Psalm 64:3

3 who have sharpened their tongues as a sword; they have bent their bow maliciously;

Psalm 64:3 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 64:3

Who whet their tongue like a sword
Use cutting, wounding, killing, and devouring words; on which they set an edge, and make them keener and keener to hurt and ruin the characters and reputations of good men, and grieve and distress their minds;

[and] bend [their bows to shoot] their arrows, [even] bitter words;
such are the these doctrines of heretical men, which are roots of bitterness, that defile some and trouble others; such are the oaths and curses of profane sinners, whose mouths are full of cursing and bitterness; and such are the blasphemies of antichrist against God, against his tabernacle, and against them that dwell therein; and such are the hard speeches spoken by ungodly sinners against Christ and his people; these are like arrows shot from a bow, and full of deadly poison. The Targum is

``they stretch out their bows, they anoint their arrows with deadly and bitter poison.''

There seems to be an allusion to fixing letters in arrows, and so shooting or directing them where it was desired they should fall and be taken up; so Timoxenus and Artobazus sent letters to one another in this way, at the siege of Potidaea ^F1: and after the same manner, the Jews say ^F2, Shebna and Joab sent letters to Sennacherib, acquainting him that all Israel were willing to make peace with him; but Hezekiah and Isaiah would not allow them to.

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FOOTNOTES:

F1 Herodot. Urania, sive l. 8. c. 128.
F2 Derash R. Aba in Kimchi in Psal. xi. 2.

Psalm 64:3 In-Context

1 Hear my prayer, O God, when I make my petition to thee; deliver my soul from fear of the enemy.

2 Thou hast sheltered me from the conspiracy of them that do wickedly; from the multitude of them that work iniquity;

3 who have sharpened their tongues as a sword; they have bent their bow maliciously;

4 to shoot in secret at the blameless; they will shoot him suddenly, and will not fear.

5 They have set up for themselves an evil matter, they have given counsel to hide snares; they have said, Who shall see them?

6 They have searched out iniquity; they have wearied themselves with searching diligently, a man shall approach and the heart is deep,

7 and God shall be exalted, their wounds were caused by the weapon of the foolish children,

8 and their tongues have set him at nought, all that saw them were troubled;

9 and every man was alarmed, and they related the works of God, and understood his deeds.

10 The righteous shall rejoice in the Lord, and hope on him, and all the upright in heart shall be praised.