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Selected Verse: Psalms 140:3 - King James

Verse	Translation	Text
Ps 140:3	King James	They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse

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A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]
sharpened . . . like a serpent--not like a serpent does, but they are thus like a serpent in cunning and venom.

A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882]

sharpened . . . like a serpent--not like a serpent does, but they are thus like a serpent in cunning and venom.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent - Compare the notes at Psa 64:3. The idea here is, that since the tongue of the serpent "seems" to be sharp, pointed, adapted to penetrate (and probably the original reference in the image was derived from that idea), the wound inflicted is by the serpent's tongue - "as if" with a hard, penetrating point. It is now known, however, that it is by a tooth - a single tooth, made flexible for the purpose - at the root of which a small bag containing the poison is located, which is injected through an orifice in the tooth into the wound. The meaning here is, that the words spoken by such persons - by their tongues - were like the poison produced by the bite of a serpent. Adders' poison is under their lips - The asp or adder is among the most poisonous of serpents. Thus, Cleopatra of Egypt is said to have destroyed her own life by an asp, which she had concealed for that purpose. This passage is quoted in Rom 3:13, as a proof of human depravity. See the notes at that verse.

Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834]

They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent - Compare the notes at Psa 64:3. The idea here is, that since the tongue of the serpent "seems" to be sharp, pointed, adapted to penetrate (and probably the original reference in the image was derived from that idea), the wound inflicted is by the serpent's tongue - "as if" with a hard, penetrating point. It is now known, however, that it is by a tooth - a single tooth, made flexible for the purpose - at the root of which a small bag containing the poison is located, which is injected through an orifice in the tooth into the wound. The meaning here is, that the words spoken by such persons - by their tongues - were like the poison produced by the bite of a serpent.

Adders' poison is under their lips - The asp or adder is among the most poisonous of serpents. Thus, Cleopatra of Egypt is said to have destroyed her own life by an asp, which she had concealed for that purpose. This passage is quoted in Rom 3:13, as a proof of human depravity. See the notes at that verse.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]
Tongues - Using words as sharp and piercing as the sting of a serpent.

Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65]

Tongues - Using words as sharp and piercing as the sting of a serpent.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826
They have sharpened their tongues - They employ their time in forging lies and calumnies against me; and those of the most virulent nature.

Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826

They have sharpened their tongues - They employ their time in forging lies and calumnies against me; and those of the most virulent nature.

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