Proverbia 64:3

Nova Vulgata

[64:4] Qui exacuerunt ut gladium linguas suas, intenderunt sagittas suas, venefica verba,

Parallel Translations

Clementine Latin Vulgate (1592)
Exaudi orationem meam ; ad te omnis caro veniet.

Jerome's Latin Vulgate (405)
Exaudi orationem meam;
ad te omnis caro veniet.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

whet: Psalms 57:4, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 30:14, Isaiah 54:17, Jeremiah 9:3, James 3:6-8

bend: Psalms 11:2, Psalms 58:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:1 - Jacob Genesis 49:23 - General Job 15:5 - thou choosest Job 19:2 - break me Psalms 7:13 - ordaineth Psalms 10:7 - and deceit Psalms 31:18 - speak Psalms 50:19 - tongue Psalms 55:21 - The words Psalms 59:7 - swords Psalms 94:4 - shall Psalms 109:2 - the mouth Psalms 140:3 - sharpened Proverbs 18:8 - words Ecclesiastes 10:11 - a babbler Jeremiah 9:5 - taught Jeremiah 9:8 - tongue Jeremiah 18:18 - Come and let us smite Hosea 5:2 - profound Matthew 12:34 - how Luke 6:45 - and an Luke 23:2 - forbidding Ephesians 4:31 - bitterness James 3:8 - an unruly

Gill's Notes on the Bible

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 a: and after the same manner, the Jews say b, 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.

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

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Who whet their tongue like a sword - Who sharpen their tongue; that is, they utter words that will cut deep, or penetrate the soul. The idea is that of slander or reproach - the same idea which we have in Shakespeare (Cymbeline):

“‘Tis slander;

Whose edge is sharper than the sword.”

This comparison is a favorite one with David. Compare Psalms 52:2; Psalms 57:4; Psalms 59:7.

And bend their bows ... - That is, they prepare for this - as they make ready to shoot who bend their bows, and fix their arrows on the string. The idea here is, that this was deliberate, or was the result of counsel and purpose. It was not an outbreak of mere passion and excitement; it was by fixed design and careful preparation. See Psalms 11:2, note; Psalms 58:7, note.

Even bitter words - We apply the same term bitter now to words of malice and reproach.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Psalms 64:3. Who whet their tongue like a sword — They devise the evil they shall speak, and meditate on the most provoking, injurious, and defamatory words; as the soldier whets his sword that he may thereby the better cut down his enemies.

Their arrows - bitter words — Their defamatory sayings are here represented as deadly as poisoned arrows; for to such is the allusion here made.