Psalms 55:21

Psalms 55:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
• New International Version (NIV)His talk is smooth as butter, yet war is in his heart; his words are more soothing than oil, yet they are drawn swords.
• English Standard Version (ESV)His speech was smooth as butter, yet war was in his heart; his words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
• New King James Version (NKJV)The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.

Context of Psalms 55:21

19God has always ruled everything as king. He will listen to me, and he will punish my enemies. Selah. They refuse to change their thoughts, and they do not respect God. 20But my friend has turned against his own friends. He has not been a true friend, as he promised to be. He speaks a message of peace, but he is really thinking about war. His words are easy to listen to, but they hurt like sharp knives. 22Take your problems to the Lord. He will take care of you. He will never let his own people fall. 23And as for wicked people, you, God, will send them to their graves. They will go down into the deep hole of death while they are still young. That is what will happen to those cruel people, who kill and cheat others. But I will trust in you, God.

Psalms 55:21 word by word

חָלְק֤וּ׀ מַחְמָאֹ֣ת פִּיו֮ וּֽקֲרָב־לִ֫בּ֥וֹ רַכּ֖וּ דְבָרָ֥יו מִשֶּׁ֗מֶן וְהֵ֣מָּה פְתִחֽוֹת׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• of his mouthפֶּהpeh · lip: wordH6310
• were smootherחָלַקchâlaq · to smoothH2505
• than butterמַחֲמָאֹתmachămâ'âh · butterH4260
• but warקְרָבqerâb · battleH7128
• in his heartלֵבlêb · heartH3820
• his wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
• were softerרָכַךְrâkak · be tenderH7401
• than oilשֶׁ֫מֶןshemen · oilH8081
• they drawn swordsפְּתִיחָהpethichâh · drawn swordH6609

Cross-references for Psalms 55:21

• Psalms 28:3Do not pull me away to punishment, as you do with wicked people. Those people do evil things. They say kind words to their friends, but really they want to hurt them.
• Psalms 57:4My enemies are all round me, like hungry lions! I must lie down among wild animals, that want to eat me! They are men who use spears and arrows to bite like teeth. They use their tongues to hurt people, like sharp swords.
• Psalms 62:4You only want to push me off my high place. You love to tell lies to deceive people. When you say words to bless people, you are cursing them in your thoughts. Selah.
• Psalms 64:3Their tongues are like sharp swords that hurt people. Their cruel words are like arrows that they shoot at people.
• Proverbs 5:3Do not listen to the words of an adulteress. She promises something as sweet as honey and as beautiful as olive oil.
• Proverbs 12:18If you speak in a careless way, you may hurt other people. But when wise people speak, it makes people feel well.
• Proverbs 26:24A hypocrite can say nice things to hide his thoughts, but he is still thinking about ways to hurt people.
• Matthew 26:25Judas was the one who would give Jesus to the Jewish leaders. But he said to Jesus, ‘Teacher, surely you do not mean me, do you?’ Jesus replied to him, ‘Yes, you have said it.’
• Luke 20:20So this is what they did to catch Jesus. They sent people to ask him difficult questions. These people pretended to be honest, but they wanted to deceive Jesus. They wanted to make him say something wrong. Then they would take him to the ruler of the city to punish him.
• John 13:2Jesus and his disciples were eating supper. The Devil had already put an idea into the mind of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son. The idea was to sell Jesus to his enemies.

Commentaries on Psalms 55:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21Were smoother than butter - He was a complete courtier, and a deep, designing hypocrite besides. His words were as soft as butter, and as smooth as oil, while he meditated war; and the fair words which were intended to deceive, were intended also to destroy: they were drawn swords. This is a literal description of the words and conduct of Absalom, as we learn from the inspired historian, 2 Samuel 15:2, etc. He was accustomed to wait at the gate; question…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21The words of his mouth were smoother than butter - Prof. Alexander renders this, “Smooth are the butterings of his mouth.” This is in accordance with the Hebrew, but the general meaning is well expressed in our common version. The idea is, that he was a hypocrite; that his professions of friendship were false; that he only used pleasant words - words expressive of friendship and love - to deceive and betray. We have a similar expression when we speak of…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-23Verses 16-23 In every trial let us call upon the Lord, and he will save us. He shall hear us, and not blame us for coming too often; the oftener the more welcome. David had thought all were against him; but now he sees there were many with him, more than he supposed; and the glory of this he gives to God, for it is he that raises us up friends, and makes them faithful to us. There are more true Christians, and believers have more real friends, than in…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 19-21God is good and faithful, but the psalmist’s enemies and so-called friend are deceitful and wicked.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. The treachery is aggravated by hypocrisy. The changes of number, Psa 55:15, 23, and here, enliven the picture, and imply that the chief traitor and his accomplices are in view together.Read the comment

Topics related to Psalms 55:21

• Falsehood
• Friends
• Hypocrisy
• Sincerity
• Words

In the dictionaries

• Counsel
• Equal
• Escape
• Hasted
• Neginoth
• Psalms
• Faint
• Oil
• Psalms, Book of
• Maschil

Commentaries on Psalms 55

• 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