the Week of Christ the King / Proper 29 / Ordinary 34
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Psalms 58:4
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- InternationalParallel Translations
They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen,
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: [They are] like the deaf cobra that stops her ear,
They are like poisonous snakes, like deaf cobras that stop up their ears
Their venom is like that of a snake, like a deaf serpent that does not hear,
Their poison [is] like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder [that] stoppeth her ear;
Their poison is like the poison of a snake; Like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,
Their poison is like the venom of a serpent; They are like the deaf horned viper that stops up its ear,
They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
Woodnesse is to hem, bi the licnesse of a serpent; as of a deef snake, and stoppynge hise eeris.
Their venom is like the poison of a serpent, like a cobra that shuts its ears,
Your words spread poison like the bite of a cobra
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: They are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear,
Their poison is like the poison of a snake; they are like the adder, whose ears are shut;
From the womb, the wicked are estranged, liars on the wrong path since birth.
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: [they are] like the deaf adder which stoppeth her ear;
The wicked are estranged from the womb; the speakers of lies go astray as soon as they are born.
Their poison is like the poyson of a serpent; they are like the deafe adder that stoppeth her eare:
Their poison is like the poison of a snake. They are like a cobra that cannot or will not listen.
They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
Their poyson is euen like the poyson of a serpent: like ye deafe adder that stoppeth his eare.
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; they are like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
They are full of poison like snakes; they stop up their ears like a deaf cobra,
Their poison, is like unto the poison of a serpent, Like the deaf adder, that stoppeth his ear;
(57-5) Their madness is according to the likeness of a serpent: like the deaf asp that stoppeth her ears:
They have venom like the venom of a serpent, like the deaf adder that stops its ear,
They haue poyson [within them] lyke to the poyson of a serpent: they be lyke the deafe adder that stoppeth her eares,
They have venom like the venom of a snake,like the deaf cobra that stops up its ears,
Their poison is like the poison of a snake; Like a deaf cobra that stops its ear,
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear;
Their venom is like snake venom; They are like a deaf viper that closes its ear
Their poison is like the poison of a snake; like the deaf adder he stops his ear,
Their poison [is] as poison of a serpent, As a deaf asp shutting its ear,
They are as furious as the serpent, euen like the deaf Adder that stoppeth hir eares.
They have venom like the venom of a serpent; Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
Their poison is like the poison of a serpent; They are like the deaf cobra that stops its ear,
They have venom like the venom of a serpent; Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
They have venom like the venom of a serpent;Like a deaf cobra that stops up its ear,
Contextual Overview
To the director: To the tune "Don't Destroy." A miktam of David.
You judges are not being fair in your decisions. You are not judging people fairly. 2 No, you only think of evil things to do. You do violent crimes in this country. 3 Those wicked people started doing wrong as soon as they were born. They have been liars from birth. 4 Their anger is as deadly as the poison of a snake. They shut their ears like a deaf cobra 5 that does not listen to the music of the snake charmers, no matter how well they play.Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
poison: Psalms 140:3, Ecclesiastes 10:11, Romans 3:13, James 3:8
like: Heb. according to the likeness of
serpent: Matthew 3:7, Matthew 23:33
the deaf: Jeremiah 8:17, adder or asp, Pethen, is no doubt the boeten of the Arabians, which M. Forskal describes as spotted with black and white, about one foot in length, nearly half an inch thick, oviparous, and its bite almost instant death. It is the aspic of the ancients, and is so called the literati of Cyprus, though the common people call it ךןץצח, deaf. Job 20:14, Job 20:16, Isaiah 11:8
Reciprocal: Genesis 3:2 - serpent Deuteronomy 32:33 - the poison Psalms 91:13 - adder Proverbs 21:13 - stoppeth Zechariah 7:11 - stopped Matthew 15:11 - but Luke 3:7 - O generation Acts 7:57 - stopped
Gill's Notes on the Bible
Their poison [is] like the poison of a serpent,.... Either their "wrath" and fury, as the word x may be rendered, against God, his people, and even one another, is like that of a serpent when irritated and provoked; or their mischievous and devouring words are like the poison of asps under their lips, Romans 3:13; or the malignity of sin in them is here meant, which, like the poison of a serpent, is latent, hid, and lurking in them; is very infectious to all the powers and faculties of the soul, and members of the body; and is deadly and incurable, without the grace of God and blood of Christ;
[they are] like the deaf adder [that] stoppeth her ear; the adder is a kind of serpent, in Hebrew called "pethen"; hence the serpent "Python". This is not, deaf naturally, otherwise it would have no need to stop its ear, but of choice; and naturalists y observe, that it is quicker of hearing than of sight. Jarchi indeed says, when it grows old it becomes deaf in one of its ears, and it stops its other ear with dust, that it may not hear the voice of the charmer; though others say z it stops one ear with its tail, and lays the other to the ground; but these seem fabulous. David speaks of it figuratively, that it acts as if it was deaf, regarding no enchantments, but bites notwithstanding; these having no influence on it, which, if they had any, could not be hindered by its deafness; and he compares wicked men to it, who are wilfully deaf to all good counsel and advice given them a.
x חמת θυμος, Sept. "furor", V. L. y Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 23. z Isidor. Hispal. Origin. l. 12. c. 4. a Vid. Gataker. Adversaria, c. 8. p. 70, &c.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
Their poison - Their malignity; their bad spirit; that which they utter or throw out of their mouth. The reference here is to what they speak or utter Psalms 58:3, and the idea is, that it is penetrating and deadly.
Like the poison of a serpent - Margin, as in Hebrew, “according to the likeness.” In this expression no particular class of serpents is referred to except those which are “poisonous.”
Like the deaf adder - Margin, “asp.” The word may refer either to the viper, the asp, or the adder. See the notes at Isaiah 11:8. The “particular” idea here is, that the serpent referred to was as it were “deaf;” it could not be tamed or charmed; it seemed to stop its own ears, so that there was no means of rendering it a safe thing to approach it. The supposition is that there “were” serpents which, though deadly in their poison, “might” be charmed or tamed, but that “this” species of serpent could “not.” The sense, as applied to the wicked, is, that there was no way of overcoming their evil propensities - of preventing them from giving utterance to words that were like poison, or from doing mischief to all with whom they came in contact. They were malignant, and there was no power of checking their malignity. Their poison was deadly, and there was no possibility of restraining them from doing evil.
That stoppeth her ear - Which “seems” to stop her ear; which refuses to hear the words and incantations by which other serpents are subdued and tamed. Others, however, refer this to the man himself, meaning, “like the deaf adder he stops his ear;” that is, he voluntarily makes himself like the adder that does not hear, and that will not be tamed. The former interpretation, however, is to be preferred.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Psalms 58:4. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent — When they bite, they convey poison into the wound, as the serpent does. They not only injure you by outward acts, but by their malevolence they poison your reputation. They do you as much evil as they can, and propagate the worst reports that others may have you in abhorrence, treat you as a bad and dangerous man; and thus, as the poison from the bite of the serpent is conveyed into the whole mass of blood, and circulates with it through all the system, carrying death every where; so they injurious speeches and vile insinuations circulate through society, and poison and blast your reputation in every place. Such is the slanderer, and such his influence in society. From such no reputation is safe; with such no character is sacred; and against such there is no defence. God alone can shield the innocent from the envenomed tongue and lying lips of such inward monsters in the shape of men.
Like the deaf adder that stoppeth her ear — It is a fact that cannot be disputed with any show of reason, that in ancient times there were persons that charmed, lulled to inactivity, or professed to charm, serpents, so as to prevent them from biting. See Ecclesiastes 10:11; Jeremiah 8:17. The prince of Roman poets states the fact, VIRG. Ecl. viii., ver. 71.
Frigidus in prati cantando rumpitur anguis.
"In the meadows the cold snake is burst by incantation."
The same author, AEn. vii., ver. 750, gives us the following account of the skill of Umbro, a priest of the Marrubians: -
Quin et Marrubia venit de gente sacerdos,
Fronde super galeam, et felici comptus oliva,
Archippi regis missu, fortissimus Umbro;
Vipereo generi, et graviter spirantibus hydris,
Spargere qui somnos cantuque manuque solebat,
Mulcebatque iras, et morsus arte levabat.
"Umbro, the brave Marubian priest, was there,
Sent by the Marsian monarch to the war.
The smiling olive with her verdant boughs
Shades his bright helmet, and adorns his brows.
His charms in peace the furious serpent keep,
And lull the envenomed viper's race to sleep:
His healing hand allayed the raging pain;
And at his touch the poisons fled again."
PITT.
There is a particular sect of the Hindoos who profess to bring serpents into subjection, and deprive them of their poison, by incantation. See at the end of this Psalm. Psalms 58:11.
