Psa 120:7 I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.

There are fifteen Psalms (Psalms 120-134) entitled “A Song of Degrees”, or ascents. This is the first of the “Songs of Degrees.” It has been suggested that they were pilgrim-songs designed for the use of the people when they go up to Jerusalem on the great annual feasts. In this psalm, the psalmist finds himself living among men of lying lips (v.2, 3). They were quarrelsome people. Their tongues were like sharp arrow, piercing and hurting (v.4). The psalmist identifies them as people of Mesech and Kedar (v.5). The psalmist wants to live in peace but he laments that he has long live among people who hate it (v.6). He says every time he speaks peacefully to them, the people of Mesech and Kedar turn it into a war (v.7). Probably they have everything negative to say and criticise about everything he says. Even his kindest words appear to provoke them, and they are at daggers drawn at once; nothing pleases them. But when I speak, they are for war - The general history bears out this statement. We recall that when the Jews returned from the Captivity and began to build the temple, the Samaritans mocked at them saying: “What do these feeble Jews? Will they fortify themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they make an end in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? ….Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall” (Nehemiah 4:2, 3). The Jews returned to their homeland peaceably and minding their own business. But the Samaritans did not want to live in peace and continue to trouble them. It is commonly said: “If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all.” In this day and age, many have forgotten the saying quoted above. Social media leaves a lot of people to believe that their opinions and feelings should be blasted at everyone and everything. They care little if their opinions and comments are correct, valid, true, good, beneficial, or necessary; they are immaterial to them. They simply need to get it off their chests. Many people want peace. But they have to live in places where some people want war. Nice people do not write and post nasty things on the net. And I believe majority falls into the nice people category. But some people out there just want war. The peace-loving psalmist describes himself as stunned by the noise and quarrelsomeness of those around him: "I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war". Some people are simply out there to cause trouble to peace loving people. The Scripture says if we want peace we must be actively pursuing it (1 Peter 3:11). Words kill more people than all the bombs that had been thrown during the world wars. Today there is a new sin called Cyberbullying. Cyberbullying, also known as online bullying, is bullying using electronic means. It is when someone, typically teens, bully or harass others on social media sites. Cyberbullying behavior includes posting rumors, threats, sexual remarks, a victim’s personal information, harassment, and hate speech. Victims are usually people who have low self-esteem, timid, small in size and emotionally unstable. They become scared, frustrated, angry, and depressed, and exhibit suicidal thoughts. Tragic happens when a victim actually commits suicide. Be careful what you post on the internet. We are commanded to “live peaceably with all men” (Romans 12:11). We are not to “begin” or to “originate” a quarrel. As Christians, we need to be careful with our words: “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6). May our words be for peace.