Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s; the poison of vipers is on their lips. New Living Translation Their tongues sting like a snake; the venom of a viper drips from their lips. Interlude English Standard Version They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah Berean Standard Bible They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah King James Bible They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. New King James Version They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; The poison of asps is under their lips. Selah New American Standard Bible They sharpen their tongues like a snake; The venom of a viper is under their lips. Selah NASB 1995 They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah. NASB 1977 They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah. Legacy Standard Bible They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; Poison of an asp is under their lips. Selah. Amplified Bible They sharpen their tongues like a serpent’s; Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah. Christian Standard Bible They make their tongues as sharp as a snake’s bite; viper’s venom is under their lips. Selah Holman Christian Standard Bible They make their tongues as sharp as a snake’s bite; viper’s venom is under their lips. Selah American Standard Version They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; Adders' poison is under their lips. [Selah Contemporary English Version Their words bite deep like the poisonous fangs of a snake. English Revised Version They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah GOD'S WORD® Translation They make their tongues as sharp as a snake's [fang]. Their lips hide the venom of poisonous snakes. [Selah] Good News Translation Their tongues are like deadly snakes; their words are like a cobra's poison. International Standard Version They sharpen their tongues like a serpent; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Interlude Majority Standard Bible They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah NET Bible Their tongues wound like a serpent; a viper's venom is behind their lips. (Selah) New Heart English Bible They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper's poison is under their lips. Selah. Webster's Bible Translation They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adder's poison is under their lips. Selah. World English Bible They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionThey sharpened their tongue as a serpent, "" Poison of a viper [is] under their lips. Selah. Young's Literal Translation They sharpened their tongue as a serpent, Poison of an adder is under their lips. Selah. Smith's Literal Translation They sharpened their tongue as a serpent; the poison of asps under their lips. Silence, Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleThey have sharpened their tongues like a serpent: the venom of saps is under their lips. Catholic Public Domain Version New American Bible Who sharpen their tongue like a serpent, venom of asps upon their lips. Selah New Revised Standard Version They make their tongue sharp as a snake’s, and under their lips is the venom of vipers. Selah Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleThey have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated Who have sharpened their tongues like a snake and the venom of an asp is under their lips. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917They have sharpened their tongue like a serpent; Vipers' venom is under their lips. Selah Brenton Septuagint Translation They have sharpened their tongue as the tongue of a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips. Pause. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Rescue Me, O LORD, From Evil Men…2who devise evil in their hearts and stir up war all day long. 3They sharpen their tongues like snakes; the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah 4Guard me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked. Keep me safe from men of violence who scheme to make me stumble.… Cross References Romans 3:13 “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The venom of vipers is on their lips.” James 3:8 but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. Proverbs 12:18 Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Jeremiah 9:3 “They bend their tongues like bows; lies prevail over truth in the land. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not take Me into account,” declares the LORD. Isaiah 59:3 For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice. Matthew 12:34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. Ephesians 4:29 Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building up the one in need and bringing grace to those who listen. Proverbs 15:4 A soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. Psalm 10:7 His mouth is full of cursing, deceit, and violence; trouble and malice are under his tongue. 1 Peter 3:10 For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. Proverbs 18:21 Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Psalm 64:3 who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows, Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress. Colossians 3:8 But now you must put aside all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Psalm 57:4 My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts—with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Treasury of Scripture They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah. sharpened Psalm 52:2,3 Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp rasor, working deceitfully… Psalm 57:4 My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Psalm 59:7 Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear? like a serpent Genesis 3:13 And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat. Proverbs 23:32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. Matthew 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. adders Psalm 58:4 Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear; Romans 3:13,14 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: … Jump to Previous Adder Adders Adder's Lips Poison Selah Serpent Serpent's Sharp Sharpen Sharpened Snake Snakes Tongue Tongues Venom Viper Vipers Viper'sJump to Next Adder Adders Adder's Lips Poison Selah Serpent Serpent's Sharp Sharpen Sharpened Snake Snakes Tongue Tongues Venom Viper Vipers Viper'sPsalm 140 1. David prays to be delivered from Saul and Doeg8. He prays against them 12. He comforts himself by confidence in God They sharpen their tongues like snakes; This phrase uses the imagery of a snake to describe the malicious intent and deceitful speech of the wicked. In biblical times, snakes were often associated with danger and cunning, as seen in Genesis 3 with the serpent in the Garden of Eden. The sharpening of tongues suggests a deliberate preparation to harm others through words, much like a weapon being honed for battle. This metaphor highlights the destructive power of speech, a theme echoed in James 3:8, where the tongue is described as "a restless evil, full of deadly poison." The comparison to snakes also evokes the idea of hidden threats, as snakes often strike unexpectedly, paralleling the deceitful nature of those who use their words to harm. the venom of vipers is on their lips. Selah Persons / Places / Events 1. DavidTraditionally attributed as the author of this psalm, David often wrote about his experiences with adversaries and his reliance on God for deliverance. 2. Enemies of David The psalm speaks to the malicious intent and deceitful speech of those who opposed David, often representing broader themes of evil and unrighteousness. 3. Snakes and Vipers Symbolic of deceit and danger, these creatures are used metaphorically to describe the harmful and poisonous nature of the enemies' words. Teaching Points The Power of WordsWords can be as harmful as physical weapons. We must be mindful of how we speak to and about others. Guarding Our Speech As believers, we are called to speak truth and life, avoiding deceit and malice. Recognizing Spiritual Warfare The imagery of snakes and vipers reminds us of the spiritual battle we face, where words can be used by the enemy to sow discord and harm. Seeking God's Protection Like David, we should seek God's protection and wisdom in dealing with those who use their words to harm. Reflecting Christ in Our Speech Our words should reflect the love and truth of Christ, serving as a testimony to our faith.(3) Comp. Psalm 64:3; Psalm 58:4; Psalm 52:2; Psalm 10:7. Adders.--The Hebrew word is peculiar to this place, and is explained by Gesenius to be a compound of two words, to represent "that which rolls itself up and lies in ambush." "Besides the cobra and the cerastes, several other species of venomous snakes are common in Syria, and we may apply the name, either generically or specifically, to the vipers. Two species, Vipera ammodytes and Vipera euphratica, we found to be very common. The former of these was known to Linnaeus as inhabiting Palestine. They are plainlycoloured serpents, with broad flat heads and suddenly-contracting tails" (Tristram, Nat. Hist. of the Bible, p. 275). The LXX. and Vulg. read "asp." (Comp. Romans 3:13.) . . . Verse 3. - They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent (comp. Psalm 52:2; Psalm 57:4; Psalm 59:7; Psalm 64:3). Adders' poison is under their lips (comp. Psalm 58:4; Romans 3:15). The meaning is that their tongues inflict wounds which are as painful as poisoned wounds. The pause-sign, "selah," marks off the first stanza.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew They make their tonguesלְשׁוֹנָם֮ (lə·šō·w·nām) Noun - common singular construct | third person masculine plural Strong's 3956: The tongue as sharp שָֽׁנֲנ֣וּ (šā·nă·nū) Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 8150: To point, to pierce, to inculcate as כְּֽמוֹ־ (kə·mōw-) Preposition Strong's 3644: Like, as, when serpents; נָ֫חָ֥שׁ (nā·ḥāš) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5175: A serpent the venom חֲמַ֥ת (ḥă·maṯ) Noun - feminine singular construct Strong's 2534: Heat, anger, poison of vipers עַכְשׁ֑וּב (‘aḵ·šūḇ) Noun - masculine singular Strong's 5919: Asp, viper is on תַּ֖חַת (ta·ḥaṯ) Preposition Strong's 8478: The bottom, below, in lieu of their lips. שְׂפָתֵ֣ימוֹ (śə·p̄ā·ṯê·mōw) Noun - fdc | third person masculine plural Strong's 8193: The lip, language, a margin Selah סֶֽלָה׃ (se·lāh) Interjection Strong's 5542: Suspension, pause Links Psalm 140:3 NIVPsalm 140:3 NLT Psalm 140:3 ESV Psalm 140:3 NASB Psalm 140:3 KJV Psalm 140:3 BibleApps.com Psalm 140:3 Biblia Paralela Psalm 140:3 Chinese Bible Psalm 140:3 French Bible Psalm 140:3 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Psalm 140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like (Psalm Ps Psa.) |
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