Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 140:3
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison [is] under their lips. Selah.
3. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent ] The lying tongue is elsewhere compared to the sword or arrow which wounds (Psa 52:2; Psa 55:21; Psa 57:4; Psa 59:7; Psa 64:3), or the serpent which inflicts a poisonous bite (Psa 58:3-4); and here the Psalmist combines the metaphors. They deliberately prepare to inflict a deadly wound by slander.
adder’s poison is under their lips ] Hidden like the poison gland of the asp. The words are quoted in Rom 3:13, from the LXX.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent – Compare the notes at Psa 64:3. The idea here is, that since the tongue of the serpent seems to be sharp, pointed, adapted to penetrate (and probably the original reference in the image was derived from that idea), the wound inflicted is by the serpents tongue – as if with a hard, penetrating point. It is now known, however, that it is by a tooth – a single tooth, made flexible for the purpose – at the root of which a small bag containing the poison is located, which is injected through an orifice in the tooth into the wound. The meaning here is, that the words spoken by such persons – by their tongues – were like the poison produced by the bite of a serpent.
Adders poison is under their lips – The asp or adder is among the most poisonous of serpents. Thus, Cleopatra of Egypt is said to have destroyed her own life by an asp, which she had concealed for that purpose. This passage is quoted in Rom 3:13, as a proof of human depravity. See the notes at that verse.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 3. They have sharpened their tongues] They employ their time in forging lies and calumnies against me; and those of the most virulent nature.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They have sharpened their tongues; their malicious hearts stirred up their tongues to utter vile slanders against me. Like a serpent; either whetting their tongues, as serpents are said to whet theirs when they are about to bite; or rather, using words as sharp and piercing as the sting of a serpent.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. sharpened . . . like aserpentnot like a serpent does, but they are thus like aserpent in cunning and venom.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent,…. Which Kimchi says it does before it bites. Aristotle i observes, that the tip or extreme point of a serpent’s tongue is as small as a hair, and so exceeding sharp and piercing. Arama interprets this of the sharpness and cunning of the serpent; and particularly the serpent that deceived Eve, and spake cunningly to her. “For God knoweth”, c. and may design the calumnies and detractions, which were sharp as a razor as swords, and spears, and arrows, and as the tongue of a serpent, Ps 57:4; and the subtlety of false teachers, and deceitful workers; and the sharp and cutting words of wicked men against Christ and his people, Jude 1:15;
adder’s poison is under their lips; which may signify the malignity of sin in wicked men, which comes from the old serpent the devil; is latent in men; very infectious, like poison, and deadly and incurable, but by the grace of God, and blood of Christ: and may describe particularly the mischief of the tongue, which is a little member, as the asp is a little creature; but very mischievous, full of deadly poison, which lurks in it, lies under it, and which spitting out, it stupifies and kills insensibly; as do the calumnies of wicked men, and the doctrines of false teachers; see Ro 3:13. The Targum is,
“the poison of the spider;”
though it is said k the spider is not venomous.
Selah; on this word, [See comments on Ps 3:2].
i Hist. Animal. l. 2. c. 17. k Philosoph. Transact. abridged, vol. 2. p. 800. & vol. 5. par. 1. p. 24.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) Comp. Psa. 64:3; Psa. 58:4; Psa. 52:2; Psa. 10:7.
Adders.The Hebrew word is peculiar to this place, and is explained by Gesenius to be a compound of two words, to represent that which rolls itself up and lies in ambush. Besides the cobra and the cerastes, several other species of venomous snakes are common in Syria, and we may apply the name, either generically or specifically, to the vipers. Two species, Vipera ammodytes and Vipera euphratica, we found to be very common. The former of these was known to Linnus as inhabiting Palestine. They are plainlycoloured serpents, with broad flat heads and suddenly-contracting tails (Tristram, Nat. Hist. of the Bible, p. 275). The LXX. and Vulg. read asp. (Comp. Rom. 3:13.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
3. Sharpened their tongues like a serpent The description is that of a serpent darting out his tongue before inflicting the wound. Roberts: “See him: his head is erect, and his piercing eye is wildly and fiercely fixed on the object; the tongue rapidly appears and disappears, as if by that process it would be sharpened for the contest.” The Hebrew word here rendered adder, would seem to be used in a general way to signify a serpent of some kind, but not determinate as to species. As a compound word the two parts together would signify, according to Gesenius, to coil up and to lie in wait, which might apply to various species, but specially to the cerastes, or horned adder, a dangerous wayside serpent, alluded to Gen 49:17. Others apply it to the toxicoa, so well known in northern Africa, also in Palestine and Syria.
Poison under their lips The secreted poison at the root of the serpent’s fang, which is injected, by a peculiar muscular apparatus, into the wound caused by the bite. A fit emblem of a malignant slanderer.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison [is] under their lips. Selah.
Ver. 3. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent ] Which, by reason of his sharp tongue, striketh more deeply.
Adders’poison] Venenum Ptyados. R. Solomen readeth spiders’ poison; others, asps!, vipers’; malice turneth men into serpents, saith Chrysostom.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
tongues. Singular. See note on Psa 140:11. Quoted in Rom 3:13.
Selah. Connecting the evil with the prayer to be delivered; thus marking the Structure (App-66)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
sharpened: Psa 52:2, Psa 52:3, Psa 57:4, Psa 59:7, Psa 64:3, Psa 64:4, Pro 12:18, Isa 59:3-5, Isa 59:13, Jer 9:3, Jer 9:5, Jam 3:6-8
like a serpent: Gen 3:13, Pro 23:32, Mat 12:34, 2Co 11:3
adders’: Psa 58:4, Rom 3:13, Rom 3:14
Reciprocal: Deu 32:33 – the poison Psa 31:20 – the strife Psa 36:3 – The words Psa 94:4 – shall Psa 109:2 – the mouth Pro 25:18 – General Isa 11:8 – cockatrice’ Lam 3:62 – lips Jam 3:8 – full
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; {c} adders’ poison [is] under their lips. Selah.
(c) He shows the weapons the wicked use, when power and force fail them.