Psalms 64:3
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who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows,
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
This whole psalm has reference to David's enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; many such there were, and a great deal of trouble they gave him, almost all his days, so that we need not guess at any particular occasion of penning this psalm. I. He prays to God to preserve him from their malicious designs against him (Psa 64:1, Psa 64:2). II. He gives a very bad character of them, as men marked for ruin by their own wickedness (Psa 64:3-6). III. By the spirit of prophecy he foretels their destruction, which would redound to the glory of God and the encouragement of his people (Psa 64:7-10). In singing this psalm we must observe the effect of the old enmity that is in the seed of the woman against the seed of the serpent, and assure ourselves that the serpent's head will be broken, at last, to the honour and joy of the holy seed. To the chief musician. A psalm of David.
Open source ↗64:3 their tongues . . . bitter words: Liars use their speech to kill. This description might also refer to practicing magic.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
Cross-references
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May they vanish like water that runs off; when they draw the bow, may their arrows be blunted.
“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.
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.
No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their vindication is from Me,” declares the LORD.
Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
For behold, the wicked bend their bows. They set their arrow on the string to shoot from the shadows at the upright in heart.
there is a generation whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are knives, devouring the oppressed from the earth and the needy from among men.