Christian Standard Bible
Psalms 120:4
4A warrior’s sharp arrows with burning charcoal!
Psalms 120:4 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
- New International Version (NIV)He will punish you with a warrior’s sharp arrows, with burning coals of the broom bush.
- English Standard Version (ESV)A warrior's sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
- New King James Version (NKJV)Sharp arrows of the warrior, With coals of the broom tree!
Context of Psalms 120:4
2“Lord, rescue me from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.” 3What will he give you, and what will he do to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior’s sharp arrows with burning charcoal! 5What misery that I have stayed in Meshech, that I have lived among the tents of Kedar! 6I have dwelt too long with those who hate peace.
Read all of Psalms 120Psalms 120:4 word by word
חִצֵּ֣י גִבּ֣וֹר שְׁנוּנִ֑ים עִ֝֗ם גַּחֲלֵ֥י רְתָמִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 120:4
- Psalms 57:4I am surrounded by lions; I lie down among devouring lions — people whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
- Psalms 59:7Look, they spew from their mouths — sharp words from their lips. “For who,” they say, “will hear?”
- Proverbs 11:9With his mouth the ungodly destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous are rescued.
- Proverbs 16:27A worthless person digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
- Proverbs 18:8A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being.
- James 3:5So too, though the tongue is a small part of the body, it boasts great things. Consider how a small fire sets ablaze a large forest.
- Psalms 7:13He has prepared his deadly weapons; he tips his arrows with fire.
- Psalms 52:5This is why God will bring you down forever. He will take you, ripping you out of your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living.Selah
- Psalms 140:9When those who surround me rise up, may the trouble their lips cause overwhelm them.
- Deuteronomy 32:23“I will pile disasters on them; I will use up my arrows against them.
- Proverbs 12:22Lying lips are detestable to the Lord, but faithful people are his delight.
- Proverbs 19:5A false witness will not go unpunished, and one who utters lies will not escape.
- Revelation 21:8But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars — their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”
Commentaries on Psalms 120:4
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 4Sharp arrows - The Chaldee has, "The strong, sharp arrows are like lightning from above, with coals of juniper kindled in hell beneath." On the juniper, see the note on Job 30:4, where this passage is explained. Fiery arrows, or arrows wrapped about with inflamed combustibles, were formerly used in sieges to set the places on fire. See my notes on Ephesians 6:16; (note).Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 4Sharp arrows of the mighty - This is an answer to the question in Psalm 120:3. The consequence - the effect - of such a use of the tongue must be like sharp and piercing arrows, or like intensely burning coals. The “sharp arrows of the mighty” are the arrows of the warrior - as war was conducted mainly by bows and arrows. Those arrows were, of course, sharpened to make them piercing, penetrating, more deadly. With coals of juniper - On the word here…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 3-4The psalmist speaks with the liars around him. He feels confident that the Lord will judge them. The Divine Warrior (see Psalms 7:12–13; 11:4–6) will attack the liars with sharp arrows and burning coals.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 44. Sharp arrows of the mighty--destructive inflictions. coals of juniper--which retain heat long. This verse may be read as a description of the wicked, but better as their punishment, in reply to the question of Psa 120:3.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 120:4
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 120
- 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
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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