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.
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.
- BSB His speech is smooth as butter, but war is in his heart. His words are softer than oil, yet they are swords unsheathed.
- 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 lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.
- Prov 5:3–4For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
- Ps 28:3Draw me not away with the wicked, and with the workers of iniquity, which speak peace to their neighbours, but mischief is in their hearts.
- Prov 26:28A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.
- Luke 20:20–21And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.
- Ps 12:2They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.
- Prov 26:24–26He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him;
- Ps 64:3Who whet their tongue like a sword, and bend their bows to shoot their arrows, even bitter words:
- Matt 26:25Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.
- Prov 12:18There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
- Ps 62:4They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.
- John 13:2And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;
- Ps 59:7Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?
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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
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