no right to distrust all men, for many of them are honest, truthful, and conscientious; there are faithful friends and loyal adherents yet alive; and if sometimes they disappoint us, we ought not to call them liars for failing when the failure arises entirely from want of power, and not from lack of will. Under great affliction our temptation will be to form hasty judgments of our fellow-men, and knowing this to be the case we ought carefully to watch our spirit, and to keep the door of our lips. The psalmist had believed, and therefore he spoke; he had doubted, and therefore he spoke in haste. He believed, and therefore he rightly prayed to God; he disbelieved, and therefore he wrongfully accused mankind. Speaking in haste is generally followed by bitter repentance. It is much better to be quiet when our spirit is disturbed and hasty, for it is so much easier to say than to unsay.