Psalm 140:3

3 They ¹sharpen their tongues as a serpent; ²Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.

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).

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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 evil men; Preserve me from violent men

2 Who devise evil things in their hearts; They continually stir up wars.

3 They sharpen their tongues as a serpent; Poison of a viper is under their lips. Selah.

4 Keep me, O LORD , from the hands of the wicked; Preserve me from violent men Who have purposed to trip up my feet.

5 The proud have hidden a trap for me, and cords; They have spread a net by the wayside; They have set snares for me. Selah.

Cross References

• 1. Psalms 57:4; Psalms 64:3
• 2. Psalms 58:4; Romans 3:13; James 3:8

Footnotes

• [a] "Selah" may mean: "Pause, Crescendo" or "Musical interlude"