English Standard Version
Psalms 120:4
4A warrior's sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree!
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.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Sharp arrows of the warrior, With coals of the broom tree!
- New Living Translation (NLT)You will be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals.
Context of Psalms 120:4
2Deliver me, O Lord, from lying lips, from a deceitful tongue. 3What shall be given to you, and what more shall be done to you, you deceitful tongue? A warrior's sharp arrows, with glowing coals of the broom tree! 5Woe to me, that I sojourn in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! 6Too long have I had my dwelling among 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 57:4My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts— the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
- Psalms 59:7There they are, bellowing with their mouths with swords in their lips— for "Who," they think, "will hear us?"
- Proverbs 11:9With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
- Proverbs 16:27A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
- Proverbs 18:8The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
- James 3:5So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
- Psalms 7:13he has prepared for him his deadly weapons, making his arrows fiery shafts.
- Psalms 52:5But God will break you down forever; he will snatch and tear you from your tent; he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
- Psalms 140:9As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
- Deuteronomy 32:23"'And I will heap disasters upon them; I will spend my arrows on them;
- Proverbs 12:22Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are his delight.
- Proverbs 19:5A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who breathes out lies will not escape.
- Revelation 21:8But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion 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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries