Psalms 109:2
in Psalms 109For wicked and deceitful mouths open against me; they speak against me with lying tongues.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of deceit have they opened against me: They have spoken unto me with a lying tongue.
KJV
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me: they have spoken against me with a lying tongue.
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This verse in Psalms 109
Commentary
10 notes on this verseFor the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful man has been opened against me. Let us see how the mouth of Judas the betrayer was opened against the Lord. He comes to the Lord in order to betray him, and he says: Rabbi — that is, master. Behold, the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful man. I in my clemency wish to save him, and I offer him a kiss, and I wish to overcome his malice; yet he persists in doing evil, so as to betray me.
This site's exposition
O God of my praise
on Psalms 109:1-3
The psalm opens by naming God the object of praise and asking Him not to stay silent. The attack is spoken, wicked and deceitful mouths, lying tongues, hateful words on every side. Verse 3 says the attack came without cause.
This site's exposition
wicked and deceitful mouths
The enemies are plural in verses 2 to 5 and again from verse 20. In verses 6 to 19 the one cursed is a single man. Some readers take that man as their leader, and others hear the accusers' own words against the psalmist quoted there.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"They have spoken against me with false tongues" (ver. 2): then chiefly when they praised him as a "good Master" with insidious adulation. Whence it is elsewhere said: "and they that praised me, are sworn together against me." Next, because they burst into cries, "Crucify Him, crucify Him;" he hath added, "They compassed me about also with words of hatred." They who with a treacherous tongue spoke words seemingly of love, and not of hatred, "against me," since they did this insidiously; afterwards "compassed me about with words" not of false and deceitful love, but of open "hatred, and fought against me without a cause." For as the pious love Christ for nought, so do the wicked hate Him for nought; for as truth is earnestly sought by the best men on its own account, without any advantage, external to itself, in view, so is wickedness sought by the worst men. Whence among secular authors it is said of a very bad man, "he was wicked and cruel for no object."
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me,....
The Nineteenth Century3 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
For the mouth . . . opened--or, "They have opened a wicked mouth" against me--literally, "with me," that is, Their intercourse is lying, or, they slander me to my face (Mt 26:59).
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me. Wicked men must needs say wicked things, and these we have reason to dread; but in addition they utter false and deceitful things, and these are worst of all. There is no knowing what may come out of mouths which are at once lewd and lying. The misery caused to a good man by slanderous reports no heart can imagine but that which is wounded by them: in all Satan's armoury there are no worse weapons than deceitful tongues. To have a reputation, over which we have watched with daily care, suddenly bespattered with the foulest aspersions, is painful beyond description; but when wicked and deceitful men get their mouths fully opened we can hardly expect to escape any more than others. They have spoken against me with a lying tongue. Lying tongues cannot lie still. Bad tongues are not content to vilify bad men, but choose the most gracious of saints to be the objects of their attacks. Here is reason enough for prayer. The heart sinks when assailed with slander, for we know not what may be said next, what friend may be alienated, what evil may be threatened, or what misery may be caused to us and others. The air is full of rumours, and shadows impalpable flit around; the mind is confused with dread of unseen foes, and invisible arrows. What ill can be worse than to be assailed with slander,
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful are opened against me. Wicked men must needs say wicked things, and these we have reason to dread; but in addition they utter false and deceitful things, and these are worst of all. There is no knowing what may come out of mouths which are at once lewd and lying. The misery caused to a good man by slanderous reports no heart can imagine but that which is wounded by them: in all Satan's armoury there are no worse weapons than deceitful tongues.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The mouth of the wicked and - the deceitful are opened against me - Many persons are continually uttering calumnies against me. Thou knowest my heart and its innocence; vindicate my uprightness against these calumniators.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For the mouth of the wicked and the mouth of the deceitful - literally, “The mouth of wickedness, and the mouth of deceit.” This acquaints us with the nature of the wrong which had been done him. It was slander; undeserved reproach. Are opened against me - Margin, “have opened;” that is, have opened themselves. They have spoken against me with a lying tongue - They have accused me of things which are not true; they have made false charges against me. David, as has not been uncommon with good people, was called repeatedly to this trial.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
O God of my praise, be not silent This was said regarding all Israel.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
11 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| כִּ֤י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| פִ֪י | fi | [the] mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| רָשָׁ֡ע | rasha' | [the] wicked | H7563 → | 263 times |
| וּֽפִי־ | ufi- | and a mouth of | H6310 → | 498 times |
| מִ֭רְמָה | mirmah | deceit | H4820 → | 39 times |
| עָלַ֣י | ʾalai | on me | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פָּתָ֑חוּ | patachu | they have opened | H6605 → | 144 times |
| דִּבְּר֥וּ | diberu | they have spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אִ֝תִּ֗י | ʾiti | with me | H854 → | 929 times |
| לְשׁ֣וֹן | leshon | a tongue of | H3956 → | 117 times |
| שָֽׁקֶר׃ | shaker | falsehood | H8267 → | 113 times |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
פִ֪י[the] mouth of
fiH6310 →498 times
רָשָׁ֡ע[the] wicked
rasha'H7563 →263 times
וּֽפִי־and a mouth of
ufi-H6310 →498 times
מִ֭רְמָהdeceit
mirmahH4820 →39 times
עָלַ֣יon me
ʾalaiH5921 →5755 times
פָּתָ֑חוּthey have opened
patachuH6605 →144 times
דִּבְּר֥וּthey have spoken
diberuH1696 →1141 times
אִ֝תִּ֗יwith me
ʾitiH854 →929 times
לְשׁ֣וֹןa tongue of
leshonH3956 →117 times
שָֽׁקֶר׃falsehood
shakerH8267 →113 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 6:17haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood,
it leads to
- Psalms 120:2–3
Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.
- Proverbs 12:22
Lying lips are detestable to the LORD, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.
- Isaiah 1:15
When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood.
- Psalms 101:5
Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; the one with haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not endure.
- Psalms 5:6
You destroy those who tell lies; the LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
- Psalms 120:2–3
Through
Psalms 52:4You love every word that devours, O deceitful tongue.
it leads to
- Psalms 120:3
What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?
- James 3:6–9
The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on…
- Psalms 120:3
Through
Psalms 31:13For I hear the slander of many; there is terror on every side. They conspire against me and plot to take my life.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 20:10
For I have heard the whispering of many: “Terror is on every side! Report him; let us report him!” All my trusted friends watch for my fall: “Perhaps he will be deceived so that…
- Jeremiah 20:10
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies2
On this verse
On this chapter
About Psalms
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, On the Psalms, Psalm 109; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 5; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; Jerome, Homily 35, on Psalm 108; John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of Psalms; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.