New International Version
Psalms 52:2
2You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor.
Psalms 52:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Your tongue devises destruction, Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
- New Living Translation (NLT)All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies.
Context of Psalms 52:2
1Why do you boast of evil, you mighty hero? Why do you boast all day long, you who are a disgrace in the eyes of God? You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor. 3You love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. 4You love every harmful word, you deceitful tongue!
Read all of Psalms 52Psalms 52:2 word by word
הַ֭וּוֹת תַּחְשֹׁ֣ב לְשׁוֹנֶ֑ךָ כְּתַ֥עַר מְ֝לֻטָּ֗שׁ עֹשֵׂ֥ה רְמִיָּֽה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Psalms 52:2
- Psalms 50:19You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit.
- Psalms 64:2Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers.
- Psalms 140:2who devise evil plans in their hearts and stir up war every day.
- Proverbs 6:16There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
- Proverbs 30:14those whose teeth are swords and whose jaws are set with knives to devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among mankind.
- Jeremiah 9:3“They make ready their tongue like a bow, to shoot lies; it is not by truth that they triumph in the land. They go from one sin to another; they do not acknowledge me,” declares the Lord.
- Jeremiah 18:18They said, “Come, let’s make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not cease, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let’s attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says.”
- Matthew 26:59The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death.
- Acts 6:11Then they secretly persuaded some men to say, “We have heard Stephen speak blasphemous words against Moses and against God.”
- Acts 24:1Five days later the high priest Ananias went down to Caesarea with some of the elders and a lawyer named Tertullus, and they brought their charges against Paul before the governor.
- Revelation 12:10Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.
- Psalms 57:4I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts— men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
- Psalms 59:7See what they spew from their mouths— the words from their lips are sharp as swords, and they think, “Who can hear us?”
- Proverbs 12:18The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
- Proverbs 18:21The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
- Psalms 109:2for people who are wicked and deceitful have opened their mouths against me; they have spoken against me with lying tongues.
Commentaries on Psalms 52:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Deviseth mischiefs - Lies and slanders proceeding from the tongue argue the desperate wickedness of the heart. Like a sharp razor, working deceitfully - Which instead of taking off the beard, cuts and wounds the flesh; or as the operator who, when pretending to trim the beard, cuts the throat.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs - The word rendered “mischiefs” means (a) desire, cupidity: Proverbs 10:3; then (b) fall, ruin, destruction, wickedness: Psalm 5:9; Psalm 38:12. The meaning here is, that he made use of his tongue to ruin others. Compare Psalm 50:19. The particular thing referred to here is the fact that Doeg sought the ruin of others by giving “information” in regard to them. He “informed” Saul of what Ahimelech had done; he informed him…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-4Liars deceive themselves by thinking they can be heroes with their words. They see themselves as innocent, even though they love evil and cause harm. Those who speak curses, sarcasm, bitterness, arrogant boasting, and lies (Psalms 31:18; 34:13; 59:7, 12; 120:2–3; 140:3, 9) create chaos, isolation, and destruction (James 3:5). Their sharp words cut like swords and daggers (Psalms 55:21; 57:4; 64:3), the fangs of a snake (140:3), or a razor.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. tongue--for self. mischiefs--evil to others (Psa 5:9; 38:12). working deceitfully--(Psa 10:7), as a keen, smoothly moving razor, cutting quietly, but deeply.Read the comment
Topics related to Psalms 52:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Psalms 52
- 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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