Amplified Bible
Psalms 64:3
3Who have sharpened their tongues like a sword. They aim venomous words as arrows,
Psalms 64:3 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
- New International Version (NIV)They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.
- English Standard Version (ESV)who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows,
- New King James Version (NKJV)Who sharpen their tongue like a sword, And bend their bows to shoot their arrows—bitter words,
Context of Psalms 64:3
1Hear my voice, O God, in my complaint; Guard my life from the terror of the enemy. 2Hide me from the secret counsel and conspiracy of the ungodly, From the scheming of those who do wrong, Who have sharpened their tongues like a sword. They aim venomous words as arrows, 4To shoot from ambush at the blameless [one]; Suddenly they shoot at him, without fear. 5They encourage themselves in [their pursuit of] an evil agenda; They talk of laying snares secretly; They say, “Who will discover us?”
Read all of Psalms 64Psalms 64:3 word by word
אֲשֶׁ֤ר שָׁנְנ֣וּ כַחֶ֣רֶב לְשׁוֹנָ֑ם דָּרְכ֥וּ חִ֝צָּ֗ם דָּבָ֥ר מָֽר׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 64:3
- Psalms 57:4My life is among lions; I must lie among those who breathe out fire— The sons of men whose teeth are spears and arrows, And their tongue a sharp sword.
- Proverbs 12:18There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, But the tongue of the wise brings healing.
- Proverbs 30:14There is a generation (class of people) whose teeth are like swords And whose jaw teeth are like knives, To devour the afflicted from the earth And the needy from among men.
- Isaiah 54:17No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And this is their vindication from Me,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 9:3“They bend their tongue like their bow; [Their] lies and not truth prevail and grow strong in the land; For they proceed from evil to evil, And they do not know and understand and acknowledge Me,” says the Lord.
- James 3:6And the tongue is [in a sense] a fire, the very world of injustice and unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our members as that which contaminates the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life [the cycle of man’s existence], and is itself set on fire by hell (Gehenna).
- Psalms 11:2For look, the wicked are bending the bow; They take aim with their arrow on the string To shoot [by stealth] in darkness at the upright in heart.
- Psalms 58:7Let them flow away like water that runs off; When he aims his arrows, let them be as headless shafts.
Commentaries on Psalms 64:3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 3Who whet their tongue like a sword - They devise the evil they shall speak, and meditate on the most provoking, injurious, and defamatory words; as the soldier whets his sword that he may thereby the better cut down his enemies. Their arrows - bitter words - Their defamatory sayings are here represented as deadly as poisoned arrows; for to such is the allusion here made.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3Who whet their tongue like a sword - Who sharpen their tongue; that is, they utter words that will cut deep, or penetrate the soul. The idea is that of slander or reproach - the same idea which we have in Shakespeare (Cymbeline): “Tis slander; Whose edge is sharper than the sword.” This comparison is a favorite one with David. Compare Psalm 52:2; Psalm 57:4; Psalm 59:7. And bend their bows - That is, they prepare for this - as they make ready to shoot…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3their tongues … bitter words: Liars use their words to harm others. This description might also refer to practicing magic.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 3-43-4. Similar figures for slander (Psa 57:4; 59:7). bend--literally, "tread," or, "prepared." The allusion is to the mode of bending a bow by treading on it; here, and in Psa 58:7, transferred to arrows.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 64:3
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 64
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- The Treasury of David
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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