They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
Psalm 140 is David’s prayer for deliverance from evil, violent, proud, and slanderous men. He begins, “Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man” (v.1). These men imagined mischiefs in their heart and continually gathered together for war (v.2). Their malice began inwardly, but it came forth by their tongues. Verse 3 describes their speech under two dreadful figures: a serpent’s sharp tongue and an adder’s hidden poison. David was not dealing with harmless disagreement, but with wicked men whose words were framed to wound, deceive, infect, and destroy.
“They.” David speaks of the evil and violent men already named (vv.1-2). They are not mistaken brethren or weak saints overtaken in a fault. They are men given to mischief, violence, war, pride, snares, and cords (vv.2,4-5). Their speech must be read in that context. The wicked often use their mouth as the first instrument of violence. Before hands strike, tongues slander. Before traps are laid openly, lies are whispered secretly. Before blood is shed, false words prepare the way. “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin” (Proverbs 26:28).
“Have sharpened.” This is a figure of speech. Men do not literally sharpen their tongues as a blade, but the Spirit describes their words as weapons prepared for harm. Their speech was not careless only; it was whetted, prepared, and aimed. David used similar language elsewhere: “My soul is among lions… whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword” (Psalm 57:4). Again, the wicked “whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words” (Psalm 64:3). The tongue can cut deeper than a knife when it is used for lies, accusation, mockery, sedition, and reproach.
“Their tongues.” The tongue is small, but it is dangerous when ruled by sin. James wrote that the tongue is a little member, yet it boasts great things, kindles a great matter, defiles the whole body, and is “full of deadly poison” (James 3:5-8). This agrees exactly with David’s complaint. These men did not need armies at first; their tongues were enough to spread mischief. A slanderer can wound a reputation, divide brethren, stir anger, strengthen enemies, and trouble a church with a few chosen words. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).
“Like a serpent.” This is a simile, for the Psalmist directly compares their sharpened tongues to a serpent. The serpent suggests subtlety, danger, and death. From the beginning, the serpent used words to deceive, question God’s word, corrupt the woman, and bring ruin (Genesis 3:1-6). Paul warned that the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty (2 Corinthians 11:3). So wicked speakers often strike by craft rather than open force. Their words may appear smooth, concerned, reasonable, or religious, but the design is harm. David’s enemies had serpent-like tongues because their speech carried both cunning and injury.
“Adders’ poison.” The figure now moves from the serpent’s tongue to the venom under the lips. Poison is deadly, corrupting, and often hidden. A man may not see the venom at first, but its effect appears afterward. So it is with wicked speech. Slander, whispering, flattering, lying, and false accusation may enter quietly, but they work death. Paul quotes this very language when proving the universal sinfulness of men: “The poison of asps is under their lips” (Romans 3:13). Thus, David’s enemies are an example of man’s corrupt nature when the mouth is yielded to sin.
“Is under their lips.” The poison is hidden under the lips, ready to be released by speech. This shows concealed malice. The lips may appear controlled while venom lies beneath them. The wicked may wait for the right moment, the right hearer, the right suspicion, or the right weakness in another before speaking. Their poison is not always poured out at once. It lies under the lips until opportunity serves. “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8).
This verse warns the saints about the deadly power of corrupt speech. God’s people must not treat the tongue lightly. A sharp tongue may wound the innocent; a poisonous tongue may infect many. False reports against Joseph cast him into prison (Genesis 39:13-20). False witnesses rose against Naboth and brought him to death (1 Kings 21:10-13). False witnesses sought testimony against Christ, though their witness agreed not together (Mark 14:55-59). The same spirit still works wherever men use words to destroy rather than to speak truth in the fear of God.
The verse also teaches what to do with such enemies. David does not answer poison with poison. He cries to the LORD for deliverance and preservation (vv.1,4). He confesses, “Thou art my God” and asks the LORD to hear the voice of his supplications (v.6). The righteous man must not become like the serpent-tongued enemy he fears. “Recompense to no man evil for evil” (Romans 12:17). “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). The saint may pray for protection, exposure of lies, and righteous judgment, but he must not take up the devil’s weapon for himself.
“Selah.” The Spirit commands a pause. The reader must stop and consider the danger of wicked speech, the poison hidden under lips, the grief caused by slander, and the need for God’s preservation. Selah makes the warning personal. Have my words ever been sharpened to wound? Have I hidden poison under my lips? Have I listened gladly to the venom of others? Have I answered evil speech with evil speech? David’s verse describes the wicked speech of his enemies, but it also warns every believer to watch his own tongue, for the same corrupt nature remains in us.
Psalm 140:3 therefore exposes the wicked tongue as subtle, sharp, and poisonous. The evil man may use speech before he uses violence, but the LORD sees the venom beneath the lips. Let the saints fear the sins of the mouth, refuse slander and whispering, cry to God for deliverance from lying tongues, and keep their own lips from evil. The serpent’s tongue belongs to the wicked; the Christian must speak truth, seek peace, and leave judgment in the hands of God.
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.
Psalm 140 is David’s prayer for deliverance from evil, violent, proud, and slanderous men. He begins, “Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man” (v.1). These men imagined mischiefs in their heart and continually gathered together for war (v.2). Their malice began inwardly, but it came forth by their tongues. Verse 3 describes their speech under two dreadful figures: a serpent’s sharp tongue and an adder’s hidden poison. David was not dealing with harmless disagreement, but with wicked men whose words were framed to wound, deceive, infect, and destroy.
“They.” David speaks of the evil and violent men already named (vv.1-2). They are not mistaken brethren or weak saints overtaken in a fault. They are men given to mischief, violence, war, pride, snares, and cords (vv.2,4-5). Their speech must be read in that context. The wicked often use their mouth as the first instrument of violence. Before hands strike, tongues slander. Before traps are laid openly, lies are whispered secretly. Before blood is shed, false words prepare the way. “A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin” (Proverbs 26:28).
“Have sharpened.” This is a figure of speech. Men do not literally sharpen their tongues as a blade, but the Spirit describes their words as weapons prepared for harm. Their speech was not careless only; it was whetted, prepared, and aimed. David used similar language elsewhere: “My soul is among lions… whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword” (Psalm 57:4). Again, the wicked “whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words” (Psalm 64:3). The tongue can cut deeper than a knife when it is used for lies, accusation, mockery, sedition, and reproach.
“Their tongues.” The tongue is small, but it is dangerous when ruled by sin. James wrote that the tongue is a little member, yet it boasts great things, kindles a great matter, defiles the whole body, and is “full of deadly poison” (James 3:5-8). This agrees exactly with David’s complaint. These men did not need armies at first; their tongues were enough to spread mischief. A slanderer can wound a reputation, divide brethren, stir anger, strengthen enemies, and trouble a church with a few chosen words. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21).
“Like a serpent.” This is a simile, for the Psalmist directly compares their sharpened tongues to a serpent. The serpent suggests subtlety, danger, and death. From the beginning, the serpent used words to deceive, question God’s word, corrupt the woman, and bring ruin (Genesis 3:1-6). Paul warned that the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty (2 Corinthians 11:3). So wicked speakers often strike by craft rather than open force. Their words may appear smooth, concerned, reasonable, or religious, but the design is harm. David’s enemies had serpent-like tongues because their speech carried both cunning and injury.
“Adders’ poison.” The figure now moves from the serpent’s tongue to the venom under the lips. Poison is deadly, corrupting, and often hidden. A man may not see the venom at first, but its effect appears afterward. So it is with wicked speech. Slander, whispering, flattering, lying, and false accusation may enter quietly, but they work death. Paul quotes this very language when proving the universal sinfulness of men: “The poison of asps is under their lips” (Romans 3:13). Thus, David’s enemies are an example of man’s corrupt nature when the mouth is yielded to sin.
“Is under their lips.” The poison is hidden under the lips, ready to be released by speech. This shows concealed malice. The lips may appear controlled while venom lies beneath them. The wicked may wait for the right moment, the right hearer, the right suspicion, or the right weakness in another before speaking. Their poison is not always poured out at once. It lies under the lips until opportunity serves. “The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly” (Proverbs 18:8).
This verse warns the saints about the deadly power of corrupt speech. God’s people must not treat the tongue lightly. A sharp tongue may wound the innocent; a poisonous tongue may infect many. False reports against Joseph cast him into prison (Genesis 39:13-20). False witnesses rose against Naboth and brought him to death (1 Kings 21:10-13). False witnesses sought testimony against Christ, though their witness agreed not together (Mark 14:55-59). The same spirit still works wherever men use words to destroy rather than to speak truth in the fear of God.
The verse also teaches what to do with such enemies. David does not answer poison with poison. He cries to the LORD for deliverance and preservation (vv.1,4). He confesses, “Thou art my God” and asks the LORD to hear the voice of his supplications (v.6). The righteous man must not become like the serpent-tongued enemy he fears. “Recompense to no man evil for evil” (Romans 12:17). “Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). The saint may pray for protection, exposure of lies, and righteous judgment, but he must not take up the devil’s weapon for himself.
“Selah.” The Spirit commands a pause. The reader must stop and consider the danger of wicked speech, the poison hidden under lips, the grief caused by slander, and the need for God’s preservation. Selah makes the warning personal. Have my words ever been sharpened to wound? Have I hidden poison under my lips? Have I listened gladly to the venom of others? Have I answered evil speech with evil speech? David’s verse describes the wicked speech of his enemies, but it also warns every believer to watch his own tongue, for the same corrupt nature remains in us.
Psalm 140:3 therefore exposes the wicked tongue as subtle, sharp, and poisonous. The evil man may use speech before he uses violence, but the LORD sees the venom beneath the lips. Let the saints fear the sins of the mouth, refuse slander and whispering, cry to God for deliverance from lying tongues, and keep their own lips from evil. The serpent’s tongue belongs to the wicked; the Christian must speak truth, seek peace, and leave judgment in the hands of God.