New Living Translation
Psalms 52:2
2All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies.
Psalms 52:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
- New International Version (NIV)You who practice deceit, your tongue plots destruction; it is like a sharpened razor.
- 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.
Context of Psalms 52:2
1Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior? Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever? All day long you plot destruction. Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor; you’re an expert at telling lies. 3You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. Interlude 4You love to destroy others with your words, you liar!
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 50:19Your mouth is filled with wickedness, and your tongue is full of lies.
- Psalms 64:2Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers.
- Psalms 140:2those who plot evil in their hearts and stir up trouble all day long.
- Proverbs 6:16There are six things the Lord hates— no, seven things he detests:
- Proverbs 30:14They have teeth like swords and fangs like knives. They devour the poor from the earth and the needy from among humanity.
- Jeremiah 9:3“My people bend their tongues like bows to shoot out lies. They refuse to stand up for the truth. They only go from bad to worse. They do not know me,” says the Lord.
- Jeremiah 18:18Then the people said, “Come on, let’s plot a way to stop Jeremiah. We have plenty of priests and wise men and prophets. We don’t need him to teach the word and give us advice and prophecies. Let’s spread rumors about him and ignore what he says.”
- Matthew 26:59Inside, the leading priests and the entire high council were trying to find witnesses who would lie about Jesus, so they could put him to death.
- Acts 6:11So they persuaded some men to lie about Stephen, saying, “We heard him blaspheme Moses, and even God.”
- Acts 24:1Five days later Ananias, the high priest, arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case against Paul to the governor.
- Revelation 12:10Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
- Psalms 57:4I am surrounded by fierce lions who greedily devour human prey— whose teeth pierce like spears and arrows, and whose tongues cut like swords.
- Psalms 59:7Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths; their words cut like swords. “After all, who can hear us?” they sneer.
- Proverbs 12:18Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing.
- Proverbs 18:21The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
- Psalms 109:2while the wicked slander me and tell lies about me.
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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