Psalms 140:3
“They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper’s poison is under their lips. Selah.”
What does Psalms 140:3 mean?
When people use their words to hurt and deceive, the psalm writer describes it as something poisonous and deadly, like a snake's venom. The image is striking: sharp tongues and hidden poison suggest that harmful speech doesn't announce itself openly but works invisibly, leaving damage in its wake. This captures something true about how hurtful words, lies, and manipulation can wound us deeply, sometimes before we even realize we've been hurt. If you've been on the receiving end of this kind of harm, this psalm validates that pain and invites you to bring it to God, who sees and cares about the cruelty we experience.