His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
Parallel translations
- WEB His mouth was smooth as butter, but his heart was war. His words were softer than oil, yet they were drawn swords.
- KJV The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.
- NKJV The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, But war was in his heart; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
- NASB His speech was smoother than butter, But his heart was war; His words were softer than oil, Yet they were drawn swords.
- NLT His words are as smooth as butter, but in his heart is war. His words are as soothing as lotion, but underneath are daggers!
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
The betrayer's words were smooth as butter while his heart waged war. It unmasks flattering speech that conceals hostile intent.
Overview
David exposes the hypocrisy of the false friend, whose soothing words hid drawn swords. The contrast between soft speech and warring heart warns against deceptive flattery. Such duplicity ultimately stands judged before God, who sees the heart behind the words (1 Samuel 16:7).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Ps 57:4My soul is among the lions; I lie down with ravenous beasts—with men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
- Prov 5:3–4Though the lips of the forbidden woman drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil,
- Ps 28:3Do not drag me away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors while malice is in their hearts.
- Prov 26:28A lying tongue hates those it crushes, and a flattering mouth causes ruin.
- Luke 20:20–21So they watched Him closely and sent spies who pretended to be sincere. They were hoping to catch Him in His words in order to hand Him over to the rule and authority of the governor.
- Ps 12:2They lie to one another; they speak with flattering lips and a double heart.
- Prov 26:24–26A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
- Ps 64:3who sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows,
- Matt 26:25Then Judas, who would betray Him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “You have said it yourself.”
- Prov 12:18Speaking rashly is like a piercing sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
- Ps 62:4They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah
- John 13:2The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
- Ps 59:7See what they spew from their mouths—sharp words from their lips: “For who can hear us?”
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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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 55:21 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
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.