The Flatterer's Mouth: How Praise Becomes Ruin

Solomon identifies flattery as "a mouth that flatters"—mere appearance without sincerity, fair semblance masking falsehood. The flatterer operates with calculated self-interest, stripping the novice he has coaxed and living upon the deceived. Flattery manifests in two forms: self-flattery and flattery from others, each potentially hellish, revengeful, servile, or covetous in its character.

The love of being flattered is a disease of human nature—an immoderate desire for praise that corrupts judgment. When this craving prevails, we believe the flatterer's words, valuing ourselves by their false affirmation. We become pleased to hear great things ascribed to us which we never performed, or performed far below their exaggerated report.

Yet this undue praise proves pernicious. It destroys virtuous principles, natural inclinations toward good, estates, reputation, safety, and ultimately the soul's happiness. The flatterer attacks where men are naturally most assailable—at the vulnerable points of pride and vanity—gaining mastery before executing ruin.

Cure requires recognizing flattery's opposition to Yahweh's truth. Reject friendships that transform legitimate praise into deception. Cultivate a humble frame of heart, understanding that undue love of man's praise constitutes sacrilegious robbery of Elohim's glory. The strong expression "worketh ruin" is not hyperbolic; experience justifies it fully, even destroying the most admirable characters when they surrender to the flatterer's artifice.