Psalms 35:20
in Psalms 35For they do not speak peace, but they devise deceitful schemes against those who live quietly in the land.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For they speak not peace; But they devise deceitful words against them that are quiet in the land.
KJV
For they speak not peace: but they devise deceitful matters against them that are quiet in the land.
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This verse in Psalms 35
Commentary
15 notes on this verseThey make a pretense by uttering words under the guise of peace, but in reality their words are completely full of anger and evil. All the words, in fact, were not of peace, though they seemed to give that impression; rather, they were spoken with …
This site's exposition
those who hate me without reason
on Psalms 35:19-21
At John 15:25 Jesus takes the words They hated Me without reason as written in their Law. The phrase stands here and at Psalm 69:4. Verse 20 says they do not speak peace and aim their schemes at people living quietly in the land.
This site's exposition
they devise deceitful schemes
Deceitful schemes is literally words of deceit, as Albert Barnes noted. Charles Spurgeon saw the old trick of branding quiet men as rebels, used on David, who wanted to be an orderly citizen. John Gill set beside it Joseph's brothers in Genesis 37:4.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
Daily the demons speak peacefully to us. This peace is the fruit of lust, but through anger they devise deceits, just like sweet food on a hook in our sight—it is deadly to eat. They open wide their mouths against me, and lovers of this …
"Let not them that are Mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over Me:" for they rejoice over Me because of My chaff. "Who hate Me without a cause;" that is, whom I never hurt; "winking with their eyes" [Psalm 35:19]: that is, pretending hypocrites, "For they spake indeed peace to Me" [Psalm 35:20]. What is, "winking with their eyes"? Declaring by their looks, what they carry not in their heart. And who are these "winking with their eyes"? "For they spake indeed peace to Me; and with wrath devised craftily." ...What peace spake they? "Master, we know that Thou acceptest not man's person, and teachest the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not?" They spake indeed peace unto Me. What then? Didst not Thou know them, and deceived they Thee, winking with their eyes? Truly He knew them; therefore said He, "Why tempt ye Me, ye hypocrites?" ...
The Medieval Church1 voice
On the part of the mouth, in two ways. First, as to fraudulent words. Second, as to mocking words. As to the first, he says that in their mouth -- second, that in their heart -- in their mouth are words of peace; hence he …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
For they speak not peace,.... Meaning to himself, or any good man; as Joseph's brethren could not to him, Gen 37:4; such were the men David had to do with, Psa 120:6; and such were the enemies of Christ, who could not give him a good word, nor speak one to him, Joh 10:20; and such are the enemies of his people, who breathe out nothing but threatenings and slaughter, and not anything that tends to peace, to promote and maintain it.
All the hellish arts of malice and falsehood are made use of to render them odious or despicable; their words and actions are misconstrued, even that which they abhor is fathered upon them, laws are made to ensnare them ( Dan. vi.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
7 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
9 And my soul shall be joyful in the L ORD : it shall rejoice in his salvation. 10 All my bones shall say, L ORD , who is like unto thee, which deliverest the poor from him that is too strong for him, yea, the poor and the needy from him that spoileth him?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:92%@v9-10
For they speak not peace,.... Meaning to himself, or any good man; as Joseph's brethren could not to him, Gen 37:4; such were the men David had to do with, Psa 120:6; and such were the enemies of Christ, who could not give him a good word, nor speak one to him, Joh 10:20; and such are the enemies of his people, who breathe out nothing but threatenings and slaughter, and not anything that tends to peace, to promote and maintain it.
All the hellish arts of malice and falsehood are made use of to render them odious or despicable; their words and actions are misconstrued, even that which they abhor is fathered upon them, laws are made to ensnare them ( Dan. vi.
The Nineteenth Century4 voices
"For they speak not peace." They love it not; how can they speak it? They are such troublers themselves that they cannot judge others to be peaceable. Out of the mouth comes what is in the heart. Riotous men charge others with sedition. "They devise deceitful mailers against them that are quiet in the land." David would fain have been an orderly citizen, but they laboured to make him a rebel. He could do nothing aright, all his dealings were misrepresented. This is an old trick of the enemy to brand good men with S.
"For they speak not peace." They love it not; how can they speak it? They are such troublers themselves that they cannot judge others to be peaceable. Out of the mouth comes what is in the heart. Riotous men charge others with sedition. "They devise deceitful mailers against them that are quiet in the land." David would fain have been an orderly citizen, but they laboured to make him a rebel. He could do nothing aright, all his dealings were misrepresented. This is an old trick of the enemy to brand good men with S. S on their cheeks, as sowers of sedition, though they have ever been a harmless race, like sheep among wolves. When mischief is meant, mischief is soon made. Unscrupulous partisans could even charge Jesus with seeking to overturn Caesar, much more will they thus accuse his household. At this very hour, those who stand up for the crown rights of King Jesus are called enemies of the church, favourers of Popery, friends of Atheists, levellers, red republicans, and it were hard to say what besides. Billingsgate and Babylon are in league.
"For they speak not peace." They love it not; how can they speak it? They are such troublers themselves that they cannot judge others to be peaceable. Out of the mouth comes what is in the heart. Riotous men charge others with sedition. "They devise deceitful mailers against them that are quiet in the land." David would fain have been an orderly citizen, but they laboured to make him a rebel. He could do nothing aright, all his dealings were misrepresented. This is an old trick of the enemy to brand good men with S.
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
For they speak not peace - They seek a quarrel. They are unwilling to be on good terms with others, or to live in peace with them. The idea is that they were “disposed” or “inclined” to quarrel. Thus we speak now of persons who are “quarrelsome. They devise deceitful matters - literally, “they think of words of deceit.” That is, they set their hearts on misrepresentation, and they study such misrepresentations as occasions for strife with others.
The words behind it
10 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 |
| לֹ֥א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| שָׁל֗וֹם | shalom | peace | H7965 → | 236 times |
| יְדַ֫בֵּ֥רוּ | yedaberu | they speak | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| וְעַ֥ל | veal | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| רִגְעֵי־ | rigei- | [the] quiet [people] of | H7282 → | |
| אֶ֑רֶץ | ʾeretz | [the] land | H776 → | 2504 times |
| דִּבְרֵ֥י | divrei | words of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| מִ֝רְמוֹת | mirmot | deceit<s> | H4820 → | 39 times |
| יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן׃ | yachashovun | they plan ! | H2803 → | 124 times |
כִּ֤יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֥אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
שָׁל֗וֹםpeace
shalomH7965 →236 times
יְדַ֫בֵּ֥רוּthey speak
yedaberuH1696 →1141 times
וְעַ֥לand on
vealH5921 →5755 times
רִגְעֵי־[the] quiet [people] of
rigei-H7282 →
אֶ֑רֶץ[the] land
ʾeretzH776 →2504 times
דִּבְרֵ֥יwords of
divreiH1697 →1440 times
מִ֝רְמוֹתdeceit<s>
mirmotH4820 →39 times
יַחֲשֹׁבֽוּן׃they plan !
yachashovunH2803 →124 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
Jeremiah 11:19For I was like a gentle lamb led to slaughter; I did not know that they had plotted against me: “Let us destroy the tree with its fruit; let us cut him off from…
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…
- Isaiah 53:7–8
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not…
- Psalms 83:4
saying, “Come, let us erase them as a nation; may the name of Israel be remembered no more.”
- Jeremiah 18:18
Then some said, “Come, let us make plans against Jeremiah, for the law will never be lost to the priest, nor counsel to the wise, nor an oracle to the prophet. Come, let us…
- Job 28:13
No man can know its value, nor is it found in the land of the living.
- Jeremiah 20:10
Through
Matthew 12:19He will not quarrel or cry out; no one will hear His voice in the streets.
it leads to
- Matthew 11:29
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
- 2 Timothy 2:24–25
And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing.
- Matthew 11:29
Through
Matthew 26:4and they conspired to arrest Jesus covertly and kill Him.
it leads to
- Matthew 12:14
But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.
- Matthew 12:14
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Psalms

This page draws on 12 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Psalms; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Arnobius the Younger, COMMENTARY ON THE PSALMS 35; Augustine of Hippo, Exposition on Psalm 35; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David; Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, Vol. 2; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Theodore of Mopsuestia, COMMENTARY ON PSALMS 35:20 and Thomas Aquinas, Exposition on the Psalms of David.
