Psalms 140:3
They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The verse highlights that the venom isn't just on their lips, but under them, suggesting a hidden, ready-to-strike malice that lies in wait. This isn't just careless speech; it's a deliberate, potent danger coiled and prepared to infect.
David is crying out to God for deliverance from malicious people who are actively plotting against him, not just with physical violence, but with destructive words. These adversaries are compared to serpents whose tongues are sharpened for biting and whose lips conceal deadly venom, representing their deceitful and harmful speech. The psalm continues with David's plea for God's protection against these wicked schemes and traps.
Ever felt like someone's words were like daggers? This verse paints a picture of speech so sharp and deadly it's compared to a serpent's bite.
The psalmist uses powerful imagery to describe the destructive nature of wicked words.
Sharpened for Destruction
The phrase "sharpened their tongues" suggests deliberate, practiced malice. It's not accidental speech, but words honed and prepared to inflict pain, lies, and slander. Think of it like a weapon being meticulously sharpened before battle.
Hidden Venom
"Adders' poison is under their lips" reveals that the danger isn't always obvious. Like a serpent whose venom is concealed until it strikes, these words carry a deadly, hidden malice. The intent is not just to hurt, but to poison and destroy the victim's reputation, relationships, or well-being.
The comparison to a serpent isn't just about the poison; it’s about the cunning and deceptive nature of the attack.
The imagery of the serpent points to a deeper level of deceit at play.
Cunning and Subtlety
Commentators note that a serpent's tongue can be seen as sharp and piercing, used with cunning to deceive, much like the serpent in Genesis 3 that subtly misled Eve. This implies that destructive words are often delivered with a calculated cleverness, making them hard to detect until the damage is done.
Malice from the Heart
This isn't just about careless talk; it's rooted in the heart. The 'poison' comes from a place of deep-seated malice and a desire to overthrow or harm others. The words are the outward expression of inward wickedness, designed to 'overthrow my goings,' as the psalmist says in verse 4.
Understand the original words
lashon · Hebrew Noun
The primary organ of speech, used in Scripture to manifest the inner state of a person. It is frequently associated with the power to either bless or curse, heal or destroy, reflecting the righteousness or wickedness of the speaker.
The psalmist's vivid imagery of a serpent's venom reflects the deep sense of betrayal and the perilous atmosphere of slander and intrigue prevalent during periods of political instability in ancient Israel, from David's court to the exilic era.
c. 1000 BC— this verse
Reign of King David
The Psalmist, traditionally David, lived during a period of political intrigue and personal danger, facing threats from within his own court and from external enemies.
c. 1000 BC - 950 BC
David's Later Reign and Succession Struggles
This era saw intense plotting and betrayal, particularly from figures like Absalom and Sheba, who used slander and deceit to undermine David's authority and his family.
c. 970 BC - 931 BC
Division of the Kingdom
Following Solomon's death, the united monarchy fractured, leading to ongoing conflicts and political machinations between the northern Kingdom of Israel and the southern Kingdom of Judah.
c. 8th Century BC
Assyrian Expansion
The growing power of the Assyrian Empire cast a long shadow over the region, creating an atmosphere of fear and instability that influenced the political landscape for both Israel and Judah.
This passage also describes the wicked as having tongues like serpents, actively spreading venom through their speech, highlighting the persistent theme of destructive, poisonous words used by the ungodly.
Psalms 64:3Similar to Psalm 140, this verse speaks of the wicked sharpening their tongues like swords and aiming their words like arrows, emphasizing the deliberate and harmful intent behind their speech.
Proverbs 16:27This proverb directly links destructive speech to evil intentions, stating that a worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire, mirroring the venomous imagery of Psalm 140:3.
Romans 3:13The Apostle Paul quotes from the Psalms, including verses with this imagery, to describe the universal corruption of humanity, showing how this ancient description of poisonous speech is a profound indictment of human depravity.
clarkePsalms 140:3: "They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah."
They have sharpened their tongues - They employ their time in forging lies and calumnies against me; and those of the most virulent nature.
gillPsalms 140:3: "They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah."
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent,.... Which Kimchi says it does before it bites. Aristotle (i) 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 knowe…
The verse highlights that the venom isn't just on their lips, but under them, suggesting a hidden, ready-to-strike malice that lies in wait. This isn't just careless speech; it's a deliberate, potent danger coiled and prepared to infect.
David is crying out to God for deliverance from malicious people who are actively plotting against him, not just with physical violence, but with destructive words. These adversaries are compared to serpents whose tongues are sharpened for biting and whose lips conceal deadly venom, representing their deceitful and harmful speech. The psalm continues with David's plea for God's protection against these wicked schemes and traps.
David is crying out to God for deliverance from malicious people who are actively plotting against him, not just with physical violence, but with destructive words. These adversaries are compared to serpents whose tongues are sharpened for biting and whose lips conceal deadly venom, representing their deceitful and harmful speech. The psalm continues with David's plea for God's protection against these wicked schemes and traps.
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c. 605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Nebuchadnezzar's initial siege of Jerusalem resulted in the first wave of exiles, including figures like Daniel, marking a significant turning point in Israel's history.
c. 587 BC
Destruction of Jerusalem
The Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, leading to the exile of most of the remaining population and a profound spiritual crisis for the people of God.
"They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps. Selah" — The verse highlights that the venom isn't just on their lips, but under them, suggesting a hidden, ready-to-strike malice that lies in wait. This isn't just careless speech; it's a deliberate, po…
