Psalm 140:3

3 They have sharpened their tongue as the tongue of a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips. Pause.

Psalm 140:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 140:3

They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent
Which Kimchi says it does before it bites. Aristotle ^F9 observes, that the tip or extreme point of a serpent's tongue is as small as a hair, and so exceeding sharp and piercing. Arama interprets this of the sharpness and cunning of the serpent; and particularly the serpent that deceived Eve, and spake cunningly to her. "For God knoweth" and may design the calumnies and detractions, which were sharp as a razor; as swords, and spears, and arrows, and as the tongue of a serpent, ( Psalms 57:4 ) ( 64:3 ) ; and the subtlety of false teachers, and deceitful workers; and the sharp and cutting words of wicked men against Christ and his people, ( Jude 1:15 ) ; adder's poison is under their lips;
which may signify the malignity of sin in wicked men, which comes from the old serpent the devil; is latent in men; very infectious, like poison, and deadly and incurable, but by the grace of God, and blood of Christ: and may describe particularly the mischief of the tongue, which is a little member, as the asp is a little creature; but very mischievous, full of deadly poison, which lurks in it, lies under it, and which spitting out, it stupifies and kills insensibly; as do the calumnies of wicked men, and the doctrines of false teachers; see ( Romans 3:13 ) . The Targum is,

``the poison of the spider;''

though it is said ^F11 the spider is not venomous. Selah; on this word, (See Gill on Psalms 3:2).

---

FOOTNOTES:

F9 Hist. Animal. l. 2. c. 17.
F11 Philosoph. Transact. abridged, vol. 2. p. 800. & vol. 5. par. 1. p. 24.

Psalm 140:3 In-Context

1 Rescue me, O Lord, from the evil man; deliver me from the unjust man.

2 Who have devised injustice in their hearts; all the day they prepared war.

3 They have sharpened their tongue as the tongue of a serpent; the poison of asps is under their lips. Pause.

4 Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the sinner; rescue me from unjust men; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and have stretched out ropes for snares for my feet; they set a stumbling-block for me near the path. Pause.

6 I said to the Lord, Thou art my God; hearken, O Lord, to the voice of my supplication.

7 O Lord God, the strength of my salvation; thou hast screened my head in the day of battle.

8 Deliver me not, O Lord, to the sinner, according to my desire: they have devised mischief against me; forsake me not, lest they should be exalted. Pause.

9 As for the head of them that compass me, the mischief of their lips shall cover them.

10 Coals of fire shall fall upon them on the earth; and thou shalt cast them down in afflictions: they shall not bear up under them.

11 A talkative man shall not prosper on the earth: evils shall hunt the unrighteous man to destruction.

12 I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the poor, and the right of the needy ones.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.