Psalms 41:6

²Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.

⁵³As he said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be terribly angry, and to draw many things out of him, ⁵⁴lying in wait for him, and seeking to catch him in something he might say, that they might accuse him.

²⁴A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but he harbors evil in his heart. ²⁵When his speech is charming, don’t believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart. ²⁶His malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.

²⁰They watched him and sent out spies, who pretended to be righteous, that they might trap him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor. ²¹They asked him, “Teacher, we know that you say and teach what is right, and aren’t partial to anyone, but truly teach the way of God. ²²Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

²³But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, “Why do you test me?

¹⁰For I have heard the defaming of many: “Terror on every side! Denounce, and we will denounce him!” say all my familiar friends, those who watch for my fall. “Perhaps he will be persuaded, and we will prevail against him, and we will take our revenge on him.”

⁵Don’t trust in a neighbor. Don’t put confidence in a friend. With the woman lying in your embrace, be careful of the words of your mouth! ⁶For the son dishonors the father, the daughter rises up against her mother, the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies are the men of his own house. ⁷But as for me, I will look to the LORD. I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.

¹Now when it was reported to Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arabian, and to the rest of our enemies that I had built the wall, and that there was no breach left in it (though even to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates), ²Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come! Let’s meet together in the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they intended to harm me.

³I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I can’t come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and come down to you?”

⁴They sent to me four times like this; and I answered them the same way. ⁵Then Sanballat sent his servant to me the same way the fifth time with an open letter in his hand, ⁶in which was written, “It is reported among the nations, and Gashmu says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel. Because of that, you are building the wall. You would be their king, according to these words. ⁷You have also appointed prophets to proclaim of you at Jerusalem, saying, ‘There is a king in Judah!’ Now it will be reported to the king according to these words. Come now therefore, and let’s take counsel together.”

⁸Then I sent to him, saying, “There are no such things done as you say, but you imagine them out of your own heart.” ⁹For they all would have made us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened from the work, that it not be done.” But now, strengthen my hands.

¹⁰I went to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at his home; and he said, “Let us meet together in God’s house, within the temple, and let’s shut the doors of the temple; for they will come to kill you. Yes, in the night they will come to kill you.”

¹¹I said, “Should a man like me flee? Who is there that, being such as I, would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in.” ¹²I discerned, and behold, God had not sent him, but he pronounced this prophecy against me. Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. ¹³He was hired so that I would be afraid, do so, and sin, and that they might have material for an evil report, that they might reproach me. ¹⁴“Remember, my God, Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets that would have put me in fear.”

²⁶I have been in travels often, perils of rivers, perils of robbers, perils from my countrymen, perils from the Gentiles, perils in the city, perils in the wilderness, perils in the sea, perils among false brothers;

²⁷As for both these kings, their hearts will be to do evil, and they will speak lies at one table; but it won’t prosper, for the end will still be at the appointed time.