Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - The psalmist earnestly begs of God to preserve him from disquietin fear. The tongue is a little member, but it boasts great things. The upright man is the mark at which the wicked aim, they cannot spea peaceably either of him or to him. There is no guard against a fals tongue. It is bad to do wrong, but worse to encourage ourselves and on another in it. It is a sign that the heart is hardened to the greates degree, when it is thus fully set to do evil. A practical disbelief of God's knowledge of all things, is at the bottom of every wickedness The benefit of a good cause and a good conscience, appears most when nothing can help a man against his enemies, save God alone, who is always a present help.
Original Hebrew אשׁר834 שׁננו8150 כחרב2719 לשׁונם3956 דרכו1869 חצם2671 דבר1697 מר׃4751
