For there is nothing trustworthy in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction itself. Their throat is an open grave; They flatter with their tongue.
Parallel translations
- WEB For there is no faithfulness in their mouth. Their heart is destruction. Their throat is an open tomb. They flatter with their tongue.
- KJV For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.
- BSB For not a word they speak can be trusted; destruction lies within them. Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.
- NKJV For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; Their inward part is destruction; Their throat is an open tomb; They flatter with their tongue.
- NLT My enemies cannot speak a truthful word. Their deepest desire is to destroy others. Their talk is foul, like the stench from an open grave. Their tongues are filled with flattery.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David describes the corruption of his enemies, whose words are deadly and deceitful. Their flattering speech masks destructive hearts.
Overview
David exposes the unreliability and ruin within his enemies: no truth in their mouths, hearts bent on destruction, throats like open graves. Paul gathers this verse into his indictment of universal human sinfulness (Romans 3:13). It reminds us that apart from grace, the corruption David sees in his foes marks every fallen heart and drives us to the cleansing only Christ provides.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 21
- Jer 9:3–6“They bend their tongue, as their bow, for falsehood; and they have grown strong in the land, but not for truth: for they proceed from evil to evil, and they don’t know me,” says Yahweh.
- Rom 3:13“Their throat is an open tomb. With their tongues they have used deceit.” “The poison of vipers is under their lips”;
- Ps 62:4They fully intend to throw him down from his lofty place. They delight in lies. They bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
- Mic 6:12Her rich men are full of violence, her inhabitants speak lies, and their tongue is deceitful in their speech.
- Prov 29:5A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- Luke 11:44Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like hidden graves, and the men who walk over them don’t know it.”
- Ps 52:2Your tongue plots destruction, like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.
- Ps 51:6Behold, you desire truth in the inward parts. You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
- Ps 64:6They plot injustice, saying, “We have made a perfect plan!” Surely man’s mind and heart are cunning.
- Jer 17:9The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt. Who can know it?
- Ps 12:2–3Everyone lies to his neighbor. They speak with flattering lips, and with a double heart.
- Job 32:21–22Please don’t let me respect any man’s person, neither will I give flattering titles to any man.
- Ps 36:1–4For the Chief Musician. By David, the servant of Yahweh. An inner sanctuary is within my heart about the disobedience of the wicked: “There is no fear of God before his eyes.”
- Ps 58:2–3No, in your heart you plot injustice. You measure out the violence of your hands in the earth.
- Ps 111:1–3Praise Yah! I will give thanks to Yahweh with my whole heart, in the council of the upright, and in the congregation.
- Mark 7:21–22For from within, out of the hearts of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, sexual sins, murders, thefts,
- Rom 1:29–31being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, malice; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil habits, secret slanderers,
- Ps 62:9Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.
- Jer 4:14Jerusalem, wash your heart from wickedness, that you may be saved. How long shall your evil thoughts lodge within you?
- Luke 11:39The Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the platter, but your inward part is full of extortion and wickedness.
- 1 Th 2:5For neither were we at any time found using words of flattery, as you know, nor a cloak of covetousness (God is witness),
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Christ at the center
The Psalms are Christ's own prayer book and a gallery of his portraits — the suffering one of Psalm 22, the risen Lord of Psalm 16, the priest-king of Psalm 110, the Son to whom the nations are given.
How Psalms 5:9 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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