New English Translation
Psalms 120:4
4Here’s how! With the sharp arrows of warriors, with arrowheads forged over the hot coals.
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
2I said, “O Lord, rescue me from those who lie with their lips and those who deceive with their tongue. 3How will he severely punish you, you deceptive talker? Here’s how! With the sharp arrows of warriors, with arrowheads forged over the hot coals. 5How miserable I am! For I have lived temporarily in Meshech; I have resided among the tents of Kedar. 6For too long I have had to reside 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 those who want to devour me; men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are a sharp sword.
- Psalms 59:7Look, they hurl insults at me and openly threaten to kill me, for they say, “Who hears?”
- Proverbs 11:9With his speech the godless person destroys his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous will be delivered.
- Proverbs 16:27A wicked scoundrel digs up evil, and his slander is like a scorching fire.
- Proverbs 18:8The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down into the person’s innermost being.
- James 3:5So too the tongue is a small part of the body, yet it has great pretensions. Think how small a flame sets a huge forest ablaze.
- Psalms 7:13He prepares to use deadly weapons against him; he gets ready to shoot flaming arrows.
- Psalms 52:5Yet God will make you a permanent heap of ruins. He will scoop you up and remove you from your home; he will uproot you from the land of the living. (Selah)
- Psalms 140:9As for the heads of those who surround me – may the harm done by their lips overwhelm them!
- Deuteronomy 32:23I will increase their disasters, I will use up my arrows on them.
- Proverbs 12:22The Lord abhors a person who lies, but those who deal truthfully are his delight.
- Proverbs 19:5A false witness will not go unpunished, and the one who spouts out lies will not escape punishment.
- Revelation 21:8But to the cowards, unbelievers, detestable persons, murderers, the sexually immoral, and those who practice magic spells, idol worshipers, and all those who lie, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. That 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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